In Plain Sight

IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE STORY OF THE NOT-SO UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

Name______

Student Packet All Aboard!!!

Dear Student,

You are about to take an exciting trip back in time. Your trip will take you to the time of slavery and the Underground Railroad. No one is quite sure where the name "Underground Railroad" came from. Things that are underground are generally invisible. Because the operations of the Underground Railroad were secret, they were invisible to most people. Although slaves had been escaping for many years, the name was given to the network around the 1830s, at the same time that railroads were beginning to carry passengers across the United States. Because the routes of the escapes were a secret, it was as if the journeys were underground and out of sight.

On your trip, you will meet a few of the significant heroes of the Underground Railroad and learn how they helped slaves reach freedom. You will learn about secret codes and phrases used to communicate. You will also learn about the Underground Railroad in North Carolina. Through the use of various texts, you will learn about the past and its importance to our lives today. The events during this time, reminds us that we must continue to work for peace, equality, and tolerance of differences of others not only in our own country but also throughout the world.

You will use the literature and other resources to learn new and interesting vocabulary, comprehension, and ways to connect to the text. This packet will provide you with ideas and new ways of learning about the Underground Railroad.

Buckle up and enjoy your ride on the Underground Railroad. Student Packet Outline

I. Literature A. Character traits and analysis B. Response to text C. Author’s Craft D. Elements of Narrative Literature (Book Compare/Contrast Chart)

II. Comprehension Strategies A. Anticipation Guides B. Graphic Organizers (KWL chart, Venn diagram, and/or Double bubble map) C. Compare/Contrast D. Sequencing E. Prediction

III. Internet Workshop

IV. Word Study Activities A. Alphaboxes B. Vocabulary Activities 1. Stoplight vocabulary 2. Vocabulary prediction chart 3. Vocabulary anchor 4. Frayer Model 5. Vocabulary puzzle

V. Writing A. Me and the Book B. Coded Messages

VI. Geography A. Map skills with United States map with UGRR routes and North Carolina map

VII. Projects A. Brochure B. ABC Book Page C. Quilt D. Scatter Sheet/Flyer E. You are the Reporter

VIII. Student Packet Rubric

CHARACTER TRAIT AND EVIDENCE ANALYSIS

A character’s actions, speech, and thoughts affect their personality. The way the act has an effect on other characters. The type of language a character use and the environment they are in can provide information about them. Character traits are adjectives that describe a character.

After reading the book, The Drinking Gourd, choose a character and use his speech, actions, and thoughts to decide what traits he has and reference the text to support your inferences/conclusions.

Use the Character Trait and Evidence Analysis chart to identify one of the main characters of the story and their traits. A list of traits is attached for you to use or you can come up with your own.

Common Character Traits Active Adventurous Aimless Ambitious Artistic Athletic Awesome Beautiful Belligerent Boisterous Bold Bony Bossy Bouncy Brave Cheerful Clever Compassionate Conceited Considerate Cooperative Courageous Creative Cruel Curious Dainty Dangerous Daring Deceptive Dedicated Demanding Depressed Determined Disagreeable Distrusted Dreamer Dumb Easy-going Energetic Entertaining Evil Excitable Expert Extravagant Fancy Fashionable Fighter Freakish Friendly Fun-loving Funny Furious Generous Gentle Gigantic Graceful Handsome Hard-working Happy Helpful Heroic Hilarious Honest Hostile Humble Immature Impulsive Independent Informative Intelligent Inventive Jealous Jittery Joyful Jovial Judgmental Kicky Kind Know-it-all Lazy Leader Light-hearted Loud Lovable Loyal Malicious Mature Mean Meddling Melancholy Mellow Messy Merciless Mischievous Miser Modest Moody Mysterious Nasty Naughty Neat Neglectful Nice Noisy Nosy Notorious Novice Nuisance Nutty Obedient Objective Observant Odd Offensive Old-Fashioned Open Open-minded Organized Patriotic Pitiful Plain Poor Popular Pretty Proper Proud Prudent Questioning Quick Quiet Quirky Realistic Reasonable Rebel Reliable Remorseful Reserved Respectful Responsible Rich Rough Rowdy Sad Self-confident Selfish Serious Short Shy Silly Simple Sloppy Smart Strong Studious Successful Tacky Tall Temper Thoughtful Timid Tireless Trustworthy Thick-Headed Ugly Unbiased Unethical Unique Upstanding Vain Vigilant Villainess Visionary Violent Vibrant Vocal Vulnerable Warm Wild Witty Wonderful Yielding Yucky Zealous Zestful

