Childrens Lit Assingment

7/24/2019 Childrens Lit Assingment

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Childrens Historical Literature (4thGrade Lesson Plan)

Materials:

Hopkinson, D. (1993). Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. New York:Knopf.

Map of North America

Journals

Maps containing example slave routes

Computers/headphones

Interactive Online Activity Scavenger Hunt sheet

Readers Theater scripts (2): Underground Railroad Readers Theater, Under the

Freedom Tree Readers Theater

Exit Slip

Independent reading book

1. Name of Childrens Book:

Hopkinson, D. (1993). Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. New York: Knopf.

2. Summary of Childrens Book(2 paragraphs)

This book is about a young girl named Clara, who is a slave on a plantation. Clara began

to work in the cotton fields as a field worker but her Auntie Rachel wanted her to work in the

house with her so she taught young Clara how to sew. While working in the house, she

overheard two men talking to the cook about escaping to Canada and them needing a map to get

there. Clara told Auntie Rachel what she overheard and Auntie Rachel quickly told her to forget

everything that was said. Of course Clara couldnt, and decided to take matters into her ownhands.

Clara began to take scraps of cloth from projects that Missus gave her to complete. She

used the scraps to construct a map; a map that wouldnt get washed away in the rain so many

people could use it to get to Canada. Over time, other slaves on the plantation found out about

Claras project and gave her little tips to help her complete the map. After months, Clara finally

finished the quilt and escaped the plantation with her friend Jack. She was later told that her quilt

helped so many people make it to Canada so they would be forever free.

3. Questionsyou would ask children after reading the book (9-10 with summary and higher

level, thought provoking questions). List questions. Bring questioning to closure. May use pre-

readingduring readingand post reading format from your literacy courses.

Pre-reading questions:

Looking at the cover, what do you all think this book is about?

What are this boy and girl doing? What do you all think theyre running from?

o Do they look happy or sad? Why?

What is a quilt? What is interesting about it?


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What is a slave? What kind of people were slaves?

During reading questions:

Where do you think Claras mom is? Do you think its fair that Clara had to be

separated from her mom? Why?

You all are just a little younger than Clara. How would you feel if you had to

work in fields like shes doing? Can she quit if she doesnt like it?

Whos Missus and why is she so scary?

Do you think its strange that Clara said she hasnt seen a white person up close

before? Do you think she would say that if she lived in 2015? Why?

Who has heard of the Underground Railroad? Turn to a partner and discuss what

you think that is and then well share out.

Why are they talking about Canada? Why do they need to go all the way to

Canada to be free forever?

Why are people telling her things about cornfields and other plantations? Why is

this important information for Clara to know?

Why do people come to look at the quilt? Do they just want to see the prettydesigns?

After reading questions:

Why do you think slaves needed a map to get to Canada? Why wasnt the path

just marked for them?

What couldve happened to Clara if anyone found out that she escape Home

Plantation?

Do you think real slaves made maps like Clara did? What do you think they were

made out of?

ACTIVITY ONE

a. Content Discipline: Geography

b. What NCSS strand(s) fits this activity? Tell why (one sentence)

Time, Continuity, and Change: This strand fits this activity because students are taken

back to another time period while reading this book, where life is very different.

c. State the goal or objective of what you plan to accomplish in this activity? (May have morethan one)

Fourth grade students will be able to listen to story and answer questions, concluding

with recalling three pieces of information that they learned from the book with 100%

accuracy.

d. Describe the activity (What would you have kids do?)

Students will be gathered around on reading carpet and listen to story being read aloud


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Teacher will ask students questions (see above) before, during, and after reading is

complete

Teacher will then use maps (see attached) to explain the routes that slaves took

Teacher will led discussion about the Underground Railroad, slavery, and escaping to the

North

o What exactly is the Underground Railroad?o After reading this book, what do you think life was like for slaves?

o What do you think was the hardest part about escaping? Do you think many

slaves tried to escape? Why or why not?

o What does the word discrimination mean? Can someone come write it on the

board?

Discrimination: the unjust treatment of different categories of people and

things

o Can someone raise their hand and tell me how Black people and slaves were

discriminated against?

Differentiation:

o Challenged: students will be given a copy of the book that they can look back at

while writing their exit slip. They also will be assisted by the teacher to help them

comprehend the book/maps and finish the exit slip.

o Gifted: students will be asked to make 3 connections on their exit slip. The

connections that they make from the book read in class will be either to other

texts that theyve read or connections to other settings where theyve learned

about the Underground Railroad or slavery in the south.

e. How would you assess this activity? INCLUDE the rubric or checklist with specific

performance expectations.

EXIT SLIP: Describe three things you learned today either while reading Sweet Clara and the

Freedom Quilt or while looking at the maps:

________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________.

ACTIVITY TWO(Choose a different content discipline)

Geography,history, creative writing or reading/language, drama, music, expressive arts,

science, math, science,OR economics, etc.

a. Content Discipline: History


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b. What NCSS strand(s) fits this activity? Tell why (one sentence)

Culture: This strand fits this activity because students are learning the culture that was

prevalent during the Civil War era and how the culture affected the people and

environments that lived during this time period.

c. State the goal or objective of what you plan to accomplish in this activity? (May have

more than one): Fourth grade students will be able to complete the Underground Railroad: Escape

online activity independently while also completing the Scavenger Hunt sheet with

90% accuracy.


