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TE803 SS2011 Unit Plan Assignment

Part I: Lesson Overview and Instructor Background Knowledge (20 points)a). Unit Title: Slavery: West Africa to Colonial America

b). Rationale:I am teaching a unit on slavery, specifically the European Slave Trade in West Africa to the

slaves’ arrival in colonial America. Students will learn the unfortunate past of the millions who were forced from West Africa to work as slaves in the colonies. Throughout this unit, students will observe and identify the differences of colonial times with society today, i.e. lifestyles and equalities. In observing this, my students will begin to recognize the daily prejudices that they see in society today, connecting this unfair treatment to what the slaves endured during colonial times. Having experienced prejudices in society today, they will make connections to their own lives, i.e. “You can’t play soccer because you are a girl.” “You are a boy. Why would you want to try out for the play?” These connections will allow them to question the stereotypes and prejudices they see daily, the mindset of past slave owners, necessity for slaves in colonial America, the emotions and feelings of the slave owners and enslaved Africans, and wonder what they can do in their lives to decrease prejudices.

We will travel from West Africa to colonial America, discovering the ill treatment and discrimination of enslaved Africans throughout the Triangular Trade Route. In doing this, students will be more aware of how far our country has come since this time. It is important to learn about the mistakes in our nation’s history and appreciate the changes that have been made; yet realize that ill treatment still occurs in other ways today. This unit will help them understand one small piece of our nation’s history and appreciate their equal rights and responsibilities as citizens of our country, the United States of America.

c). Unit Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Develop an understanding and appreciation of human rights and the equality for all.

Objective 1: Observe and interact with a variety of slavery materials in order to create ‘I Wonder’ questions for the unit.Objective 2: Students will participate in a game that will allow them to explore the meaning of discrimination.

Goal 2: Develop an understanding of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African Slaves route to Colonial America.

Objective 1: Learn about life in West Africa and identify commonalities that early Africans may have with Americans today.

Objective 2: Identify how European slave traders discovered slavery.

Objective 3: Identify what the second dilemma, The Middle Passage, entails.

Objective 4: Identify what happened to the enslaved Africans upon arrival in America, the third dilemma.

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Objective 5: Identify the three dilemmas faced and be able to explain and describe each one in detail, i.e. European Slave Trade in West Africa, The Middle Passage, and Arrival in America.

Goal 3: Develop an understanding of what life was like for enslaved Africans living in colonial America.

Objective 1: Describe a day in the life of an enslaved African through writing with vivid detail, using examples.

Objective 2: Students will experience an enslaved African’s life through listening to a read-aloud passage of a slave’s personal experience and identify their emotions of this experience.

Goal 4: Develop an understanding of how far our nation has come since colonial times, but recognizing that racism still occurs to this day.

Objective 1: Identify specific examples of how racism is present in today’s society.

Objective 2: Identify the differences of our lives in comparison to the lives of enslaved Africans.

d). Unit Standards or Grade Level Content Expectations:

1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes

° the people and goods that were traded

° the Middle Passage

° its impact on life in Africa (Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5-U2.2.1)

2. Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the American colonies. (Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, 5-U2.2.2)

e). Social Studies Content: What do you know about this topic?

I know that:o Slavery was a despicable part of not only our nation’s history, but many

others as wello Slaves were forced to come to the American colonies from West Africao They were treated terribly and often beaten upon refusal to meet slave-

owners’ demandso This is an extremely important topic for students to learn. Although

unfortunate, students need to understand how our nation began and how far it has come.

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What don’t you know? I do not know:

o The specific countries in West Africa that the slaves originated from. o About the life of a typical slave pre-arrival to America.

How will you learn more? I will learn more by utilizing the books I checked out at the library; researching online; and

discussing information with my CT, field instructor, and other colleagues. I will also take the time to pull out small groups of students and have them verbally explain their pre-assessments to me. This will give me more of a sense of where they are coming from and allow me to question how they came up with their ideas.

What might be challenging in terms of connecting teacher level knowledge to children’s capacities for understanding?

In terms of connecting teacher level knowledge to children’s capacities, I feel that this topic will be difficult. It brings up many terms and definitions that are not pleasant and often difficult to explain in kid-friendly terms. I am concerned about how my African American students will react to this unit, as well as my Indian and Caucasian students. The color of skin is not a factor in making friends. They all get along well, aside from the typical 5th grade drama. From reading their pre-assessments, many of them do not even know what slavery is, where it happened, and where slaves came from. This will be an outstanding opportunity to connect to the racial prejudices they have experienced or witnessed today.

What are the essential understandings or significant ideas developed in the unit?The essential understandings or significant ideas developed in this unit are parallel with my

goals and objectives. They are to understand why and how enslaved Africans came to our country, how they were treated in colonial America, and that despite change, ill treatment and racial prejudices are still present in today’s society. It is important for them to recognize the prejudices they may be blind to, i.e. age, height, race, occupation etc., and connect back to the big idea that every person has the same basic needs. This will then lead to a discussion on how people’s power can affect their views on those with not as much power. My students will learn of the ill treatment of the human race during this time period and the growing changes in our nation since then. My students will learn to recognize that our history is not always pleasant, but understand that with hard work and change, anyone can make a difference. This will connect back to our conversations about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the future conversation that connects to their pen pals, i.e. apartheid and its current affects in South Africa.

What are the big ideas, concepts, principles, and generalizations that are fundamental to this unit?

The big ideas of this unit are as follows:

Day 1: All people need resources to live. Day 2: People may be discriminated against based on their differences with others. Day 3: People may be discriminated against based on their differences with others.

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Day 4: People around the world have the same basic needs. Day 5: People learn from experience and observation. Day 6: People react to situations differently based upon their experiences in life. Day 7: Power often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferiors. Day 8: Power often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferiors. Day 9: Power often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferior.Day 10: People’s actions can be dehumanizing to others if they view others as unequal. Day 11: Human resources can often be taken advantage of by people of power. Day 12: Human resources can often be taken advantage of by people of power. Day 13: All people need resources to live.

The concepts of this unit are as follows: ill treatment and dehumanization of enslaved Africans and present-day racial prejudices. The principle of this unit is as follows: when people’s differences prevent them from respecting one another, actions towards one another may be dehumanizing.

What are the most important understandings about the topic that my students will need to develop, and how do these relate to one another, and to related skills, values, and disposition?

The most important understanding about the topic is that my students will learn to relate to one another, as well as all people. They will begin to realize that all humans have the same basic needs, despite their differences in race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender etc. Throughout their unit experiences and activities, they will begin to understand why it is important to ‘treat others like you want to be treated.’ No one is better than anyone else because of their situation in life and should not be treated so. However, everyone can make mistakes. These mistakes allow people to learn from them. This is why it is important to study the history of our nation.

f) Key Concepts

The vocabulary words that I expect my students to learn as a result of this unit are as follows: enslaved, dilemma, Middle Passage, plantation, slave auctions, overseer, West Africa, and discrimination. All of these words and definitions, except for West Africa and discrimination, are located in the Facing Slavery chapter that I will be using in their History Alive books for this unit.

