Escaping slavery: “Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt”
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=127
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
This lesson, from ReadWriteThink, uses the picture book Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson and an interactive website to enhance students’ understanding of the Underground Railroad and slavery. The teacher introduces the book by engaging students in a pre-reading discussion about quilt making and having them predict what might happen in the book based on the cover art. After students have read the first 12 pages of the book, they check their predictions for accuracy, and then the class completes a graphic organizer about the problems, solutions, and events in the book. Once the teacher has explained the Underground Railroad to students, they work in pairs to discuss information they already know about the historical event. The teacher then shows students an interactive video from National Geographic and challenges students to write about new information they learned. Before students complete the reading of the book, they evaluate why having knowledge about map reading and directions would have been important to the runaway slaves. Students make predictions in their journals about the end of the book and then share with the class. Working independently, students complete the graphic organizer for the last part of the book and the class discusses the events in the conclusion of the text. As a final activity, students create maps similar to the main character’s, showing the route they take from home to school. Once they have completed their maps, they share with the class. Readwritethink provides a graphic organizer for charting problems and solutions, and links to an online atlas and information about the Underground Railroad. This lesson suggests extension activities and provides opportunities for student self-reflection.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- considering the differences among genres.
- relating plot, setting, and characters to own experiences and ideas.
- considering main character's point of view.
- participating in creative interpretations.
- making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters and events.
- reflecting on learning, gaining new insights, and identifying areas for further study.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
Grade 4
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- analyzing the impact of authors' word choice and context.
- examining the reasons for characters' actions.
- identifying and examining characters' motives.
- considering a situation or problem from different characters' points of view.
- analyzing differences among genres.
- making inferences and drawing conclusions about characters, events and themes.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
Grade 5
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.08: Explain and evaluate relationships that are:
- causal.
- hierarchical.
- temporal.
- problem-solution.
- Objective 2.08: Explain and evaluate relationships that are:
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
- analyzing word choice and content.
- examining reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation of the character.
- creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a personal response to a selection or experience.
- examining alternative perspectives.
- evaluating the differences among genres.
- examining relationships among characters.
- making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters, events and themes.
- Objective 3.01: Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
