Underground Railroad Exhibit: Teacher Resources - Lesson Plan One

Welcome to Next Stop Freedom! An exhibit on the story of the Underground Railroad.

Canadian Teachers Guide

Lesson Plan One: Who Am I? What Am I? (Quiz)

Grade Level: 6 & 7

Subjects: Social Studies, History

Overview: While many students are familiar with the term "The Underground Railroad", few have an understanding of the actual events that took place for the individuals who fled their homes for freedom in Canada.

Purpose: Students will become familiar with the factual events of the escape of fugitive slaves, free Blacks from the United States and their settlement in Canada from the 1830s through the American Emancipation Act of 1863. This process is loosely referred to as the Underground Railroad.

Note: Throughout our educational material Black has been capitalized and is used to refer to the group earlier known as "Negro"; "coloured"; " men of colour" or "mulatto". The use of this collective noun is generally acceptable to the community.

Objectives:

1. TO MAKE STUDENTS AWARE:
   1. that slavery existed in British North America (Canada). Limits were put on slavery in 1793, however it was not eliminated until 1834.
   2. that slavery in the United States after the American revolution was not universal. Some free Blacks lived in the Northern States.
   3. that the immigration of Blacks to Canada increased greatly after the Fugitive Slave Law was passed in the United States in 1850.
   4. that Black Communities were established in Canada, from the west coast (British Columbia) to the east coast (Nova Scotia). The largest settlements were in southern Ontario.
   5. that while support for the anti-slavery movement existed in various communities across the country, Toronto was the centre of the anti-slavery movement in Canada.
   
   
2. TO CLARIFY:
   1. the concept of the Underground Railroad.

Activities:

1. The teacher introduces the attached written text with an overview of the importance of this unique aspect of our history. Each student receives a copy of the written text. Each student reads the text.

2. Students separate into 6 groups. Each group of students prepares questions based on one of the following subject areas: UGRR Personality Profiles; Underground Railroad terminology; the Emancipation Acts of 1793, 1834, 1863; the American Fugitive Slave Law of 1850; the John Anderson Case.

3. The student-prepared questions are then asked by the teacher in a "Jeopardy"-style Game format. Each group of students is asked the questions prepared by the other groups. Several key questions submitted by the teacher are open to all groups.

4. Points are awarded for each correct answer. The winning group is recognized.

Resource Materials:

• Copy of the text, the Backgrounder
• Relevant Website addresses
• Teacher to visit a local UGRR site if available
• If class has access to Toronto, visit the Royal Ontario Museum UGRR Exhibit titled "Next Stop - Freedom"

Duration: Two class periods of approximately 30 minutes each.

Expectations:
( Refer to Ontario Ministry of Education and Training document. Social Studies 1-6 and History and Geography 7-8)

• demonstrate an understanding of the strategies used by settlers to adapt to the challenges of the new land
• explain Canada's involvement in the "Underground Railroad"
• identify the achievements and contributions of Sir John Graves Simcoe