1. Slavery : The act of forcing people to work for you with no pay and ill treatment. 2. Dilemma : This arises when you are forced to make a decision even though you do not like

any of the choices. 3. Middle Passage : Africans voyage to Colonial America once forced by the Europeans. 4. Plantation : a usually large area of privately owned land where crops were grown with the

labor of workers or slaves who lived on the land 5. Slave auctions : a sale in which slaves were sold to buyers who bid (offering prices) for them.

Usually a slave was sold to the person making the highest bid. 6. Overseer : A person who has been put in charge of the work of slaves. The overseer had great

power over the slaves and could punish them for disobeying him. 7. West Africa : lies on the continent of Africa, just above the equator and north of the Sahara

Desert.

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8. Discrimination : the mistreatment of others based on differences, such as race, religion, ethnicity, etc.

Part II: Resources (10 points)

a). Resources, Preparation/Materials:

Materials for whole class: Materials for groups:

Materials for individual students: (be sure to indicate how you are going to provide resources needed for any students with special needs)

History Alive!: America’s Past by Bert Bower and Jim Lobdell

History Alive Interactive workbooks Slave books Dear America: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl—A Picture of

Freedom: Belmont, Plantation, Virginia, 1859 Discovery Education videos

((http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=CDD6B2D3-D173-4D1C-8EB9-D323E859BEAD&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US)

No More! Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance by Shane Evans

From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by Julius Lester and Rod Brown

If you lived when there was slavery in America… sticky notes posterboard Computer Lab Plastic Cups M and Ms Brain Pop video Summative assessments Bingo Chips Koosh ball Reaction ticket outs Homework prompts Elmo

Venn Diagrams worksheets

Adapted worksheets with separate instructions for two of my resource students

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Smart Board http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOUIWYd0AcE

(Google Search story) A-D letters for Who wants to be a Millionaire slavery unit

review

b). Annotated Bibliography:

Bower, Bert, and Jim Lobdell. History Alive!: America's past. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers' Curriculum Institute, 2001. This is the curriculum social studies book for 5th grade at my middle school. It covers Native Amerians all the way through industrialization in modern America. I used chapter 8, Facing Slavery, as an aide in my unit. It is a neutral biased book and of great quality. I used this book as the basis of what big ideas we would study. The students often referred to it through their research and ponderings.

Henry, Alva. Free Black Communities in the Time of Slavery. [Boston, Mass.]: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. This book discusses a side of slavery that is not often taught—the free blacks during this unfortunate time in our history. Since this was not specifically part of our GLCE goals for the unit, I kept it on a display case for students to read during independent reading. It allowed them to dig deeper through the information we were learning in class. It is of good quality with no bias.

Kamma, Anne, and Pamela Johnson. --If You Lived When There Was Slavery in America. New York: Scholastic, 2004.

This book gives a young audience insight on the little things that they may not learn about in their curriculum, i.e. the specifics of a slave’s everyday life. It has no bias and is of good quality. I used it in my lessons to emphasize the slave trade, especially the third dilemma (arrival to America.) It forces students to put themselves in the shoes of the slaves and wonder how they would feel if they were in their situations in life.

Lester, Julius, and Rod Brown. From Slave Ship to Freedom Road. New York: Dial, 1998. This book gives an audience insight on the slave trade through stories, poems, and critical

thinking questions. It gives both the bias of a slave and a slave trader. It is of great quality, and I used it often in my unit. Its vivid images were especially useful to emphasize important concepts in the History Alive book.

Littlejohn, Randy. A Timeline of the Slave Trade in America. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2004.

This book highlights how slavery began in America through the Revolutionary period. This source is of good quality as it was specifically helpful for my students to see important events slavery on a time line. It holds no bias. I used this book on a display case for students to read during independent reading. It allowed them to dig dipper through the information we were learning in class.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOUIWYd0AcE


Macht, Norman L., and Mary Hull. The History of Slavery. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 1997. This book explores slavery not only in the United States, but in other parts of the world, i.e. the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle Ages. This source is of good quality because my students were able to learn above our goals and see that this unfortunate past is part of other country’s histories as well. It holds no bias. I used this book on a display case for students to read during independent reading. It allowed them to dig dipper through the information we were learning in class.

Rappaport, Doreen, and Shane Evans. No More!: Stories and Songs of Slave Resistance. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2002. This book is written in the perspective of African slaves. The author reiterates stories, songs, and poetry to tell their side of the story during this unfortunate history of our nation. This book covers the three important dilemmas of the slave trade: the European slave trade in West Africa, the middle passage, and the arrival in America. Because it is written in one perspective, it has the bias of the slaves. However, it is of great quality, and I used it a lot in my unit. This booked helped me to give my students opportunities to relate emotionally to actual occurrences of real slaves during this awful trade.

Smith, Emily R. Phillis Wheatley. Huntington Beach, CA: Teacher Created Materials, 2005. This book is about the first African American poet whose writings were published. It is a

primary source and of great quality and in the bias of Phillis Wheatley. It was specifically great for my students to read more about the first African Americans who accomplished something never done by their race before. I kept this book on the display shelf in the back and my students read it during independent reading time.

Spilsbury, Richard. Slavery and the Slave Trade. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2010. This book depicts how to research properly between primary and secondary sources of the

slave trade. It is of great quality, and my students found it especially helpful when they did their homework assignments. It has no bias. I kept this book on the display shelf for students to use during their independent reading time.

Williams, Sherley Anne, and Carole M. Byard. Working Cotton. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. This is a historical fiction book about a young girl’s view that works in the cotton fields on a

plantation. It is written in the bias of a slave and is of good quality. My students read this on their independent reading time, and I kept it on the back display case.

Part III: Knowing Your Students and their Learning Environment (15 poin

a). Who are my students?

I am placed in a 5th grade team at Hope Middle School in Holt. I have 52 students, which make up two classes of 28 and 24. Together, we are ‘Team 52.’ Hope School is run in teams, where each teacher teaches two subjects. One of my CTs teaches Math and Science, while the other CT teaches Language Arts and Social Studies. I will call the class of 28 the ‘red’ team and the class of 24

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the ‘blue’ team. The red team’s home base is with my Math and Science CT, and the blue team’s home base is with my Language Arts and Social Studies CT.

My CTs and I have set the tone for a community of learners in each class. Every morning, we have community meetings to start off the day and build the relationships within our team. We try our best to greet with a different language daily. Community meeting is a time for all of us to relax, celebrate, and discuss any issues we are having in our team. I believe this has ensured the strong bond we have with one another.

