Rochester College

Lesson Plan Template

8/27/15

Lesson Title

Teacher Candidate Name

Date

The Underground Railroad and Migration

Kelsey Wright-Alexander

10/6/15

Lesson Summary
The purpose of the lesson is to teach students about the Underground Railroad and Michigan/ Great Lakes
Regions role in it, along with reviewing migration and identifying its push and pull factors:
-Underground Railroad-A network of houses and places used to help slaves escape to freedom in the
northern states(Michigan) or in Canada.
-Michigans Role- Detroit was a popular last stop before entering freedom in Canada. There are multiple
paths that led slaves from various points in Michigan to the Canadian shore. Around 200 underground
railroad stops existed throughout Michigan.
-There are many people from Michigan who greatly impacted the working of the Underground Railroad.
-Slaves that stayed in Michigan impacted the culture; Churches created, Anti-Slavery Organizations formed.
-Migration- Movement of a population from one area to another.
-Push and Pull Factors- Slaves wanted freedom.
This will be accomplished over a series of lessons which will relate the objectives to what they already
know. The lesson will be taught using various methods, including, lecture, a virtual field trip, smartboard
activities, discussions, group work, and reading & writing assignments to help the students be able to
accurately answer the essential and unit questions.

Subject Area
Social Studies
Technology
Grade Level
Fourth

Higher Order Thinking Skills

-Connect

-Prove
-Draw Conclusions
-Compare
-Investigate
-Analyze
-Cite Evidence
-Support Ideas with details and examples
-Analyze information from multiple sources

Approximate Time Needed for Lesson

Four 45-minute class periods with the third day just used for research time, and the fourth for students
presentations

Common Core Standards and/or State of Michigan GLCEs and/or HSCEs

GLCE
H3 History of Michigan (Beyond Statehood) Use historical thinking to understand the past.
I4 H3.0.7 Use case studies or stories to describe the ideas and actions of individuals involved in the
Underground Railroad in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region.
G4 Human Systems Understand how human activities help shape the Earths surface.
4 G4.0.1 Use a case study or story about migration within or to the United States to identify push and pull
factors (why they left, why they came) that influenced the migration. (H)
ITSE
Creativity and Innovation:
a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes
b. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues
Research and Information Literacy
a. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety
of sources and media
Communication and Collaboration

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation

Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to describe the ideas and actions of individuals involved in the Underground Railroad
in Michigan and in the Great Lakes region.
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Underground Railroad, and Michigans
involvement.
Students will understand what it means to migrate, and reasons for this.

Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential Question
Unit Questions
Content Questions

What role(s) did Michigan and the Great Lakes region in The Underground
Railroad?
-What is The Underground Railroad?
-What group of people were migrating from the south to the north?
-Why did the slaves migrate north, and use The Underground Railroad?
-What does freedom mean to you?
How do you think the country is different today due to The Underground Railroad
and Michigans role in it?

Assessment Summary
Formal:
-Reviewing the KWL charts and seeing that they gained knowledge and understood key concepts by what
was written in the Learn column
-Presentation of individual research assignment
-Unit test will be given after various topics have been covered: a portion of the questions will made up by the
students
Informal:
-Participation and feedback during class discussions

Lesson Timeline
Start of the Lesson
-Review migration with class
discussion on what it is, and how
it affects Michigan.(Taught in past
lesson)
-Introduce The Underground
Railroad as a pattern of
Migration(KWL Chart)
-Teach what The Underground
Railroad is(Prezi)

Mid-Lesson Activities
-Take class on virtual field trip
along The Underground Railroad
-Discuss Push/Pull that caused the
slaves to migrate from the South
to the North

End of Lesson Activities

-Discuss the role that Michigan
and the Great Lakes Region had
in The Underground Railroad
-Research an important person or
place from Michigan that
impacted or had a role the
Underground Railroad.
-Present findings

Prerequisite Skills
Prior to this lesson, students should understand the concept of migration. They should be able to use basic
commands on a computer to do simple research.

Instructional Procedures
-Lead class in discussion reviewing previous knowledge about migration and how it affects Michigan, which
was learned in a previous lesson. If students are reluctant to raise hands or talk, offer a prize such as candy
to those whose offer insight on the discussion.
-Inform students that the Underground Railroad involved migration of slaves from the southern states to the
northern states.
-Have students individually write down what the terms underground and railroad mean in everyday life.
-Tell students that the Underground Railroad was a group of people who secretly helped slaves travel from
states where people kept slaves to states or areas where they would be free.
In this context, Underground means hidden.
Railroad means path or route
-Pass out KWL chart to get students thinking about the Underground Railroad. Instruct students to fill out
the what you know, and what you want to know sections of the chart.

-Present Prezi presentation on the Underground Railroad and instruct students to take notes by writing down
5 important facts in their notebook
-Take class on virtual field trip along the Underground Railroad
-Lead class discussion on why slaves wanted to migrate and leave the south, and what made them want to
go north? (push/pull)
-Show and present Prezi slides about Michigan and the Underground Railroad
-Hand out and explain instructions on what the students are to do for their individual research project
-Have students present their findings/research to the class

Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction

Special Needs Student

Gifted/Talented Student

Students who lack in writing, can take the KWL chart home and finish the L
column that night as homework.
Extra time will be given to help students who might not know how to
operate a computer and the internet.
Students who are bilingual will be given readings containing the material
covered in class in their native language that they can take home and read.
Give them the opportunity to assist other students who may be struggling if
they finish early.
Offer extra extended activities that they can do to take their knowledge on
the topic even further.

Technology Hardware (Check off all equipment needed)

Camera
Laser Disk
Computer (s)
Printer
Digital Camera
Projection System
DVD Player
Scanner
Internet Connection
Television
Technology Software (Check off all software needed)
Database/Spreadsheet
Image Processing
Desktop Publishing
Internet Web Browser
E-mail Software
Multimedia
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Printed Materials

VCR
Video Camera
Video Conferencing Equipment
Interactive Responders
Other - Click here to enter text.
Web Page Development
Word Processing
Smart notebook software
Other - Click here to enter text.

KWL Chart
Research Instructions

Supplies
Virtual Field Trip Link:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/al
most_free.htm
Prezi Link: https://prezi.com/znnrtznkx1ad/edit/#2_13696309

Internet Resources
http://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/undergroundrailroad
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/mhc_mitten_undergroundrailroad_308417_7.pdf

Other Resources