Me and the Book

Sometimes when you read you make connections to the characters or events in a book. They remind you your own life. As you read, write down the passages or quotations the page number on the left side of your paper. On the right side of your paper, write your response or personal reactions to what you read. You must find at least 3 passages within this section to write about. Book Title ______

Passage/Quotation From the My response and reactions to book & page number the passage or quotation

Underground Railroad Code Words and Phrases Baggage Escaping slaves Bundles of wood Fugitives to be expected Canaan Canada Drinking gourd Big Dipper and the North star Forwarding Taking fugitive slaves from station to station Freedom Train The Underground Railroad Gospel Train The Underground Railroad Heaven or Promised land Canada Load of Potatoes Escaping slaves hidden under the farm produce in a wagon Moses Harriet Tubman Parcel Fugitives to be expected Preachers Leaders, speakers underground railroad River Jordan The Mississippi Shepherds People escorting slaves Station Place of safety and temporary refuge, safe-house Station Master Keeper of safe-house Stockholder Donor of money, clothing, or food to the Underground Railroad

"The wind blows from the South today" A warning to Underground Railroad workers that fugitive slaves were in the area. "When the sun comes back and the first A particular time of year good for escaping (early quail calls” spring) "The river bank makes a mighty good A reminder that the tracking dogs can't follow the road” scent through the water. "The dead trees will show you the way" A reminder that moss grows on the NORTH side of dead trees (just in case the stars aren't visible) "Left foot, peg foot" A visual clue for escapees left by an Underground Railroad worker famous because of his wooden leg. "The river ends between two hills" A clue for the directions to the Ohio River "A friend with friends" A password used to signal arrival of fugitives with Underground Railroad conductor "The friend of a friend sent me" A password used by fugitives traveling alone to indicate they were sent by the Underground Railroad network "Steal away, steal away, steal away to (Words to a song) - used to alert other slaves that an Jesus" escape attempt was coming up

Underground Railroad – Coded Messages

With your partner, use the Code Words and Phrases sheet to decode the following messages.

The wind blows from the South today and the shepherds have many bundles of wood to keep them warm.

Have you seen the station master? A load of potatoes need to be taken to the River Jordan and given to the shepherds.

It is cloudy tonight. The baggage should be placed by the river bank for it makes a mighty good road.

The stockholder has arrived. Excess baggage can be forwarded by notifying the station master of its arrival.

Tell the station master that Moses knows of a parcel which must be forwarded. The parcel, which contains bundles of wood, should be delivered to the shepherds that watch the sheep where the river ends between two hills.

With your partner, try to make up your own coded message.

Author’s Craft Faith Ringgold chooses her words very carefully in Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky, making use of several interesting literary devices. She appeals to the reader’s senses and sense of humor by using such figurative language. Find an example of each listed below. Then explain how each passage adds meaning to the story.

Imagery: a visual description Page Number: ____ i.e. The steam from the fall formed a soft blanket that lifted me up, up, up...” Example:

What does this passage add to the story?

Simile: a comparison that Page Number: ____ includes the words like or as Example:

i.e. Cobwebs from the ceiling hung What does this passage add to the like gray ghosts. story?

BOOK COMPARE / CONTRAST CHART Story Elements

We will be reading about the Underground Railroad. The books are fiction and nonfiction. As you read each text, you will create a Book Compare/Contrast Chart identifying the title, major characters, setting, problem, and solution in each book. You can choose any two books to use.

Title Characters Setting Problem Solution

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt By Deborah Hopkinsun

Anticipation Guide

Use the following anticipation guide to preview a story before you read it. Before reading, mark whether or not you agree or disagree with each statement.

Agree Disagree

1. ______I would feel sad if I never saw my family again.

2. ______Even though its hard, learning new things can help us.

3. ______The North star can be used for direction.

4. ______Quilts have many uses.

5. ______People use quilts to find their way somewhere or as a symbol.

6. ______Sometimes we have to do things that we are scared to do.

7. ______The Underground Railroad is not a real railroad system with trains.

8. ______A map is a picture of the land and whatever is on the ground can put on a map.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

We will be completing a KWL class chart on the Underground Railroad. You will be filling in your KWL chart also. I want you to think about what you know, what you want to know, and what you learned. Before we begin the unit, you will just complete the “K” column and the “W” column.