The red team has one African American student and the rest Caucasian, while the blue team has two African American students, one Indian student, and the rest Caucasian. The red team is more talkative and outgoing than the blue team. Overall, they are very eager to participate and sometimes have difficulty controlling their enthusiasm and blurting. The students who were shy at the beginning of the year are now coming out of their shells. However, there are a few boys in this class who are starting to misbehave more and more. This has been a recurring observation from not only myself, but from both of my CTs as well. We have addressed those boys individually about their behaviors and have created a personal plan for each of them with support from the guidance counselor and parents. These individual plans consist of daily report home, which focuses on specific behaviors that the students need to improve on, i.e. disrupting the class, doing your best work, respecting others. We grade them on our 1-4 scale at Hope, 1 being the lowest with behaving below expectations and 4 being the highest with exceeding expectations. The class, as a whole, gets along very well with one another. They exhibit many assets for their age and grade level. The majority of them is very empathetic towards one another and understands and appreciates each other’s opinions and misunderstandings with content. They will often go above and beyond to help each other understand, which is something that I did not expect to see entering a fifth grade class. However, I do have a few immature students who are not as empathetic and responsible, but they are learning as the year progresses.

The students from this class range from below grade-level to above-grade level. There are not any resource students; however, there are three Tier 3 reading students and two Tier 2 reading students. The students currently attend RTI sessions during their Arts and Fitness times. There is one student who gets pulled out for speech therapy, and his IEP will be written in the near future. The blue team is a completely different story! Their demeanor is easy-going and quiet. There are a few above-level students who often keep discussion going, but it is like pulling teeth to get the others to talk. There are four resource students in this class. The resource students’ diagnoses are as follows: one with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Encopresis; one with learning disabilities in reading comprehension, writing expression, and basic reading; one with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum, ODD, ADHD, and Bi-Polar Affective Disorder; and one with a learning disability of written expression. In addition, there are three Tier 3 reading students and three Tier 2 reading students. It is often difficult to meet the needs of the various levels of this class. The student with a learning disability in written expression has a very difficult time getting work accomplished. He often breaks down and lays his head on the table, refusing to speak to anyone. This is on account of his past child abuse as an infant. We have learned that he does not work well if you sit and try to scaffold his learning. He tends to work more if you are firm with him, letting him know that he will receive a ‘citation’ for not doing his best work. Students receive citations at Hope for not following our Hope Parthenon values, which are: empowerment, respect, responsibility, hope, and empathy. Depending

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upon how many citations they receive in a two-week period indicate if they are a level 3, 2, or 1, level 3 being the highest level and level 1 being the lowest level.

The ASD student is one that tends to be distracted and unfocused at times. With a verbal reminder, he transitions to being back on track. He is a very happy child, and does not know that he does not know things. He usually does his best work, but can often get in mini-arguments with the Bi-Polar Affective Disorder resource child. This child has been very difficult in our team this year. He makes up elaborate untruthful stories that other students know are not real. Because of this, he feels that others are bullying him when they react to these stories. He has a lot of anger inside from former abuse, but loves to do hands-on activities like drawing. The paraprofessional takes him on two breaks each day to the Sensory room, where he can get out his energy in efficient ways.

b). Student knowledge and interests. Conduct student interview (s) on the topic as a form of pre-assessment.

The last Social Studies unit that my students’ covered was regarding Native Americans, but now they are learning about the thirteen colonies. In this unit, slavery is mentioned on a small scale. I conducted a pre-assessment survey of the following five questions for my unit. Five students were absent on the day of facilitation.

1. What is discrimination? 28 of the 47 students left this question blank, wrote ‘IDK’, associated the

mistreatment of black people from white people, or answered something completely off target.

19 of my students had some prior-knowledge of this word, giving specific examples of discrimination.

2. What is slavery? 10 out of the 47 students left this question blank or had minimal knowledge of the

meaning of this word. For example, one student wrote: “Slavery is men who fight other people who sail across oceans.”

37 students had prior knowledge of this term.

3. Did slavery ever happen in the United States? 12 out of the 47 students did not know the answer or said that it did not happen in

the United States. 35 students did agree that slavery happened in the United States; however, 28 of

these students did not have a conceptual understanding of when this exactly happened (timeline).

4. Where did the slaves come from? 11 students said that slaves came from Africa. 6 students said that slaves came from all over the world.

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10 students said that slaves came from one or two of the following: North America, Europe, California, United States, Southern Hemisphere of the World, South America, India, Canada, or Mexico.

9 students said that slaves came from the South or named specific states, i.e. Georgia, Mississippi

11 students left this question blank or said that they did not know.

5. What would a slave’s life be like? 46 students all had some variant of the following adjectives: bad, horrible, scary,

painful, sad, or hurtful. 1 student left it blank (this was our ASD student)

c). Classroom context.

The desks are arranged in tables of 2-4 students. There is one kidney bean table to the side of the room and another back desk near this. These seats are usually given to those who need more assistance in focusing. The students will usually work at their table groups for a group activity; however, their book clubs are placed on interest and reading level. I must consider this in planning my Social Studies unit, especially with the resource students. My CT also puts books related to the Social Studies topic in the back of the room, as well as having a plethora of other literacy books, dictionaries, History Alive books, etc. When teaching, I will often explicitly give instructions for the students to use these supplemental materials as an aid in their assignments. I often model think alouds so that the students will begin to understand when it would be appropriate to get out of their seat and use these materials for their benefit. The classroom is as follows:

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d). Linguistic, social and academic challenges, resources and supports.

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Teacher’s desk

Seating for students who have trouble focusing with other students around them.

Rocking Chair

Smart Board

Chart of Historical Fiction Elements

Feat

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Boo

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Dis

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of a

rtifa

cts r

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Open space for community meetings, read-alouds, and discussion.

Side table saved for resource students or students with behavior problems


I will not need to make any linguistic accommodations, considering I do not have any ESL students. However, I will need to think about the advanced students, resource students, and low-motivated students. I will do best to create differentiated questions of various levels of critical thinking, use a variety of participation structures, and facilitate hands-on activities that the students will engage in. For two of my resource students, specifically, I will have to modify their work to accommodate the level that they are currently at.

In my unit, I sent the weekly lesson plans to the paraprofessional so that she could better aid the resource students when in the room. I also wrote to her in regards to the instructional format and goals for each lesson. When putting students in groups, I often put the advanced students with one another so that they would be able to challenge each other’s ideas. I feel that they do not get this opportunity as much in the other content areas either. They often get stuck with being ‘the teacher’ to the other students.

Part IV: Overview of Lessons and Assessments and V:(20 points)

During this unit, I will be focusing on a read-aloud of Dear America: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl—A Picture of Freedom: Belmont, Plantation, Virginia, 1859. This will be reading during the Language Arts period.

Day 1: 8.1: Introduction

GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





GoalDevelop an understanding and appreciation of human rights and equality for all.

