ED 305 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form (with comments)

Names: Kyla Swanson and Bri Westra Big Idea: What are your American rights? Thread/Crossover: History/Civics/Geography

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?

African American rights (early to mid 19th Century)

How does this lesson tie in to your unit’s Big Idea?

This lesson ties into a unit on American rights. Students will continue to learn about how rights have been deprived of
certain groups of people at certain points of time in American history.

What state standards are being address (list them)?

4 – C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights are involved (e.g.,
freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of press).
4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
4 – H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to describe the ideas and actions of individuals involved in the Underground Railroad
in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region.
4 – G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of population density in the United States.
4 – G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull factors (why
they left, why they came) that influenced the migration. (H)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique,
descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.A Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.

What themes or core principles from the sub-disciplines (ex- themes of geography, core economic principles) are
being addressed in this lesson?

Civics: Uses and Abuses of Power--we must understand how powerful people have shaped and skewed certain aspects and
patterns in our society; Have and Have-Nots--social and economic inequalities are a part of our daily experience
History: Patterns of Population--migration patterns of people from one region to another
Geography: Location

II. Before you start

Students are aware of slaves and abolitionists; students have been introduced to the
Prerequisite knowledge and
slave trade and slavery in the United States. Students know that abolitionists wanted to
skills.
stop slavery, but are unfamiliar with their power and their involvement in various
slave acts.

Assessment
Student stories; student worksheets; student verbal answers; student colored drawing
(formative and summative)
of slave and non-slave states.

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines)

Multiple Means of Engagement Multiple Means of Representation Multiple Means of Expression

Self Regulation Comprehension Executive Functions
Highlight patterns, critical features, big
ideas, and relationships: teacher will
direct conversation around Walter’s
story that emphasizes key elements
such as the lack of rights and
citizenship.
Sustaining Effort and Persistence Language and Symbols Expression and Communication
Clarify vocabulary and symbols:
teacher will introduce new vocabulary
terms before students engage in
Walter’s story.
Recruiting Interest Perception Physical Action
Offer alternatives for auditory
information and offer alternatives for
visual information: students will have
the option to have access to Walter’s
story by listening and reading.
Sound system for audio
Computers
Construction Paper
Maps
Materials-what materials
Worksheet with questions
(books, handouts, etc) do you
Pencils
need for this lesson and do you
Checklist of elements for their narrative
have them?
“Bill of Rights”
Lined paper
Large white post-it note
Markers
Do you need to set up your Students will be sitting at their table groups (groups of 4)
classroom in any special way
for this lesson? If so, describe
it.

III. The Plan

The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and
Time Parts student activities (indicate in parenthesis where you are addressing standards and
themes)
Teacher Activities Student Activities
Motivation Teacher has beginning conversation with
(Opening/ students. Teacher will pass around a
Introduction/ specific “talking object” to students and
Engagement) allow them to share their answers:
● What comes to mind when you hear
the phrase “The Underground
Railroad”? Students share their thoughts/answers with the
● Who might have participated? class.
● Why was it used?
● Where did it start and where did it
end?

The teacher will write down what is known

on a K/L chart (large white post-it note)--
thet eacher will save this for the end of the
unit when students will revisit what they
have learned

Teacher gives each partner group a Students answer questions using the computer.
Development
computer and asks students to answer
similar questions on the back of their
worksheet using a given website:
● What was the Underground Railroad?
● Why was it called the ‘Underground
Railroad’?
● Who was it for?
● Who were the Abolitionists?
● How did people travel?
● What was the Fugitive Slave Act?
When students finish, students close their
computers and put computers in the middle of
the table as to not distract them.

Teacher introduces the idea of “context”

and talks about the word negro.
Context: Considering the time and
place when something occured or
when something was written
ex: What do “Slay queen”
and “You’re killing it”
mean? What if these terms
were said 50 years ago?
100 years ago?
Negro: This word should
not be used today. In the
context when this story
occured, Negro meant a
black man.

Teacher introduces and defines unfamiliar Students are listening to new words.
vocab words:
plantation: a large estate with
many crops
reckoning: using estimation,
judgement
tobacco: American crop that was
sold for a lot of money

Teacher plays “On the Plantation: Life as a

Slave.” Students follow along as teacher plays “On the
The teacher can also print out Plantation: Life as a Slave.”
copies of what Walter is saying for
students to follow along.