Students will be given the Interactive Activity Scavenger Hunt sheet (see below under

Assessment) and taken to the computer lab to begin assignment

Students will log onto the website and begin working on the scavenger hunt

independently

Teacher will instruct students to read the directions at the top of the page,emphasizing that students must read everything on the screen before continuing onto

the next part of the activity

While on the website, the students will complete activity sheet and turn it in once

complete

Students will be instructed to read an independent reading book until everyone has

completed the online activity and scavenger hunt sheet

Differentiation:

o Challenged: students will be told to work on the scavenger sheet with me so I

will be able to help them finish it. They also will be able to have as much time

as they need to finish it, if the allotted time isnt enough

o Gifted: students will be asked to complete the scavenger hunt sheet as well as

the other students. They will also be asked to come up with 3 more questions

that I couldve asked on the sheet and answer them correctly.



Students will be assessed on their answers on the scavenger hunt activity sheet. Their

answers should be similar to mine.

Name:__________________________________

Interactive Underground Railroad Activity Scavenger Hunt

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htmhttp://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/index.htm


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Directions: Complete the Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery activity from start to

finish. As you go along, fill out the questions listed below. Be as detailed as possible and do not

skip around. Read everything on the page and answer the questions before moving onto the next

screen. You may use headphones to listen along while you read.

1. What is an overseer an wh! were s"aves pro#a#"! s$are of the%&'n overseer is a person who wo" %ake sre the s"aves are oin

their *o#s. +"aves were afrai of the% #e$ase so%eti%es the! wo"

et #eaten or pnishe even if the! werent oin an!thin wron.

-. Where i the s"aves s"eep& Where i the owners of the p"antation

s"eep&+"aves s"ept in s%a"" $a#ins on the p"antation. ost ti%es, %an! peop"e

wo" have to share the sa%e $a#in an s"eep on the /oor. 0wners of

the p"antation "ive in their hose that was often referre to as he

2i Hose.

3. What i s"aves se to he"p the% et to the North& (Hint: the! are in

the sk!, #t *st at nihtti%e) 4se spe$i5$ na%es p"ease:+"aves wo" se the stars in the sk! to he"p the% et to the North.

he! wo" "ook for the North +tar, he 2i Dipper, an the +%a""

Dipper to te"" the% where to o.

6. What serve as a $o%pass when the 7777777 +tar was ot of siht&he %oss one trees wo" often serve as a $o%pass for s"aves when

the North +tar was ot of siht. he %oss wo" row on the North

sie of the tree that te""s the s"aves whi$h ire$tion is North.

8. What are so%e ea%p"es of p"a$es where station%asters hi s"aves to

keep the% safe fro% s"ave $at$hers& "ease "ist at "east 3 p"a$es:+tation %asters wo" often hi s"aves in their #ase%ents, atti$s, an

#arns to keep the% safe fro% s"ave $at$hers.


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a. Content discipline: Reading/language, drama

b. NCSS strand: What NCSS strand(s) fits this activity? Tell why (one sentence):

People, Places and Environments: This strand fits this activity because

students will get a sense of multiple perspectives of different people who lived

during this time period.

c. State the goal or objective of what you plan to accomplish in this activity? (Mayhave more than one):

Fourth grade students will be able to participate in assigned Readers Theater

and deliver appropriate lines with 90% accuracy

Fourth grade students will be able to write a journal reflection about what they

learned from doing a Readers Theater activity about the Civil War era and

what they still want to learn about.


Students will be split into groups (1 group of 12, 1 group of 7)

Students will be given Readers Theater scripts and parts will be assigned by

the teacher Students will rehearse lines for about 10 minutes

Students will return to seats and each group will present their Readers

Theater one at a time

Once each group has gone, students will take out their writing journals write

their own story, using what they read in their Readers Theater activity .

o Prompt: Write a personal narrative as if you were a young slave

during the Civil War era. Include details about the conditions you

would be living in and what your life would be like. Use what you

learned from Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, the online

Underground Railroad activity, and Readers Theater to complete

your story. You will be assessed on the accuracy of the details you

include, spelling/grammar, and correct format used for personal

narratives (ex. Multiple paragraphs, varying sentence structures, use

of imagery, etc.)

Students will turn in their writing journals for assessment

Differentiation:

o Challenged: students will be given a part that the teacher knows they

can handle reading. Students will also have assistance while writing

their personal narratives. They will be given more time if necessary.

o Gifted: students will be asked to write a personal narrative that tells

the story from two points of views. (ex. Slave and overseer) They willbe allotted more time for this task if necessary.



Excellent (3 pts.) Good (2 pts.)

Needs

Improvement (1


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pt.)

Spelling/gramma

r

Student made 2

Childrens Lit Assingment

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