ObjectiveObserve and interact with a variety of slavery materials in order to create ‘I Wonder’ questions for the unit.

Big IdeaAll people need resources to live.

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MaterialsSlavery books (for back shelf with colonial books)Pre-Assessmet poster per class52 sticky notes‘I Wonder’ posterDiscovery Education Video (http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=CDD6B2D3-D173-4D1C-8EB9-D323E859BEAD&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US)From Slave Ship to Freedom Road pictures (pg. 8, 20, and 24) What is slavery Google search story (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOUIWYd0AcE) Narrative Overview

This lesson introduces my students to the new unit we will be studying, i.e. slavery. I want my students to discover and wonder about this topic; therefore, I have created an orderly system that will allow them to observe and discuss their reactions and opinions before diving into content. I will first show a Google search story on slavery that I created to enhance their engagement and wonder. We will then review our pre-assessment ideas, watch a short Discovery Education video on slavery, and observe some unfortunate photos in the book, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road to promote their critical thinking. From these interactions and discussions, the students will write what they wonder on a sticky note. Each student will go up to the board and place their sticky note on the class ‘I Wonder’ poster. I will conclude the lesson with the instructions for the first homework assignment.

Instructional Format: I will introduce the class that we will begin a new unit. I will show and discuss the pre-assessment results in poster form. Discovery Education video on slavery 3 Pictures from From Slave Ship to Freedom Road “I wonder” statements on sticky notes (I will have each person say their wonder statement

and bring it up to the board) To summarize the lesson, we will have a debrief discussion regarding our reactions to class. I

will prompt questions to my students, such as: “What did you think of the materials and resources we explored today? Have you learned anything about this topic before?”

Explain homework and pass out worksheets

AssessmentStudents will complete and ‘I Wonder’ statement on a sticky note to be answered throughout our slavery unit.

Homework Go home and ask a parent, guardian, family member, neighbor, or friend what they know about slavery in the United States and why it is important to learn.

Day 2: (8.1: Introduction)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOUIWYd0AcE



° the trade routes





Goal Develop and understanding and appreciation for human rights and equality for all.

ObjectiveStudents will participate in a game that will allow them to explore the meaning of discrimination.

Big IdeaPeople may be discriminated against based on their differences with others.

Materials5 bags of M&Ms104 cups52 homework worksheets

Narrative OverviewThis lesson allows students to experience a bit of what the slaves might have felt by

participating in an M & M activity about discrimination. Each student will receive 2 cups, one with 10 M&Ms, and 5 pieces of paper depicting their new identity: race, age, height, religion, and class. Before these are passed out by volunteers, I will explain the importance of respect and empathy by reviewing our Hope School Parthenon values in alignment with the varying identity profiles the students will receive.

Based on these profiles, I will read various scenarios that will allow me to take M and Ms out of their left cup and into the right discard cup or add M & Ms to their left cup. These scenarios will cover many sorts of discrimination: age, race, height, class, and religion. For example, I may say: “If you are older than 40, you will take two M&Ms out of your left cup and put them into your right discard cup.” After all the scenarios are read, students will count up their M & Ms in their left cups. I will explain to them about what they would think if I took their left cup away and they were only left with the M&Ms in their left cups. This will create a reaction discussion on the activity and will segway into the meaning of the discrimination in its various forms. After this discussion, I will introduce the homework assignment for the following lesson.

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Instructional Format Recap of yesterday and homework/ ‘I Wonders’ Focus for the Day I will introduce then say that we are going to participate in an M &M activity. I will explain

thorough instructions and behavior expectations. The supply manager will choose 6 others to help pass out the materials. M&M activity and reflection Homework assignment instructions and wrap-up

AssessmentParticipation and homework assignment

Homework Go home and answer the following questions on your homework worksheet: What did you learn from this activity about discrimination that you did not know before? Ask a parent, guardian, family member, neighbor, or friend what he/she knows about discrimination and if they have ever seen any on TV or anywhere in your community (library, grocery store, etc.).

Day 3: 8.2:


° the trade routes





GoalDevelop and understanding and appreciation of human rights and the equality for all.

ObjectiveLearn about life in West Africa and identify commonalities that early Africans may have with Americans today.

Big IdeaPeople around the world have the same basic needs.

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MaterialsHistory Alive booksVenn Diagram worksheets

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow students to apply their experiences from the first two lessons to the beginning of their investigation of slavery. Students will learn what life was like in West Africa in the 1500s and begin to make connections to their lives in the United States today. This activity is meant to get them to understand that humans’ needs and necessities are not that different, no matter where you live. In conclusion, students will get to listen to a read-aloud that will answer many of their questions on a slave’s daily life.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Read 8.2 of History Alive (West Africa in the 1500s)

Mali, Mauretania, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana I will begin reading and stop randomly for the students to all say a word in unison.

3. Group activity: similarities and differences of West African life in the 1500s via Venn Diagram.

AssessmentIn groups, students will complete a Venn Diagram where they will be able to identify and explain the similarities and differences of West African life to their own lives.

Homework Go home and share with anyone in your family, a friend or a neighbor what you thought the similarities and differences between yourself and the West Africans.

Day 4: 8.3:


° the trade routes





Goal:

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Develop and understanding of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African Slaves route to colonial America.

ObjectiveIdentify how European slave traders discovered slavery.

Big IdeaPeople learn from experience and observation.

Materials History Alive booksInteractive Notebooks

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow the students to begin the first dilemma of the European Slave Trade. We will start with a brief discussion of the students’ homework answers and findings from the last lesson. Then, I will choose a student via popsicle sticks to help me with a simulation on the slave trade. We will practice together in the hallway while the rest of the class gets a minute to chat. When we come back, we will introduce our characters and begin. The student will be a West African, and I will be a slave trader. I will offer some items from the class to trade to show how trading works and how the slave traders often manipulated the West Africans. The student will react and agree to everything very easily. We will then discuss as a class what they noticed and how the slave trader’s attitude was. I will then connect it to the ‘trading’ I have seen in our classroom community, i.e. gum and candy. They will then have an opportunity to read in partners and fill out the interactive workbook page, which allows them to put themselves in the shoes of European slave traders.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Slave Trade Simulation and discussion3. Read 8.3: The European Slave Trade in West Africa 4. History Alive Interactive Notebook pg. 36

a. Discuss this question with your group: Why did European slave traders come to West Africa?

b. Critical Thinking question A5. Reflection Discussion: What did the reading share with us that surprised you?

Assessment History Alive Interactive notebook page

Homework Students will go home and discuss with a family member, neighbor, or friend what they learned

about West Africa and the European slave traders.

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Day 5: 8.4


° the trade routes





GoalDevelop and understanding of the Triangular Trade Route of the West Africa Slave route to colonial America.

