The Underground Railroad Webquest
The Underground Railroad: A Webquest for 8th Grade
Names_____________________________________________________________Hour_______________
Introduction
What would life have been like for slaves? To avoid this harsh treatment, what alternatives would you try? The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad, but a secret escape route for fugitive slaves to free states. It was run by local antislavery activists. Every home that welcomed runaways was considered part of the Underground Railroad. You are traveling abroad a time machine and arrive in the year 1851. You have been transformed into an antislavery activist as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Each of you is trying to protect your livelihood while helping less fortunate people in this great protest against slavery.
The Task
Harriet Tubman has asked for your help in protecting escaping slaves in your home. You must become familiar with all perspectives of the Underground Railroad in order to prepare for this endeavor. When Harriet Tubman returns, you must present her with the following. (If you can’t find Harriet Tubman, turn these three things in to Mrs. Goosen.)
(1) Five journal entries (word processed with graphics)
(2) a safe house floor plan with narrative description (computer generated)
(3)a bounty poster for yourself as a conductor or an abolitionist poster trying to prevent recapture of escaped slaves (computer generated
Resources
Journey of The Underground Railroadhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad
Story of the Underground Railroad
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/undergroundrr/story.html
Songs of Freedom
http://www.osblackhistory.com/songs.php
The Life Of Harriet Tubmanhttp://www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm
People Against Slavery
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/undergrounedrr/people.html
The Process: Choose a partner to research the Underground Railroad.
1. Use the sites listed to answer the following questions in your journals. You will have a total of 5 Journal entries when you are finished. All Journal entries can be on ONE page. Each journal entry should be at least ONE PARAGRAPH. Add graphics or clip art.
Go through the journey of the Underground Railroad to gain an idea of what it was like to be traveling along the Underground Railroad.
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/multimedia/interactive/the-underground-railroad/?ar_a=1
JOURNAL #1: Briefly describe your experience on the journey of the Underground Railroad. (Describe the slaves experience on the underground railroad and what they went through…how they traveled…how long it took them, etc.)
JOURNAL #2 Whywas the Underground Railroad named as such? What is the symbolic meaning of its name?
Story of the Underground Railroad
JOURNAL #3 What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850? Write a paragraph.
The Fugitive Slave Act
http://www.nationalcenter.org/FugitiveSlaveAct.html
The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html
JOURNAL #4: Write a paragraph briefly describing the life of one of the men and women listed below who were involved in the fight to end slavery in the United States.
Frederick Douglas
Harriet Tubman
William Lloyd Garrison
John Brown
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Levi Coffin
JOURNAL #5: What was the importance of code words and songs? Look at the lyrics of the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and explain the significance.
http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/followthedrinkinggourd.php
http://www.osblackhistory.com/drinkinggourd.php
http://www2.si.umich.edu/chico/AlongtheTracks/codes.html
2, Create a bounty poster for yourself as a conductor OR an abolitionist poster trying to prevent the recapture of slaves.
http://www.zazzle.com/abolitionist+posters
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart3.html
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/tubman/aa_tubman_rail_1.html
3. Design a safe house floor plan as an antislavery activist.
http://www.waynet.org/levicoffin/default.htm
Turn in all three items when you are finished.
Names_____________________________________________________________Hour_______________
Introduction
What would life have been like for slaves? To avoid this harsh treatment, what alternatives would you try? The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad, but a secret escape route for fugitive slaves to free states. It was run by local antislavery activists. Every home that welcomed runaways was considered part of the Underground Railroad. You are traveling abroad a time machine and arrive in the year 1851. You have been transformed into an antislavery activist as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Each of you is trying to protect your livelihood while helping less fortunate people in this great protest against slavery.
The Task
Harriet Tubman has asked for your help in protecting escaping slaves in your home. You must become familiar with all perspectives of the Underground Railroad in order to prepare for this endeavor. When Harriet Tubman returns, you must present her with the following. (If you can’t find Harriet Tubman, turn these three things in to Mrs. Goosen.)
(1) Five journal entries (word processed with graphics)
(2) a safe house floor plan with narrative description (computer generated)
(3)a bounty poster for yourself as a conductor or an abolitionist poster trying to prevent recapture of escaped slaves (computer generated
Resources
Journey of The Underground Railroadhttp://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad
Story of the Underground Railroad
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/undergroundrr/story.html
Songs of Freedom
http://www.osblackhistory.com/songs.php
The Life Of Harriet Tubmanhttp://www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm
People Against Slavery
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/undergrounedrr/people.html
The Process: Choose a partner to research the Underground Railroad.
1. Use the sites listed to answer the following questions in your journals. You will have a total of 5 Journal entries when you are finished. All Journal entries can be on ONE page. Each journal entry should be at least ONE PARAGRAPH. Add graphics or clip art.
Go through the journey of the Underground Railroad to gain an idea of what it was like to be traveling along the Underground Railroad.
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/multimedia/interactive/the-underground-railroad/?ar_a=1
JOURNAL #1: Briefly describe your experience on the journey of the Underground Railroad. (Describe the slaves experience on the underground railroad and what they went through…how they traveled…how long it took them, etc.)
JOURNAL #2 Whywas the Underground Railroad named as such? What is the symbolic meaning of its name?
Story of the Underground Railroad
JOURNAL #3 What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850? Write a paragraph.
The Fugitive Slave Act
http://www.nationalcenter.org/FugitiveSlaveAct.html
The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2951.html
JOURNAL #4: Write a paragraph briefly describing the life of one of the men and women listed below who were involved in the fight to end slavery in the United States.
Frederick Douglas
Harriet Tubman
William Lloyd Garrison
John Brown
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Levi Coffin
JOURNAL #5: What was the importance of code words and songs? Look at the lyrics of the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" and explain the significance.
http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/followthedrinkinggourd.php
http://www.osblackhistory.com/drinkinggourd.php
http://www2.si.umich.edu/chico/AlongtheTracks/codes.html
2, Create a bounty poster for yourself as a conductor OR an abolitionist poster trying to prevent the recapture of slaves.
http://www.zazzle.com/abolitionist+posters
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart3.html
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/tubman/aa_tubman_rail_1.html
3. Design a safe house floor plan as an antislavery activist.
http://www.waynet.org/levicoffin/default.htm
Turn in all three items when you are finished.