| Artifact Alley |
What was
Slavery in America - Sentence Snapshot
This was the first lesson of the unit. We began by providing the team with background information about slavery in 1800s America. We discussed where American slaves came from, how they arrived in America and what conditions and hardships they faced on their journey, as well as the conditions they endured when they reached America. The students were shocked by these historical events, but it helped set the tone of the semester and allowed them to begin to appreciate and understand why fighting for freedom was so important. The students were asked to write a couple of sentences about what they learned in this lesson, and then draw a picture to represent their writing.
This was the first lesson of the unit. We began by providing the team with background information about slavery in 1800s America. We discussed where American slaves came from, how they arrived in America and what conditions and hardships they faced on their journey, as well as the conditions they endured when they reached America. The students were shocked by these historical events, but it helped set the tone of the semester and allowed them to begin to appreciate and understand why fighting for freedom was so important. The students were asked to write a couple of sentences about what they learned in this lesson, and then draw a picture to represent their writing.
 |
 |
 |
| They traveled across the Atlantic
Ocean. It was real hard to go across the ocean at night because
it was pouring at night. The ship looked like it almost tiped
over. Everybody had to sleep on the wooden floor and they were
chained up by their feet and head. ~ by Chaz |
We learned how that slaves were raised
in Africa. They sailed on a ship. They picked cotton until
their fingers hurt. ~ by Marissa
|
The had to pick cotton and their
fingers would bleed. When they were on a boat they would be
chained together. ~ by Malcolm |
Who Were the Heroes of Freedom? -
"I Believe Freedom Looks Like..." Drawing
In this lesson we introduced the team to other heroes of freedom during the Underground Railroad movement of the mid- 1800s. We emphasized the many "unfreedoms" that slaves faced during this time period. We also brought the students' attention to the fact that those who fought for the freedom of black slaves were from all different backgrounds. These heroes of freedom were young, old, male, female, black and white. To help begin the lesson we asked the students to draw what they believed freedom looked like.
Sojourner: Living Up to Her Name - Vocabulary Cube Character Mobile
In this lesson the students were intimately introduced to our team hero, Sojourner Truth. They learned about her struggle for freedom, her efforts to achieve "equality for all" and other life accomplishments and triumphs. To synthesize their knowledge of Sojourner, the students each created a vocabulary cube with a word that described Sojourner. The cubes were compiled into a charcter mobile and displayed at the Open House.
Pathways to Freedom - "Our Journey on the Underground Railroad"
In this lesson the team learned about the many routes that the escaped slaves took to reach freedom on the Underground Railroad. The students first examined the routes, north and south, on an interactive map on the internet. Then the students took a virtual journey on the Underground Railroad with National Geographic. In this journey they were a slave escaping from Maryland trying to make it north to Canada. The students were able to make decisions as to how they could get there on the safest routes. They met many people along the way and traveled through many cities. Each student had a specific role during the journey and below is their compilation from this exciting journey!
A Quilt Map to Freedom - Freedom Quilt Squares
In this lesson the students learned how freedom quilts communicated and relayed messages to slaves and escaped slaves about safe passages to freedom. The students made traditional quilt patterns and also designed their own quilt patterns that held a "secret" message to help slaves find freedom. The quilt squares were sewn together to make one large team freedom quilt.
In this lesson we introduced the team to other heroes of freedom during the Underground Railroad movement of the mid- 1800s. We emphasized the many "unfreedoms" that slaves faced during this time period. We also brought the students' attention to the fact that those who fought for the freedom of black slaves were from all different backgrounds. These heroes of freedom were young, old, male, female, black and white. To help begin the lesson we asked the students to draw what they believed freedom looked like.
 |
 |
 |
| Malcolm drew two slaves breaking down
a door to enter into freedom. He said the men were given pants by
those who freed them . |
Marissa drew slaves on two sides of a
door. One side represented slavery and the other side represented
freedom. The slaves were going through the door to freedom. |
Chaz drew a slave ship coming from
Africa and explained that the slaves jumped off the ship as their way
to escape slavery and find freedom. |
Sojourner: Living Up to Her Name - Vocabulary Cube Character Mobile
In this lesson the students were intimately introduced to our team hero, Sojourner Truth. They learned about her struggle for freedom, her efforts to achieve "equality for all" and other life accomplishments and triumphs. To synthesize their knowledge of Sojourner, the students each created a vocabulary cube with a word that described Sojourner. The cubes were compiled into a charcter mobile and displayed at the Open House.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| This is the top of the mobile and
every student wrote Sojourner's name in their own artistic style.
The vocabulary cubes hung from the oval. Each student designed
their own cube with a given word that described Sojourner and then each
student's mobile contained their team member's work. |
Malcolm: FREEDOM synonym: equal rights antonym; enslaved definition: release from slavery or control from the power of another |
Marissa: SPEAKER synonym: a talker antonym: a listener definition: one who makes public speeches sentence: a speaker talks a lot to people |
Chaz: ABOLITIONIST synonym: anti-slavery antonym: master definition: someone who seeks to end slavery sentence: someone who speaks for freedom |
The finished product. |
Pathways to Freedom - "Our Journey on the Underground Railroad"
In this lesson the team learned about the many routes that the escaped slaves took to reach freedom on the Underground Railroad. The students first examined the routes, north and south, on an interactive map on the internet. Then the students took a virtual journey on the Underground Railroad with National Geographic. In this journey they were a slave escaping from Maryland trying to make it north to Canada. The students were able to make decisions as to how they could get there on the safest routes. They met many people along the way and traveled through many cities. Each student had a specific role during the journey and below is their compilation from this exciting journey!
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Cover Page |
The route of how we traveled to freedom |
I learned that passengers,
stationmasters and conductors are code names. ~ Malcolm |
I learned that I was right that the
Underground Railroad was not under ground. ~ Marissa |
I learned that the Underground
Railroad was not really under ground. ~Chaz |
A Quilt Map to Freedom - Freedom Quilt Squares
In this lesson the students learned how freedom quilts communicated and relayed messages to slaves and escaped slaves about safe passages to freedom. The students made traditional quilt patterns and also designed their own quilt patterns that held a "secret" message to help slaves find freedom. The quilt squares were sewn together to make one large team freedom quilt.
 |
 |
| A path of freedom. It's a path
of freedom to the place in New York from the south. The zig-zag
lines mean mountains. (it communicated that the route they needed
to take would include traveling through the Appalachian Mountains.) ~by Chaz |
I made a symbol of freedom. It
represents a path like Hansel & Gretel. The red lines mean
danger, the blue lines mean safety and the green means freedom. ~by Malcolm |