Model Lesson 4: The Abolition Movement

1. Model Lesson 4: The Abolition Movement

2. Divide up the columns of the lesson overview (1 column per person or 1 section per person). • Take a minute to review your section/column. • Share out with your team.

3. Standard 8.9.1 • Describe the leaders of the Abolition Movement (e.g., John Quincy Adams and his proposed constitutional amendment, John Brown and the armed resistance, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Benjamin Franklin, Theodore Weld, Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass).

4. The Prompt • Describe the lives of Fredrick Douglass and John Brown. Whose actions were the best choice to help end slavery?

5. Goals of the Lesson • Students will understand that people respond to social injustices in a variety of ways. • Students will understand the various responses to the injustice of slavery. • Students will understand, analyze and evaluate the different responses of John Brown and Frederick Douglass. • Students will write an effective conclusion.

6. Overview of the Lesson • Day 1: Hook; Visual Analysis • Day 2: Review abolitionists; read bios of John Brown and Frederick Douglass; writing activity • Day 3: Primary Source Analysis • Day 4: Writing

7. Day One

8. Day One: Hook • Read each of the social injustices. • Respond to three of them. • Place your response on the appropriate section of the spectrum

9. Day One: Visual Analysis • Examine each placard in groups. • Look at images and read any text. • Answer the questions for each abolitionist. • Place the abolitionist in the appropriate space on the spectrum.

10. Theodore Weld • “The eighth commandment forbids the taking of any part of that which belongs to another. Slavery takes the whole. . . . Slaveholding is the highest possible violation of the eighth commandment.” • - Theodore Weld. The Bible Against Slavery, 1837.

11. Day One: Visual Analysis • Activity is designed as a gallery walk with placards posted around the room. • Maybe done at tables with students passing the placards to another group every 4 – 5 minutes.

12. Frederick Douglass “I am one of those who think the best friend of a nation is he who most faithfully rebukes* her for her sins . . .” -Frederick Douglass in a Letter to Horace Greeley, April 15, 1846 *rebukes = criticizes

13. John Quincy Adams “From and after the 4th of July, 1842, there shall be throughout the United States no hereditary slavery; but on and after that day, every child born within the United States shall be born free.” The Capitol in 1846.

14. John Brown “Talk! Talk! Talk! That will never free the slaves. What is needed is action---action!! -John Brown, Boston meeting, 1858

15. Day One: Visual Analysis

16. Day Two

17. Day Two: Matching Activity • Students match the abolitionist with their specific actions and general strategy. • Suggestions: • May be done whole group or with a partner. • Model the activity using a Think Aloud. • Have the placards available to help students.

18. Day Two: Biographies of Frederick Douglass and John Brown

19. Day Two: Biographies • Read the biographies in groups of four (shoulder partners and face partners). • As you read identify (highlight or underline) three experiences each man had that led them to oppose slavery and three actions taken by each in an effort to end slavery. • Record the most important of these in the appropriate sections of Student Handout 4.

20. Day Two: Begin planning the Introduction • Review the writing prompt. • Write a three sentence summary of the Abolitionist Movement. • Think about Douglass and Brown and consider: Whose actions were the best choice to help end slavery and achieve equality? • This will help to frame your thesis statement.

21. Day Two: Cloze Introduction (EL Strategy) Teacher Transparency 1: Sample Introduction Cloze Activity In the years before the Civil War, several abolitionists attempted to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Independence by abolishing slavery. Some, like Frederick Douglass, used nonviolent means to end slavery by ________________________ or _________________________________________. Others, like John Brown, resorted to violence by ____________________ and ___________________ to abolish slavery. _______________’s actions were the best way to ensure liberty and equality for all because _________________________________.

22. Day Three

23. Day Three: Beginning of Class • Share introductions from the end of class yesterday. Or • Think-Pair-Share: • Do actions speak louder than words? • Is the pen mightier than the sword?

24. Day Three: Primary Sources Document 3 Document 4 • Suggestions: • Model activity with students using Think-Aloud strategy (one selection from each abolitionist). • Have students use highlighters to select important passages. Primary Sources: Pages 10-11 and 10-12

25. Primary Sources (EL friendly) • With shoulder partner read each quote. • What reason is the abolitionist giving for his actions? • Transfer three important quotes to Student Handout 4. • With face partner take turns sharing the quotes that best identify the reasons the abolitionist took the actions he did. • Complete Student Handout 4.

26. Day Three: Student Handout 4 Thought Question

27. Day Three: Pros and Cons Teacher Transparency 2

28. Day Four

29. Day Four: The Prompt • Describe the lives of Fredrick Douglass and John Brown. Whose actions were the best choice to help end slavery?

30. Day Four: Writing • Use Student Handout 8 to organize your thoughts. • Be certain to include: • Historical context • Thesis • Abolitionists • Experience • Action • Quote • Evaluation of whose actions were best • Douglas or Brown • Action • Quote • Conclusion

31. Day Four: Writing • Day 2: Introduction and Thesis • Days 2 & 3: Body paragraphs (Student Handout 4) • Day 4: Conclusion • Suggestions for writing conclusions • Guiding questions to help write conclusion • Restate thesis • Would you follow this abolitionist? Why or why not? • What choices can you make when confronting social injustice in your life?

32. Read the background. Review the prompt and task at hand. Consider the suggested vocabulary to be included in your written response.

33. When Student Handout 6 is complete, use it to craft your writing on a separate piece of paper. Day Four: Writing