ObjectiveIdentify how the European slave traders discovered slavery.

Big IdeaPeople react differently based on their experiences in life.

Materials52 worksheets History Alive booksInteractive notebooks

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow students to continue to learn about the first dilemma: the European Slave Trade in West Africa. Through their reading, they will see how people in West Africa reacted, as well as listen to a read-aloud about a first-hand experience of an African being taken by European slave traders. They will learn how slavery was already happening in West Africa between the Africans. Students will be able to picture themselves in this situation and respond to their emotions. This is important because the students need to understand the pain and suffering in order to truly grasp the meaning and affects of slavery.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Read 8.4: The European Slave Trade in West Africa: What Happened? + Finish History

Alive Interactive Workbook pg. 363. Read-Aloud: The Story of Olaudah

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4. Discussion5. Worksheet Front Side

What did the European slave traders notice when they arrived to West Africa? Why did Europeans need slaves? Why is a plantation? What types of crops were grown on plantations? What did European traders offer West Africans for slaves?

6. Worksheet Back Side What does the following line of the story mean: “Olaudah sees the stranger with

the pale complexion and long, scraggly hair point to him…He had been taken to many different places and has seen many different strangers. None had faded skin like this man.”

How do you think Olaudah felt when he was taken? Why?

AssessmentStudents will participate in a discussion and complete a worksheet review about the first

dilemma and The Story of Olaudah.

Homework Students will take home a copy of the story to read to their family or one member of their

family. They will then share their ideas from class and write notes on the back of their worksheet about what their family members said.

Day 6: 8.5:GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





GoalDevelop and understand of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African slave route to colonial America.

ObjectivesIdentify what the second dilemma, The Middle Passage, entails.

Students will put themselves in the shoes of an enslaved African through listening to a read-aloud passage of a slave’s personal experience and identify their emotions of this experience.

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Big IdeaPower often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferior.

MaterialsHistory Alive booksInteractive Notebooks Middle Passage Video (Discovery Education)

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow students to learn about the second dilemma: the Middle Passage. Through their reading, they will see how enslaved Africans were treated during this journey from West Africa to the colonies. The Interactive workbook will allow them to channel their emotions, as well as ask them what they would do in specific situations these enslaved Africans faced.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Finish reading 8.5 and complete the rest of History Alive Interactive Workbook pg. 353. Middle Passage video 4. Read 8.6: Dilemma: The Middle Passage- What happened?

AssessmentStudents will complete the History Alive Interactive Workbook pg. 35

Homework Students will go home and discuss with someone how they have been feeling during the slavery

unit so far.Day 7: 8.6: GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





Goal

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Develop and understand of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African slave route to colonial America.

ObjectiveIdentify what the second dilemma, The Middle Passage, entails.

Big IdeaPower often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferiors.

MaterialsFrom Slave Ship to Freedom Road The Story of Peppel

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow students to explore more about the second dilemma: the Middle Passage. Through their reading, they will see how enslaved Africans were treated during this journey from West Africa to the colonies. I will then read them a first-hand account of a slave’s experience through The Story of Peppel. The story will allow them to channel their emotions, as well as ask them what they would do in specific situations these enslaved Africans faced. From this I will use a picture and Middle Passage simulation from the book, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road on the Elmo.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Read-Aloud, the Story of Peppel 3. Picture from From Slave Ship to Freedom Road

AssessmentN/A

Homework Students will go home and discuss with someone how they have been feeling during the slavery

unit so far.

Day 8: 8.6GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes




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GoalDevelop and understand of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African slave route to colonial America.

ObjectiveIdentify what the second dilemma, The Middle Passage, entails.

MaterialsOlaudah sound clip Middle Passage fact sheetsFrom Slave Ship to Freedom Road

Big IdeaPower often gives people the opportunity to treat others as their inferiors.

Narrative OverviewThis lesson will allow them to apply their knowledge of the Middle Passage from prior lessons by listening to a sound clip of the first hand experiences of Olaudah during the Middle Passage. Before this will occur, I will explain the behavior expectations and roles the students have for the literacy lab. I will draw popsicle sticks to have half of the class be readers and half of the class lay down on the ship as enslaved Africans. I will then take the students to the Literacy Lab to do a demonstration with a slave ship. Prior to class, I will section off a part of the lab with masking tape. When we get to the lab, I will have everyone sit in a circle around the masking tape ship and watch as I read another passage from the book about the space they slaves had on the ship. Again, students will be able to picture themselves in this situation and respond to their emotions. This is important because the students need to understand the pain and suffering in order to truly grasp the meaning and affects of slavery.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Instructions and behavior expectations for slave ship simulation3. Role assignments4. Slave Ship Activity5. Discussion and worksheet reflection

AssessmentStudents will complete a worksheet that will allow them to explain their emotions and reactions to the simulation.

Homework Students will go home and reflect on the lesson of the day with a family member, neighbor, or friend.

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Day 9: 8.7: Dilemma: Arrival in AmericaGLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





GoalDevelop and understanding of what life was like for enslaved Africans living in colonial America.

ObjectiveStudents will identify what happened to the enslaved Africans upon arrival in America, the third dilemma.

Big IdeaPeople’s actions can be dehumanizing to others if they view others as unequal.

Materials Discovery Education videos: Plantations and Life on a Plantation

Narrative OverviewStudents will learn about the third dilemma, arrival in America. They will begin to see the continued troubles enslaved Africans faced while be sold to various plantation owners. They will apply their knowledge from the text to a video in order to better understand the intensity of this last dilemma. Their ideas will be shared via pair/share and whole-class discussion.

Big IdeaPeople’s actions can be dehumanizing to others if they view others as unequal. Materials

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Read 8.7: Dilemma: Arrival in America 3. Video4. Complete the History Alive Interactive Workbook pg. 34.

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AssessmentStudents will complete the History Alive Interactive Workbook pg. 34.

Homework Students will go home and reflect on today’s lesson with a family member, friend, or neighbor.

Day 10: 8.8: GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





Goal People’s actions can be dehumanizing to others if they view others as unequal.

ObjectiveIdentify a day in the life of an enslaved African through writing with vivid detail, using examples. Narrative OverviewStudents will continue to investigate and apply their knowledge of the third dilemma through a series of discussions and written assignments. By allowing the students to answer questions as if they were a slave, students will better understand just what emotions and thinking these enslaved Africans were going through.

Big IdeaHuman resources can often be taken advantage of by people of power.

MaterialsHistory Alive booksInteractive notebooksJournal of a Slave worksheets

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Read 8.8: Arrival in America: What Happened? 3. Complete the rest of pg. 34 in the History Alive Interactive Workbook. 4. Journal of a Slave worksheet

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a. Describe your life on the plantation.b. Explain why you are planning to run away.c. Describe your escape plan.d. Describe your escape attempt and where you are now.