K W L What I Think I KNOW What I WANT to Know What I LEARNED (Who, What, When, Where, Why, & How)

Remember after we complete the unit we will fill out the “L” column.

Venn Diagram: The Lives of Children

In the boxes above the Venn diagram, write “My life as a child” and in the other box “A slave’s life as a child”. In the Venn diagram, compare your life and the life of a child who is a slave. In the middle, write how your lives are similar.

Double Bubble Map: The Lives of Children

On the two large circles, write “My life as a child” in one and “A slave’s life as a child” in the other. On the double bubble map, compare your life and the life of a child who is a slave. In the center circles, write how your lives are similar.

Follow Their Footsteps

Pretend you are a slave and you decide to runaway on the Underground Railroad. Put the events in sequential order by numbering them 1-10.

____ I follow the drinking gourd also known as the North Star.

____ The next night after the family feed me I continue on the Underground Railroad. This time I am hidden under bails of hay in the back of wagon.

____ One day I decide to runaway on the Underground Railroad.

____ I travel carefully through the woods and swamp. It’s cold and wet.

____ I escape from the slave plantation one night so I will not be seen.

____ I arrive safely on the other side of the river and continue my journey on the Underground Railroad. After some time, I am in a free state and am ready to begin my new life of freedom.

____ I had to work on the plantation from the time the sun came up until it sat at night for no pay.

____ When the farmer reaches the river, I jump into a boat and a man is waiting to row me to the next station.

____ I was brought to the United States from Africa and made a slave.

____ When it is almost morning, I reach the gray farmhouse near the river. There is a lantern and quilt hanging out front, which is are signs that this is the station or safe house. The family is Quakers and they are against slavery. I knock three times on the door and they take me to a dark small attic where I had until dusk.

Internet Workshop This internet workshop is to give you additional information on the Underground Railroad. This fascinating site will introduce you to significant people who escaped slavery and fought others to gain freedom. You will learn more about people who helped during the Underground Railroad and slave life during this time. As you look at this site, be sure to read the information carefully and answer the following questions completely.

Go to The Underground Railroad: "The Road to Freedom at http://library.thinkquest.org/5643/.

Famous People

Click on the first button: Famous People. Read each section. Name one famous ex-slave. ______Tell two important facts about the person. 1. ______

2.______

Friends Against Slavery

Go to Friends Against Slavery. Who were the friends against slavery? ______

What were some of the consequences they faced for assisting slaves? 1. 2. 3.

Review the book President of the Underground Railroad. How was Levi Coffin like the friends discussed in this section? ______

Slaves and Their Freedom Click on this section. Read the selection and answer the following question. What was the reason most slaves did not try to escape? ______

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MULTITEXT UNIT ALPHABOXES

Alphaboxes can be done as you read a book or books. Before you begin the book, look at the Alphaboxes worksheet below. As you read the book, try to find vocabulary words for each letter or box. Try to find the most interesting words you can for each box. It is OK to have more than one word in each box. I am sure all your Alphaboxes will be full when you finish the books in this unit! This will also help trigger your memory during your final projects.

A B C D

E F G H

I J K L

M N O P

Q R S T

U V W X,Y,Z In Plain Sight: The Story of the Not-So Underground Railroad Vocabulary List

1 Quakers - religious group also known as the Society of Friends that did not believe in slavery; worked on the Underground Railroad

2 Underground Railroad - a secret network of routes and people who helped slaves reach freedom

3 abolitionist - person who worked to end slavery

4 quilt – a blanket made from pieces of fabric sewn together; it was sometimes used as a signal that a station was safe

5 auction - a publicly held sale at which property or goods are sold to the person willing to pay the most money

6 bloodhound - a dog trained to find a person by their sense of smell

7 bounty hunter - person who tracked and captured runaway slaves for reward money; also called slave hunter

8 conductor – name given to a person who went to the South to help slaves escape and guided slaves on their journey

9 emancipation - the act of setting something free

10 freedom - the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without restraints

11 spirituals - religious songs sung by slaves to lift their spirits and relay information

12 Big Dipper - a group of stars or constellation in the sky that includes the North Star; slaves used the North Star to guide them north to freedom

13 fugitive - a runaway; someone on the run from the law

14 gourd - the hard, round shell of a squash fruit, used as a drinking vessel; called the drinking gourd

15 master - the owner of a slave or slaves

16 passenger - the name given to an escaping slave on the Underground Railroad; also called freight

17 patrollers - men on horseback who guarded roads against escaping slaves

18 plantation - a large farm in the South; often several acres in size

19 slave - a person held against his or her will and forced to work for no pay

20 station - home, barn and other places used to hide runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad

NAME: ______

STOPLIGHT VOCABULARY

You are going to be thinking about the list of vocabulary words.

