Teaching American History – Lesson Plan Template



Slavery and the Southern Economy

Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

I. Title: Perspectives of Slavery (5 Day Lesson)

II. Overview - Big Ideas:

History Mystery Question: Was slavery a necessary evil for the southern states’ economic survival?

Enduring Understandings – It is important for student to understand

Essential Questions –

• Why is it important to understand different perspectives?

• The topic that we are focusing on today is Perspectives of Slavery. Whose perspectives do you think we will learn about today?

• What do you infer will be the perspective of a slave vs. a master?

• What did you know now that you didn’t know before?

• How would the United States be different today if slavery had not existed?

III. Lesson Objectives and Key Vocabulary:

SS.5.A.4.6 Describe the introduction, impact, and role of slavery in the colonies.

Vocabulary: perspective, primary source, secondary source

IV. Evidence of Student Understanding (Assessment) in this Lesson:

• Student Writing Journals

• T-Chart Poster Presentation

• Rubric

• Closing Activity: De Bono’s Thinking Circle

V. Materials:

• Student Writing Journals

• Large poster paper

• Markers and crayons

• Pencils

• Book: Velma Maia Thomas, Lest We Forget

Primary Sources:

Slave Owner/Master-

• Burwell, Spotswood.  Runaway Slave Advertisement for slaves



• Tax Collection Notice, Norfolk, Va. 24 June 1858



Slave-

• Narrative of Mary Reynolds, who was born into slavery in Louisiana



Many other narratives can be used within this lesson through the following link:



Secondary Sources

Velma, Maia. Lest We Forget: The Passage from Africa to Slavery and Emancipation. New York: Crown, 1997.

Windley, Lathan. Runaway Slave Advertisements: A Documentary History from the 1730s to 1790. Westport: Greenwood Press, 198

VI. Steps to Deliver the Lesson:

A. Use a graphic organizer such as the Cluster Map with students to brainstorm and discuss the word perspective. The teacher will write the word perspective within the center circle while guiding the students to come up with other synonyms. Possible answers: view point, outlook, perception, opinion

Cluster Map-

B. The teacher will briefly discuss primary vs. secondary sources using a t-chart on the board. Primary Sources- physical object which was created or written during the time period: photos, diaries, journals, artifacts, letters, documents; Secondary Sources- a document or recording that was created by someone who was not at the event or within the time period.

C. The teacher will ask the following Essential Questions to the students:

(The teacher will write student responses on the board for visual learners.)

• Why is it important to understand different perspectives?

• The topic that we are focusing on today is Perspectives of Slavery. Whose perspectives do you think we will learn about today?

• What do you infer will be the perspective of a slave vs. a master?

D. The teacher will gather the students in a circle or on the rug and will read aloud each section of Lest We Forget, by Velma Maia Thomas.  The first four sections will be read on day 1, sections 5 and 6 on day two, sections 7, 8, and 9 on day three, sections 10 and 11 on day four, sections 12, 13, and 14 on day five.  

VII. Specific Activities:

A. Immediately after each section is read by the teacher, students will complete a “quick write” in their writing journals on their own thoughts.

B. Students will be paired to compare and contrast the slaves versus the slave owners’ perspective for each primary and secondary source as they are introduced.  Each pair of students from each group either represent the slaves or the slave owners.  Each pair will list important issues that concerned the points of view with reference to their primary and secondary sources.  (On day five, each group students is given time to work on their presentation for the class.) Venn Diagram-

C. Each group of students will create a T-Chart on the large poster paper for in order to prepare for their presentation. .  The top of the T will be the title of their primary and secondary sources and each side of the T will be represented by the slaves and the other side by the slave owners.  Each pair of students should include at least five issues of importance. 

D. Students will be given class time to work on presenting their T-Charts and the sources they are presenting.  They may act out or read “dramatically” their assigned primary and secondary sources, explaining its place or importance in history. 

E. Each student will get a rubric and use it as a guide for their presentation. Optional: The teacher could pass out several rubrics for each group and have students give peer feedback on each presentation. (See rubric below)

VIII. Differentiated Instruction Strategies:

• Graphic organizers, primary and secondary sources which includes documents and pictures, the book: Velma Maia Thomas, Lest We Forget, and group work, all promote differentiated instruction strategies based on visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learners.

IX.

Technology Integration:

• Smart Board, Computers, Web

X. Lesson Closure:

The following activity is a great way to close the lesson: (Higher order thinking activity)

De Bono’s Thinking Circle

Use the following statements for this activity.

Slavery was a necessary evil in the United States.

• Students will be placed in small groups of 5 or 6. Clock wise, within each group, each student will make a positive comment by using the statement above. Example: “Slavery was a necessary evil because they were needed for the plantations.”

• Each student must make a positive comment, (regardless if they agree or not) and must not be repeated by another student.

• Next, each student makes a negative comment about the statement above, counter clockwise. Example: “Slavery was not a necessary evil because they were humans and they should not have been treated like property.”

• The teacher should walk around the classroom to observe each group.

• This activity forces each student to think about 2 different perspectives and listen to others.

Names of Group Members:___________________________________________________

Perspectives of Slavery Rubric

Title of Primary and Secondary Sources (25 pts.) ________

5 important issues from the slave’s perspective (25 pts.) ________

5 important issue from the slave owners perspective (25pts.) ________

Facing the audience and speaking clearly (15 pts.) ________

Neat writing on the T-chart (10 pts.) ________

Total: _________

Additional Comments:

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