AssessmentStudents will complete the History Alive Interactive Workbook and Journal of Slave worksheet.

Homework Take home the worksheet from class to finish and bring it back tomorrow.

Day 11: GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





GoalDevelop an understanding of how far our nation has come since colonial ties, but regonizing that racism still occurs today.

ObjectiveIdentify specific examples of how racism is present in today’s society, specifically in South Africa

where our pen pals live.


MaterialsThe Color of Friendship Disney moviePowerPoint of host family info Brain Pop video on apartheid (http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/apartheid/)Reactions, Comments, and questions worksheet (back of worksheet: penpal letter

Narrative OverviewThis lesson’s purpose is to connect the unit’s learning of slavery in the United States and compare it to another country’s history with inequality, i.e. apartheid in South Africa. I

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http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/apartheid/


specifically wanted to incorporate this lesson because of their lessons and integration with South Africa all year. They have had pen pals of the students I taught when I was there, and I wanted to give them more insight on life in South Africa. I began this lesson with a discussion about their homework from a previous lesson: Why is it important to learn about slavery? Do you think it is important to learn about the inequalities in other countries too? Why? From this discussion, I connected to them what we were going to learn about something that happened in South Africa’s history. I showed the Brain Pop video on slavery and had a short discussion before a segment of the Disney movie, The Color of Friendship. After the video, we will discuss their reactions to the movie and its relation to slavery in America. I will give them scenarios to think about after showing a short PowerPoint displaying my experience in South Africa with my host family. I share specific pictures of my last night in South Africa when my host family had nice dinner for me. I will tell the students the comment that made me cry: “Kaitlyn, this is the first time we can sit comfortably with a white person in this type of setting.” What do you think this means? How do you think I felt? If apartheid did not end, how do you think Miss Huddas’ experience in South Africa would have been different? If apartheid did not end, you would not be able to write to your pen pal. The lesson will conclude with them writing a letter to their pen pal about what they learned about apartheid and how it connects to slavery in the United States.

Instructional Format1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Anticipatory set with discussion questions (refer to narrative overview) 3. Brain pop video on apartheid4. Short discussion5. The Color of Friendship segment 6. Discussion and PowerPoint 7. Worksheet

AssessmentWorksheet

Homework Go home and finish the pen pal letter on the back of your worksheet. Day 12: GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes




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Goal Develop an understanding of how far our nation has come since colonial times, but recognizing that racism still occurs to this day.

Objective

Objective 1: Identify specific examples of how racism is present in today’s society.

Objective 2: Identify the differences of our lives in comparison to the lives of enslaved Africans.


Materials A-D cards per studentMillionaire PowerPointCell Phone

Narrative OverviewStudents will participate in a review of their unit on slavery by playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire via PowerPoint. I will be the host, and they will be the contestants. For each question, they will answer by picking up their card that best fits the answer (A-D). If there is no majority, we will ‘phone a friend’ on my cell phone and put it on speaker phone.

Instructional Format1. Introduction2. Who Wants to be a Millionaire3. Discussion and Concusion

AssessmentInformal Assessment through Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Homework N/A

Day 13: GLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes



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Objective

Identify specific examples of how racism is present in today’s society.

Identify the differences of our lives in comparison to the lives of enslaved Africans.

Big IdeaAll people need resources to live.

Narrative OverviewStudents will complete the summative assessment on this unit. For the second part of the assessment, they will work in a group to come up with all of the ways that discrimination and racial prejudice are present in today’s society.

Instructional Format1. Students will receive the full Social Studies block to complete their test. When they are done, they may choose to read silently or draw before the group part of the test.

AssessmentStudents will complete the summative assessment from the History Alive curriculum.

Homework N/A

a) Family/Parent Letter: – A one-page letter to families of the students in your classroom explaining to them the content and goals of your unit (you may draw upon Part I of the unit plan). Also identify any homework assignments associated with the unit, any field trips, and any ways families could be involved in this unit. For example, provide specific questions they can ask students to engage them in a conversation about the unit topic and suggest further readings they might read with their children. Additionally, provide home assignments for each of the ten lessons. Include this with the lesson abstracts.

Greetings Parents/Guardians,

From March 14th until March 31st, I will be teaching Language Arts and Social Studies in your child’s classroom—specifically the genre of historical fiction and slavery in the United States. These topics are important to your child’s learning in 5th grade, and I am very eager to travel on this journey with them!

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Learning about this piece of our history and relating it to historical fiction stories will allow students to further their knowledge in both areas. As their teacher, I will be able to integrate these two subjects together to create meaningful experiences for them inside and outside the classroom.

As their parents, you will also have an important part in your child’s success as a learner. Making connections outside of the classroom will only benefit their learning inside the classroom. During this 3-week period, I may send home notes that ask your child to complete an assignment with you. This will range from a simple conversation to sitting down and writing some thoughts together. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Feel free to stop by at school or contact me at anytime,

Miss Kaitlyn Huddas

[email protected]

c) Assessments:

Please refer to part A.

d) Out-of-school learning: opportunities to expand and enrich the curriculum outside of class (home assignment):

Please refer to part A.

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Part V: Individual Lesson Plans (20 points)

Lesson Title and Length: Introduction to Slavery (50 minutes)

Lesson Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Develop an understanding and appreciation of human rights and the equality for all.

Objective: Observe and interact with a variety of slavery materials in order to create ‘I Wonder’ questions for the unit.

Rationale: This lesson introduces my students to the new unit we will be studying, i.e. slavery. I want my students to discover and wonder about this topic; therefore, I have created an orderly system that will allow them to observe and discuss their reactions and opinions before diving into content. I will first show a Google search story on slavery that I created to enhance their engagement and wonder. We will then review our pre-assessment ideas, watch a short Discovery Education video on slavery, and observe some unfortunate photos in the book, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road to promote their critical thinking. From these interactions and discussions, the students will write what they wonder on a sticky note. Each student will go up to the board and place their sticky note on the class ‘I Wonder’ poster. I will conclude the lesson with the instructions for the first homework assignment.

Michigan GLCEs: 1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





Materials needed: History Education Books Slavery books (see part 2)

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Pre-Assessment Poster per class 52 sticky notes ‘I Wonder’ poster

Lesson Content and Procedure Major Understandings

From this introductory lesson, the students will form their own ideas based on the resources available to them, i.e. Discovery Education video, slavery books, and current knowledge from their pre-assessments. These resources will allow them explore life from a different time period through questioning and ‘I wonder’ statements. I will not give them direct answers about their questions. This will allow them to be engaged for the following lessons and see that their questions will be answered throughout the unit. The major understanding they will receive from these resources is that slavery was an unfortunate part of our history. They will see vivid images and read saddening content.