1. Underground Railroad 2. freedom 3. plantation 4. master 5. Big Dipper 6. abolitionist

Follow these steps for Stoplight Vocabulary:

Write each word on the line. If you don’t know the word at all color the light red. If you have heard of it but aren’t sure what it means color it yellow. If you know the word and can use it in a sentence, color it green. Write a sentence with each green light word on the back.

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

6. ______

Write a sentence for each word you colored green.

WORD ______SENTENCE______

WORD ______SENTENCE______VOCABULARY PREDICTION CHART Directions: Find each word in the book, We the People: the Underground Railroad. Write down the sentence from the book and then make a prediction of what you think the word mean. When you finish writing down your prediction use the dictionary or glossary to find the meaning of the word. VOCABULARY PREDICTION CHART

Word Pag Sentence in the My Dictionary/Gloss e Book Prediction ary Definition

gourd

conductor

fugitive

station Vocabulary Anchor

Underground Railroad quilt auction

bloodhound spirituals slave

gourd master plantation

Big Dipper conductor patrollers

Directions:

 Pick 3 of the words to use with your Vocabulary Anchor sheets

 Write a word on the side of the boat

 Choose a related word and write it inside the anchor under the boat

 On the lines with the (+) write 2-3 ways the two words

 On the lines with the (~) write 2-3 characteristics that set the words apart

 Think about a memorable experience you associate with the main word and add a few key words or draw pictures to represent your memory Frayer Model

Directions: Choose 4 words from the vocabulary list below and complete Frayer Model graphic organizer by placing the word you choose in the center and writing the defintion, a sentence, synonyms, and an example (draw or act out) of each word. Students may share with their group or class.

Big Dipper bloodhound fugitive plantation Quakers bounty hunter gourd quilt Underground Railroad conductor master slave abolitionist emancipation passenger spirituals auction freedom patrollers station

Definition Sentence

Word

Synonyms Example (Draw or Act Out) Name ______Date ______In Plain Sight: The Story of the Not-So Underground Railroad VOCABULARY TEST PART A Directions: Circle the correct word for each definition, synonym, or antonym.

1. Which word is closest in meaning to this definition? 2. Which word is closest in meaning to this definition?

person who tracked and captured runaway slaves for the condition of being free; the power to act or speak reward money; also called slave hunters or think without restraints

passenger bounty hunter master freedom bloodhound fugitive 3. Which word is closest in meaning to this group of 4. Which word is the opposite of freeman? synonyms? runaway, outlaw

slave Quakers fugitive bounty hunter emancipation slave 5. Which word is closest in meaning to this definition? 6. Which word is closest in meaning to this definition?

the hard, round shell of a squash fruit, used as a a publicly held sale at which property or goods are drinking vessel; sometimes used as for drinking sold to the person willing to pay the most money

station quilt gourd freedom patrollers auction 7. Which word is closest in meaning to this group of 8. Which word is the opposite of master, slave owner, synonyms? and bounty hunter?

rider, astronaut, traveler, commuter

quilt patrollers passenger abolitionist Big Dipper freedom

PART B Directions: How many of these words can you match with their definitions? Write the correct word beside its definition. plantation patrollers emancipation spirituals

9. men on horseback who guarded roads against escaping scales 10. the act of setting something free 11. a large farm in the South; often several acres in size 12. religious songs sung by slaves to lift their spirits and relay information

PART C Directions: Circle the number that answers the question or gives the correct definition.

13. Which group of synonyms is closest in meaning to 14. Which group of synonyms is closest in meaning to quilt? master?

1 boss, leader, owner, boss 1 traveler, commuter, commuter, rider

2 runaway, outlaw, convict, escapee 2 chief, expert, boss, owner

3 sheet, rug, linen, blanket 3 bed linen, comfort, case, sheet

15. Which group of synonyms is closest in meaning to 16. conductor station? 1 home, barn and other places used to hide runaway 1 refugee, escapee, runaway, outlaw slaves on the Underground Railroad; also called safe house 2 rider, pioneer, sailor, traveler 2 name given to a person who went to the South to help slaves escape and guided slaves on their 3 place, home, barn, location, safe house journey 3 person who worked to end slavery

