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Travel the Underground Railroad With Harriet |
Introduction
The time is 1835, the height of the Underground Railroad. You and a partner own a tiny book shop in a town just north of the Canadian border. You have a thriving business, but not in book sales. You are an abolitionist helping slaves reach the Promised Land. Today is no different. You are on a mission to free a slave. If you do not take action, she will be sent back to the plantation. There, her master will punish her severely and her chances of freedom will evade her. It's a risky business, the consequences are extreme, but her life is depending on you. Please do not let her down.
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Tasks
You and your partner may choose to do 1 of the following activities. A classroom presentation will be required. Have an amazing time.
Task #1
Your slave is having second thoughts. She doesn't think she can do it. To encourage her, you retrieve biographical information on famous Underground Railroad people. You display the cards on the table. Each card has an illustration of the famous person and factual information on the back. If you decide to tackle this task, please click the picture.
Task #2
Your slave has heard many stories about other fugitives running away from plantations and reaching the Promised Land. "How will I know where to go? Who can I trust?" she asks. To answer her questions, you begin drawing a map to freedom. Click the picture if this task interests you.
Task #3
While you and your fugitive friend wait for nightfall, you decide that it might be fun to play a board game. Click on the fugitive if you want to create an Underground Railroad board game.
Task #4
The night is long. Your friend is beginning to fall asleep. After bringing her some milk and cookies, you move your special rocking chair out of the way, loosen and pry up a section of the floor and remove a beautifully bound book. You explain to her that this is a story about the triumphs and struggles of a slave. Click the illustration if this task interests you.
Task #5
Your slave has departed. You have given her the knowledge, skills and the confidence to accomplish her risky mission. Now it's all up to her. Although you are exhausted, you are unable to fall asleep until you hear from the Underground Railroad allies that she is safe and has reached the Promised Land. Rocking back and forth in your chair, you reach for your crossword puzzle. You say to yourself, "It might be a long night." If this task is something you would like to do, please click on the picture.
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Process
Underground Railroad Trading Cards (Task #1)
Prepare a deck of trading cards, similar to baseball cards-based
on famous Underground Railroad people (at least 10). Please make
sure to include Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Levi Coffin
and Sojourner Truth. Your cards should be created using the trading
card template found on the computer in the Word program. An illustration
of your famous person should be on one side of the card with their
name labeled underneath. On the other side you should include
important information for your slave. Make sure you divide your
work. Your partner will be responsible for 5 cards and so will
you. National
Geographic
Freedom Map (Task #2)
Create a map: the map will be a layout of the next town
your slave will be resting in. Please make sure to include at
least ten buildings, in a creative design, add landscaping (trees,
creeks, mountains, etc.), roads and other items that might jazz
up your map. Create this map using the program Neighborhood Map
Machine. The more creative the better. Each building should be
labled and your slave must be aware of the houses that are safe
to visit (i.e.:lanterns and/or quilts). Use the Drinking
Gourd Song website to help you leave clues for your
slaves to follow. You can also click on NASA's
explanation of the "Drinking Gourd" song.
Underground Railroad Boardgame (Task #3)
Design and construct a board game of the Undergound Railroad. You will need the board, playing pieces, cards, and sheet with the rules. Test play your game before you make the final version. Your board game should be constructed on thick construction paper. The spaces on the board should be the same size and should be created with a ruler. Your spaces should allow the players to move forward and/or backward. Your questions should focus on Underground Railroad facts. The amount of questions is up to you. But, you should have at least 20. Your game board should be appealing to the eye. That is, color, illustrations and game pieces are a must.
Story Book/Picture Book (Task #4)
Create a story book about the life of an imaginary slave and the life they have experienced. Please include, life on the plantation, running away, struggles and triumphs during their journey, and their arrival to the Promised Land. Your book should have a front cover, a title and the author's name. Your story should include a beginning, middle and an end. You will use Ultimate Creativity & Writing Center to complete this task.
Underground Railroad Crossword (Task #5)
Create your own crossword puzzle (minimum of 20 words)
which relate to the Underground Railroad. You will need to think
of the words, write the clues and put it all together into a form
which we can photocopy and share with others. You must write your
clues and words on a sheet of paper and have them checked by your
teacher before the final puzzle is made. Your crossword puzzle
should be created with this
puzzlemaker website.
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Resources
National Geographic
Harriet Tubman
Underground Railroad
Explanation of the Drinking Gourd
Explanation of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad-People and Events
Harriet Tubman
Levi Coffin
Escape Routes
More Escape routes
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Learning Advice
1. Have an amazing time learning about the Underground Railroad.
2. Read through all of the Underground Railroad tasks with your partner. Then select the one that you both agree on.
3. Please remember to review the rubrics before you begin any activities.
4. Once you and your partner have read all of the necessary information, discuss and assign all responsibilities that will need to be implemented in order to successfully complete your mission.
5. Work as a team. Cooperate, listen, and respect each other.
6. Make sure you understand your task before you begin.
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Assessment
Design and Production Rubric
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Criteria
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Got It!!!
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Almost There!!
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Keep Trying!
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Aesthetically designed and colorful
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My project has many colors and details and is recognizable.
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My project is somewhat colorful and detailed and is recognizable.
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My project has very little color, details and is not recognizable.
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Project construction
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My project is properly constructed and is neat.
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My project has a few flaws and is a little messy.
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My project is not properly constructed and has many flaws.
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Project is clearly relevant to the topic
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My project is clearly relevant to the task at hand.
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My project is somewhat relevant to my task.
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My project is not relevant to my task.
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Completion of project
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We completed our project on time.
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We needed 1-2 days extra to complete our project.
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We needed more than3 days to complete our project.
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Conclusion
Congratulations!!! You have completed your mission successfully. Your fugitive friend is enjoying her life as a free person. Now, you must rest, for more fugitives will be coming to your house for help. You must encourage them as you did your other friend to successfully reach the Promised Land. Shhhhh, I hear something...could it be another runaway?
Something to think about...Can you think of another time in history where people implemented a similar philosophy to the Underground Railroad?
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