Content NarrativeThe content from my resources will allow them to witness the Triangular Trade Route at a glance, i.e. European Slave Trade in West Africa, the Middle Passage, and their arrival and life in colonial America. Because this lesson does not go into detail and specifics, the vivid images will tell the story themselves. The European Slave Trade in West Africa will be displayed by images of ships traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. They will see white men arrive in West Africa and learn the ways of the people in these countries, i.e. Mali, Mauretania, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Ghana. They will see how these white men forced West Africans on their ships in terrible conditions to travel back to America through the Middle Passage. Once arrival in America, they will see more mistreatment through images of overseers selling slaves to plantation owners. The slavery books will be an additional source through explanations in words. This will be the beginning of their thinking, piecing together what they are seeing.

a. Instructional Activities I will introduce the class that we will begin a new unit. I will show and discuss the pre-assessment results in poster form. Discovery Education video on slavery 3 Pictures from From Slave Ship to Freedom Road “I wonder” statements on sticky notes (I will have each person say their

wonder statement and bring it up to the board) To summarize the lesson, we will have a debrief discussion regarding our

reactions to class. I will prompt questions to my students, such as: “What did you think of the materials and resources we explored today? Have you learned anything about this topic before?”

Explain homework and pass out worksheets

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Lesson SummaryTo summarize the lesson, we will have a debrief discussion regarding our reactions to class. I will prompt questions to my students, such as: “What did you think of the materials and resources we explored today? Have you learned anything about this topic before?”

Assessment Students will complete and ‘I Wonder’ statement on a sticky note to be answered throughout our slavery unit.

Home AssignmentGo home and ask a parent, guardian, family member, neighbor, or friend why they think it is important to learn about slavery in the United States. Write down any information that you find on a piece of lined paper.

Lesson Title and Length: Discrimination (50 minutes)

Lesson Goals and Objectives:Goal 1: Develop an understanding and appreciation of human rights and the

equality for all

Objective 2: Students will participate in a game that will allow them to explore the meaning of discrimination.

Rationale: This lesson allows students to experience a bit of what the slaves might have felt

by participating in an M & M activity about discrimination. Each student will receive 2 cups, one with 10 M&Ms, and 5 pieces of paper depicting their new identity: race, age, height, religion, and class. Before these are passed out by volunteers, I will explain the importance of respect and empathy by reviewing our Hope School Parthenon values in alignment with the varying identity profiles the students will receive.

Based on these profiles, I will read various scenarios that will allow me to take M and Ms out of their left cup and into the right discard cup or add M & Ms to their left cup. These scenarios will cover many sorts of discrimination: age, race, height, class, and religion. For example, I may say: “If you are older than 40, you will take two M&Ms out of your left cup and put them into your right discard cup.” After all the scenarios are read, students will count up their M & Ms in their left cups. I will explain to them about what they would think if I took their left cup away and they were only left with the M&Ms in their left cups. This will create a reaction discussion on the activity and will segway into the meaning of the discrimination in its various forms. After this discussion, I will introduce the homework assignment for the following lesson.

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Michigan GLCEs:1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





Materials needed: 5 bags of M&Ms 104 cups 52 Identity worksheets 52 Reaction ticket out worksheets


From this lesson, the students experience feeling discriminated based on the identity given to them. In doing this, I the students will begin to appreciate the uniqueness of themselves and others. This discrimination exploration activity will give them an minor experience of what it was like to be a slave—to be discriminated against based on the color of their skin. However, this lesson allows them to experience many types of discrimination that we also see in today’s society, i.e. age, race, color, height, occupation. The major understanding here is the meaning of discrimination and its relation to the slavery unit.

Instructional Activities Recap of yesterday and homework/ ‘I Wonders’ Focus for the Day I will introduce then say that we are going to participate in an M &M activity. I

will explain thorough instructions and behavior expectations. The supply manager will choose 6 others to help pass out the materials. M&M activity and reflection Homework assignment instructions and wrap-up

AssessmentParticipation and homework assignment

Homework Assessment

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Go home and answer the following questions on your homework worksheet: What did you learn from this activity about discrimination that you did not know before? Ask a parent, guardian, family member, neighbor, or friend what he/she knows about discrimination and if they have ever seen any on TV or anywhere in your community (library, grocery store, etc.).Lesson Summary

To summarize this lesson, the whole-class will participate in a debrief of the M&M activity. Prior to facilitating the activity, I will not preface the activity with its purpose. I want the students to navigate why I am taking away M&Ms and why I am giving M&Ms away. Their reactions and explanations for this will lead to the idea of discrimination. In order to be dismissed from class, the students must complete a reactions to lass worksheet to be dismissed.

Lesson Title and Length: West Africa in the 1500s (50 minutes)

Lesson Goals and Objectives:

Goal 2: Develop an understanding of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African Slaves route to Colonial America.

Objective: Students will learn about life in West Africa and identify commonalities that Africans may have with Americans.

Rationale: This lesson will allow students to apply their experiences from the first three

lessons to the beginning of their investigation of slavery. Students will learn what life was like in West Africa in the 1500s and begin to make connections to their lives in the United States today. This activity is meant to get them to understand that humans’ needs and necessities are not that different, no matter where you live. In conclusion, students will get to listen to a read-aloud that will answer many of their questions on a slave’s daily life.

Michigan GLCEs:1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes



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Materials needed: 24 Venn diagram worksheets If there was slavery in America… book


The major understanding of this lesson follow up to the past three lessons. Students will begin to realize that despite people’s differences, we all have the same basic needs. Through reading the chapter in the History Alive book and making connections to their needs, study groups will create a Venn Diagram. This Venn Diagram will show similarities and differences of life in different time periods.

Content NarrativeThe students will learn the specifics about West Africans and how they lived their lives in the 1500s, such as:

-The area slaves originated was not from southern portion of Africa, where their pen pals live. -West Africa consists of the following countries we see today: Mali, Mauretania, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Ghana-The people who lived here were diverse in their occupations, i.e. farmers, miners, craftspeople, and traders. -Society was based on families. (Parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles lived near one another). -Families liked to tell stories to one another, i.e. fables, fables, and myths. -Living arrangements differed. Some lived in small villages and others lived in large cities. -People spoke many languages, just as people do in South Africa and the United States. -Most Africans lived in freedom during this time.

Instructional Activities i. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day ii. I will direct the Supply manager and a friend to pass out the

History Alive books and open to 8.2 West Africa in the 1500s. iii. I will select readers to read the page in paragraphs. iv. We will debrief about what we learned about life in West Africa. v. I will direct them to work in their table groups to find the

similarities and differences of West African life in the 1500s via

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Venn Diagram. I will have the Supply Manager pass out one Venn Diagram worksheet per table.

vi. Once they are finished, we will discuss each group’s answers, and I will read various sections from the book, If you lived when there was slavery in America…” I will probe questions like the following: “Could you imagine that? What do you think about this?” My goal is to get them thinking about how we just explained our similarities, yet see the beginnings of how they were treated.