17. bloodhound 18. Big Dipper

1 a person held against his or her will and forced to 1 religious group also known as the Society of work for no pay Friends that did not believe in slavery; worked on 2 a dog trained to find a person by their sense of the Underground Railroad smell 2 the hard, round shell of a squash fruit, used as a 3 religious songs sung by slaves to lift their spirits drinking vessel; called a drinking gourd and relay information 3 a group of stars or constellation in the sky that includes the North Star; slaves used the North Star to guide them north to freedom

19. Underground Railroad 20. Quakers

1 a secret network of routes and people who helped 1 a runaway; someone on the run from the law slaves reach freedom 2 a publicly held sale at which property or goods are 2 a large farm in the South; often several acres in sold to the person willing to pay the most money size 3 religious group also known as the Society of 3 person who tracked and captured runaway slaves Friends; they did not believe slavery for reward money; also called slave hunters Me and the Book

Passage/Quotation From the My response and reactions to book & page number the passage or quotation UNITED STATES MAP SHOWING UNDERGROUND RAILROAD ROUTES Underground Railroad Map,1860 Map of North Carolina PRODUCTS FOR UNDERGROUND RAILROAD UNIT (The Drinking Gourd and We The People: The Underground Railroad)

1. Brochure Create an interesting brochure that tells about the Underground Railroad. You can use any information you have learned in this unit.

2. ABC Book Page We will be creating a class ABC book about the Underground Railroad. Design a page for the book by choosing a letter of the alphabet and telling about a significant person, event, or item associated with the Underground Railroad. You will design and illustrate your page and write a brief paragraph explaining what your letter represents. You can use your Alphabox sheet to help you come up with some ideas.

3. Quilt Design your own quilt squares. You will need to have 4-6 squares. The squares can depict a coded message, a famous leader, or a scene from the Underground Railroad. On the back of your poster board, write one to two sentences explaining each quilt square. All of the squares will later be put together to make a class quilt.

4. Scatter Sheet When slavery was legal, abolitionists in the North wrote articles and pamphlets that spoke out against its evils. Some abolitionists handed out flyers, known as “scatter sheets” that publicized the successes of the Underground Railroad. You are to create a scatter sheet with an image and slogan that speaks out against slavery or encourages support for the Underground Railroad. Remember to create an eye-catching and effective message.

5. You Are the Reporter Pretend you are a reporter during the time of slavery. Make up 8-10 questions you would ask to a slave master, slave, passenger, conductor, stationmaster, or abolitionist. Your questions have to relate to the individual person and the role he/she played in the Underground Railroad and slavery. Interview a classmate and have him/her answer your questions. In Plain Sight: The Not-So Underground Railroad

Student Packet Rubric

Activity Maximum Points Points Earned Graphic Organizers 4 points

 KWL Should include relevant information all sections filled in completely

 Venn Diagram or Double Bubble Map The graphic organizer chosen by Filled in completely List ways child and slave are alike and different Anticipation Guide 3 points  All statements are checked Character Trait and Analysis 4 points  All 4 character traits listed  Explanations are accurate  Passages from the book that proves traits Book Compare/Contrast Chart 8 points  All five sections complete for two books chosen Me and the Book Response 8 points  Include at least three passages with page numbers  Complete personal reactions are given in a well thought out manner Follow Their Footsteps 3 points  All events are in correct sequential order Vocabulary Activities 10 points  Students have completed all five vocabulary activities  Stoplight Vocabulary  Vocabulary Prediction Chart  Vocabulary Anchor  Frayer Model  Vocabulary Puzzle You Are the Cartographer 10 points  Map is complete and shows accurate escape routes  Map key included Internet Workshop 8 points  Activity sheet is complete and shows student has read information online Brochure 9 points  Letter represents something significant in at least 2 of the three central unit stories  Decorative capital letter  Illustrations of what letter represents (two illustrations if needed)  Paragraph explaining what letter represents ABC Book Page 6 points  Decorative capital letter  Letter represents 1-2 significant events  Illustrations of what letter represents is neat and accurate  3-5 sentences explaining what letter represents Quilt 9 points  4 to 6 squares depicting information on the Underground Railroad  One to two sentences explaining each quilt square Scatter Sheet 9 points  Flyer is creative  Message speaks out against slavery or tells of the Underground Railroad successes You Are the Reporter (Interview Questions) 9 points  Has at least 8 questions  Questions are well thought-out  Questions are accurate and relate to the person being interviewed

Total Points ______/ 100