Students pull out computers and explore the

Teacher allows students to work with
webpage/primary sources with their partners. In
partners as they explore the webpage their notebooks, students write down 1 new
learning/piece of information about each source.
“Right now, Walter is in Virginia. Students close their computers and put them in
Considering we have been learning about the middle of their desks once they finish.
Michigan state history, where do you think
Walter might end up?
-Michigan

“Let’s read a historic plaque that

introduces us to a man from Detroit who
was involved in the underground railroad.”

Seymour_Finney_Hotel_and_Barn_3.pdf

(4 – H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to describe the

ideas and actions of individuals involved in the
Underground Railroad in Michigan and in the Great
Lakes region.
4 – G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration
within or to the United States to identify push and pull
factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced
the migration. (H))

Teacher asks students questions after the

activity:
What is Walter’s life like? Students answer these questions in their journal,
How does Walter feel? and then share their responses with their table
groups.
Is this the life that Walter wants?

… end of day 1…

Teacher reviews by asking students the

following and have them answer aloud:
What is Walter’s life like?
How does Walter feel? Students answer in a class discussion
Is this the life that Walter wants?

Say: “On the plantation, Walter had certain

rights and responsibilities.”

Let’s define rights: freedoms we have that

are protected by our laws; ex: guarantees
us freedom of speech and freedom of
religion

“Walter was not an American citizen, so he

did not have certain rights of a citizen.
Students answer in a class discussion
What might those rights look like?”

Teacher: “Make a list of 10 rights you think Students make a list of 10 rights
every citizen should have with your group
of 4.”
 Present students with a modified Bill of Students compare and contrast their own list to
Rights: “Now I’m giving you the Bill of the Bill of Rights, making edits to their list
Rights, written by James Madison. They (https://constitutioncenter.org/media/files/CK1
30001_CivicsKids-2013-PAGES-FNL-Lesson3.pdf)
were created a few years after the founding
of our country. Compare your list to this
list. What do you notice? Do you agree?
Would you add or take away any on your
own list after looking at this list?”

(4 – C2.0.2 Identify situations in which specific rights

guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights are
involved (e.g., freedom of religion, freedom of
Students share their created list of rights and
expression, freedom of press))
their edits.
Teacher asks students to share with whole
class about what they discovered.

“Now, let’s think about the responsibilities

that Walter had on the plantation:
responsibilities: duties or things that we
should do. This can mean choosing to do
something simply because it helps others
or fixes a problem. For example, you might
decide to follow the rules at school, help a Students share their responsibilities.
classmate, or even recycle your trash.”

“What other responsibilities do you have?”

“Walter had certain responsibilities but not

the same rights because he was not viewed
as a citizen..”
Q: How does that make you feel?

“Let’s think about Walter’s story. What do

you notice about his rights? Does he have
rights? What evidence do you have?”
“What do you notice about his master's
rights? Did he have rights? What evidence
do you have?”
(4 – C5.0.2 Describe the relationship between rights
and responsibilities of citizenship.)

Teacher: “We will be writing a story that

tells our own journeys on the Underground
Railroad.”

“Imagine you are working on the same Students will begin writing their story based on
plantation as Walter. What is your life like? the prompt/what they have learned in about The
Describe your surroundings using the 5 Underground Railroad.
Closure Students will have a checklist (self-check)
senses: what do you see, smell, taste, feel,
of certain elements to include in their
and hear? Write at least 7 sentences in this first-person narrative.
first entry. If you don’t know how to start
and don’t know what to write, think back
to Walter’s experiences and the case
 studies that you have read.”

(CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3 Write narratives to

develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details, and clear
event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.A Orient the reader by
establishing a situation and introducing a narrator
and/or characters; organize an event sequence that
unfolds naturally.)

Provide students with a checklist of

elements to include in their narratives.

IF STUDENTS GET DONE WITH ANYTHING

EARLY: Teacher says “We are going to keep
track of our journey on our maps as we
take the Underground Railroad from
Virginia to Michigan.”

T: “We are going to draw a line to help us

remember where the slave and non-slave
states were. Let’s draw it together.” Students draw the line on the map that separates
slave and non-slave states.
Teacher asks:
● “Based on your prior knowledge,
or using your best guessing, why Student answers.
might you think that the line is
here?”
● “What do you notice about the line
in reference to where Michigan is
on the map?”
● “Looking at the map, why do you
think that Walter might want to
continue to Michigan?”

(4 – G1.0.5 Use maps to describe elevation, climate,

and patterns of population density in the United
States.)

Students right down their answers in their

Students will reflect on slavery and what
journals.
they think about the way slaves were
treated. Did they deserve the same rights?
Why or why not?

Documentation: What sources did you consult for this lesson?

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/plantation.htm