Lesson SummaryTo summarize this lesson, the class will debrief about the similarities and differences we have with West Africans in the 1500s and see a glimpse of how slaves lived through a read-aloud. They will begin to wonder how these two pieces of information fit together for the following lessons.

AssessmentIn groups, students will complete a Venn Diagram where they will be able to identify and explain the similarities and differences of West African life to their own lives.

Home AssignmentGo home and share with anyone in your family, a friend or a neighbor what you thought about the If you lived when there was slavery in America… book.

Lesson Title and Length: Slave Trade in West Africa (50 minutes)

Lesson Goals and Objectives:Goal: Develop and understanding of the Triangular Trade Route of the West African Slaves route to colonial America.

ObjectiveIdentify how European slave traders discovered slavery.

Big IdeaPeople learn from experience and observation.

Rationale: This lesson will allow the students to begin the first dilemma of the European Slave Trade. We will start with a brief discussion of the students’ homework answers and findings from the last lesson. Then, I will choose a student via popsicle sticks to help me with a simulation on the slave trade. We will practice together in the hallway while the rest of the class gets a minute to chat. When we come back, we will introduce our characters and begin. The student will be a West African, and I will be a slave trader. I will offer some items from the class to trade to show how trading

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works and how the slave traders often manipulated the West Africans. The student will react and agree to everything very easily. We will then discuss as a class what they noticed and how the slave trader’s attitude was. I will then connect it to the ‘trading’ I have seen in our classroom community, i.e. gum and candy. They will then have an opportunity to read in partners and fill out the interactive workbook page, which allows them to put themselves in the shoes of European slave traders.

Michigan GLCEsGLCE1. Describe Triangular Trade including:

° the trade routes





Materials needed:History Alive booksInteractive NotebooksFrom Slave Ship to Freedom Road by Julius Lester and Rod Brown


The major understandings of this lesson deal with the differences of how people react to situations (refer to goal and objective). They will learn that not all West Africans reacted the same, as well as European Slave Traders. This is shown through the trading simulation done after the reading.

Content NarrativeIn this lesson, the students will learn what happened in the slave trade in West Africa. Through the reading and simulation, they will learn realize that many slave traders and West Africans reacted differently in this situation. The European Slave Traders witnessed other West Africans treating others not as free as others or often people guilty of crimes, captured during wars. The Europeans named these people slaves and

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began taking them to work on the plantations in America. They often traded for slaves with guns or tobacco or captured them themselves.

Instructional Activities 1. Recap/ ‘I Wonders’ for the Day 2. Slave Trade Simulation and discussion3. Read 8.3: The European Slave Trade in West Africa 4. History Alive Interactive Notebook pg. 36

a. Discuss this question with your group: Why did European slave traders come to West Africa?

b. Critical Thinking question A5. Reflection Discussion: What did the reading share with us that surprised you?

Lesson SummaryThe lesson will conclude with a reflection discussion on the reading and simulation activity. We will refer to our “I Wonders..” and make predictions about what will happen next.

AssessmentHistory Alive Interactive notebook page

HomeworkStudents will go home and discuss with a family member, neighbor, or friend what

they learned about West Africa and the European slave traders.

Part 6Social studies is my favorite content area to teach. When my collaborating

teacher told me I was to teach a unit on slavery, I must admit that despite my love for this content area, I was a bit hesitant. This is because I know how important this topic is, and I wanted to be able to do it a justice. I worked extremely hard to create my unit and adapt lessons as necessary throughout my lead teaching. It was not easy, but my students did excellent on the summative assessment. They absolutely knew the material! Why? This is because I had high expectations for my students, and they saw this through my positive attitude and engaging teaching. I did my best to collaborate with other colleagues, relate the lesson ideas back to why it was important, what big ideas were present, produce live simulations, and give the students reflection time each day.

The strengths of this unit were that I was that was well-prepared, open to feedback from my field instructor and CT, and provided scaffolded instruction and real-world examples for my students to learn meaningfully. One specific strength that I noticed was that I made sure to discuss empathy during this unit and why it was important. That basis was a necessity before diving into the details of the slave trade.

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However, we continued to talk about this each day. This paid off because their writing and work shows respectful, thoughtful, and responsible young fifth graders. Everyone took this seriously and was motivated, which was one of my main goals. In addition, the simulations helped them to visualize and understand sides, slave trader and slave, of this unfortunate part of our history. I could tell that during the trading and slave ship simulations, the class, as a whole, was more engaged and excited about learning. This took a lot of planning, but I wish I would have tried to incorporate this more.

Some weaknesses I had were over planning and going past the time limit. Social Studies is in the afternoon and right after their Arts and Fitness class. The majority of the time they would come back late already, and it often took a few minutes to calm them down and re-focus them. This would take a good 15 to 20 minutes on some days out of a 50 minute block. I think that this is something that I will need to take account more in the future about what is realistic to complete in one class period. I believe that I will improve on as I continue to teach.

The highs of my unit were my students being excited about learning the material, although it was sad. They had numerous questions about why people would treat others that way. They could not wrap their heads around it. Our reflective discussions led me to believe that all of them were compassionate and caring towards every one of other races and ethnicities, especially during the M&M activity. They were quite upset in learning that they could not be friends with their pen pals if history did not change. My main high was my lesson on the connection between slavery in the United States to apartheid in South Africa. It was a wonderful feeling as a teacher to be able to share something that I experienced—the affects of apartheid in South Africa. That lesson was very emotional, especially at the end of the lesson, when I shared that three South African families told me that it was the first time in their lives where they could sit comfortably with a white person at their dinner table. This awed my students. They could not believe it! After that reflection, they wrote very thoughtful responses to their pen pals on what they learned about apartheid and how it connects to slavery in the United States. The lows of my unit were that I did not include as many simulations as I could have to increase student engagement.

My CT’s feedback was mainly in regards to my resource students. She said it would be often helpful to have them have a specific job for each lesson to keep them engaged. The resource students in my class are so hot and cold that you never know what to expect. It is best to be over-prepared than not. Otherwise, she said I did a great job of fusing my historical fiction unit with my social studies, using a range of technology.

I learned a lot about this topic from my research and lessons with my students. I learned that despite their misbehavior at times, my students truly want to learn. I just need to engage them in ‘out of box’ ways so that they will be inspired to learn meaningfully. Teaching is a career that can be constantly improved. No one is every perfect, even ones who have been teaching for a long time. I have learned that despite the curriculum, you must force yourself to think outside the box and create meaningful lessons. Do not just resort to the book and round robin reading. Never doubt yourself and be afraid to try new things. After all, this is what we strive to teach to our students?

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b) Mentor Teacher/Field Instructor Evaluation: Be sure to include the comments of your cooperating teacher for one (or more) of your lessons taught (form below) and from your field instructor. (See attached papers )

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