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Clatrina Lane RNE TAG Cohort 2014-2015

Fredrick Douglas vs. The System of Slavery


Title:
Circle of Knowledge
Type:
Lesson Plan
Subject:
Social Studies
Grade Range: 3
Description:
Fredrick Douglas vs. The System of Slavery
Duration:
90 minutes
Instructional Unit Content
Standard(s)/Element(s)/Content Area Standard
SS3H2 The student will discuss the lives of Americans who expanded
peoples rights and freedoms in a democracy.
a. Paul Revere (independence), Frederick Douglass (civil rights), Susan B. Anthony (womens
rights), Mary McLeod Bethune (education), Franklin D. Roosevelt (New Deal and World War II),
Eleanor Roosevelt (United Nations and human rights), Thurgood Marshall (civil rights), Lyndon
B. Johnson (Great Society and voting rights), and Cesar Chavez (workers rights).
b. Explain social barriers, restrictions, and obstacles that these historical figures had to overcome
and describe how they overcame them.
TAG Standard: Higher Order and Critical Thinking Skills
Summary/Overview: The focus of this unit is Frederick Douglass and his contributions to
expanding our rights and freedoms. The students will have the opportunity to discuss how unfair
treatment can motivate actions of individuals.

Enduring Understanding(s)
At the end of this unit the student will understand that
*Many people overcome obstacles to help expand peoples rights and freedoms in our
democracy.
* The natural world and people around us shape what we do.
* Describe how Fredrick Douglas display positive character traits of cooperation, diligence,
courage, and leadership.
*Explain how Fredrick Douglas used positive character traits to support his beliefs in liberty,
justice, tolerance, and freedom of conscience and expression.

Essential Question(s):

How did Frederick Douglass expand the rights and freedoms of people in our country?
How did Frederick Douglass show positive character traits?
How did geography influence actions taken by Frederick Douglass?
How did the actions of the government impact Frederick Douglass?
How were Frederick Douglass' actions related to the actions of others?

Contributions
Civil rights
Freedom
Abolition
Character
Justice

Freedom of conscience and expression

Respect for and acceptance of authority

Evidence of Learning
What students should know:
Students will explain that Fredrick Douglas was an important American who expanded
people's rights and freedoms

Students will explain that as a result of his hard and diligent work, Fredrick Douglas
overcame social barriers, restrictions such as slavery, and obstacles to gain his freedom.

Students will be able to explain why the system of slavery was a cruel system that did
not benefit society.

Suggested Vocabulary
abolitionist
civil rights
conductor
conscience
enslaved
expression
freedom
justice
liberty
prejudice
rights
slavery
Underground Railroad
Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Sparking the Discussion (Hook)
The teacher will group the students in groups of twos. The teacher will give one student a Clorox wipe
and instruct one student to clean and organize the other students desk while he/she watches. After all the
work has been done, the teacher will complement the student who did nothing but watch and give that
student .50 in his/her check book for having a clean and organized desk. Then ask the students who did
all the work how did it make them feel? Ask the students who should have gotten paid for the work?
Why or Why not?

Phase 2: Acquiring Content Needed to Participate in Discussion


1.

Pose the essential (focus) question: What was wrong with the system of slavery? Why did
Frederick fight against slavery? Activate prior knowledge by having students create at least 1
sentence using at least three words from the Word Splash; Have the students share 1 sentence they
created from the word splash.

2.

Students will review the articles; Group 1 will read, Was slavery the engine of American economic
growth?; Group 2 will read, Frederick Douglas, Judgment Day; The students will take using a
T Chart graphic organizer to list pros and cons of slavery..

Phase 3: Kindling the Discussion


3. The teacher will post 4 large charts in the classroom, each with a different question. The students
will placed in groups of 4 and go around to each poster and read each question and discuss each
question in a small group. The students will rotate to each poster.

4.

In whole group, students will participate in a discussion driven by the following questions:
What was wrong with the system of slavery and why did Fredrick Douglas fight against it?
Phase 4: Synthesis Activity

5.

The students will pretend that they are news reporters for the The North Star, 2014, and
create an newspaper article using www.fodey.com The students will report about the events
of Frederick Douglas life and how he escaped slavery and how his actions expanded our
rights today.

Summarizing Activity
The students will create a story board depicting the life events of Fredrick
Douglas.
Resource(s)
Anchor Text(s):
Was Slavery the Engine of American Economic Growth?
Fredrick Douglas, Judgment Day
Frederick Douglas, trade books

Technology:
http://www.fodey.com
Handouts:
Handout 1: Word Splash
Handout 2: Was Slavery the Engine of American Economic Growth?
Handout 3: Frederick Douglas, Judgment Day
Handout 4: Pros and Cons Graphic Organizers
Handout 5: Trade Book: Frederick Douglas
Handout 6: Large Construction paper

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