Last updated: July 22, 2019
Lesson Plan
Lesson 4 - ESCAPE
- Grade Level:
- High School: Ninth Grade through Twelfth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 90 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 6-8.RH.1, 6-8.RH.2, 6-8.RH.10, 9-10.RH.1, 9-10.RH.2, 9-10.RH.4, 9-10.RH.10, 8.W.3.a, 8.W.3.b, 8.W.3.c, 8.W.3.d, 8.W.3.e, 9-10.W.3, 9-10.W.3.a, 9-10.W.3.b, 9-10.W.3.c, 9-10.W.3.d, 9-10.W.3.e
- Additional Standards:
- National Council for the Social Studies
I: Culture
V. Individuals, Groups, & Institutions - Thinking Skills:
- Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
What risks did enslaved people face by escape?
What specific challenges did escapees face and how were they overcome?
What did they sometimes have to give up in order the escape/resist?
Objective
Learn why escape was so difficult and the dangers faced by those who attempted escape.
Read original slave narratives (primary documents) that recount escapes.
Place themselves mentally in the situation of those considering escape.
Improve reading comprehension skills related to primary documents.
Background
This is the fourth set of lessons in a multi lesson unit.
In this unit students journal in the first person as if they are passing through the experience of Escape.
It is based on the two-cd set Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Freedom, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad, available from the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 916 North Peters Street, New Orleans, La, 70116. www.nps.gov/jazz
The Unit uses freely available documents that are in the public domain, as well as musical selections from Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Freedom, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad. If a document is used it is found on a separate page along with a link to the source.
Please be sure to share the source with students.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- Two-cd set Freedom Is Coming: Songs of Freedom, Resistance, and the Underground Railroad
- A journal of the teacher’s choice, such as a composition book or a blogging site.
- Lyrics to selected songs (provided here).
- Some means of playing an audio cd.
- Copies for students of various public domain readings.
Preparation
This lesson is meant to enrich and extend understandings gained in earlier lessons using the SONGS OF FREEDOM cd.
Once enslaved persons had freed their minds from the idea that they were created by God as a slave class, they could take the steps to actually becoming free.
- Students will read documents from the public domain that describe escapes.
- They will then hear songs that were sung at the time. These songs are believed by some to be “coded spirituals”, songs that contain hidden references to forbidden subjects such as escape, which if overheard by slave holders would be interpreted as referring to spiritual matters rather than physical escape. Teachers should use as many songs as seem interesting to the students.
- Students will explore the idea of actually escaping from enslavement.
- Class discussion is then followed by a journaling assignment.
RELEVANT SONGS:
Highlighted songs are used.
- D1, #3 STEAL AWAY TO JESUS (IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR)
- D1, #4 WADE IN THE WATER
- D1, #7: SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT
- D1, #8 BACK, BACK TRAIN
- D1, #10 STEAL AWAY TO JESUS (escape)
- D1, #13 DANIEL • D2, #6 RUN, MARY RUN (also used in resistance)
- D2, #8 STORIES FROM DA DIRT III (also used in subsequent lesson emancipation)
- D2, #11 WALK TOGETHER CHILDREN (also used in previous lesson on hope)
- D2, #12 GET ON BOARD, LITTLE CHILDREN (also used in previous lesson on hope)
- D2, #17 IF YOU DON’T GO, DON’T HINDER ME
Materials
Contains two slave narratives/escape stories. Suitable as handout for students.
Download Reading/Handout Stories of Escape
Handout for students to assist reading analysis and facilitate later discussion.
Download Song Lyrics Discussion Sheet
Lyrics for distribution or projection. Also includes discussion points and possible answers for each song.
Download Lesson 4 Lyrics with Related Discussion Points
Handout for students that contains journaling assignment instructions and the grading rubric.
Download Handout: Assessment Journaling
Reading identical to regular slave narrative reading, but subdivided and numbered so students can be assigned a specific section with which to become familiar before reading orally with class.
Download Struggling Student Subdivided Reading
Lesson Hook/Preview
- Teacher should choose one or two songs that are most likely to interest the students, and play those as the students enter the class.
- When class is settled, have a short discussion about the songs.
- What were their reactions?
- What was the song about?
- In what era did the songs originate?
- What facts or emotions did the songs communicate?
Procedure
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Stories of escape.
Students will read two stories of escape. See materials section for a handout.
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Depending on the reading level and attention span of the class, you might wish to divide place the students in groups for reading, or to do the reading as a whole class oral reading.
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You could also divide the readings into shorter sections, assign a section to a student, and give the student time to become familiar with the reading before participating in whole class oral reading. See struggling students section for suggestions, and materials section for a subdivided reading.
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THE SONGS
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Play the songs below for the students.
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After each song, engage in discussion using the songs to enrich the student’s understandings. If the class has done the previous lessons they should be familiar with this procedure.
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The class could also be divided into groups with each group taking one or two songs to prepare discussion points. Since some songs are fairly simple, it might be best for each group to also examine the most complex selection Stories from Da Dirt III.
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Discussion suggestions are in the materials section. Those suggestions are based on the sheet below. The sheet is also posted in the materials section. In lieu of or in addition to discussion, students could be required to fill in a sheet related to a chosen song.
WORKSHEET
DISCUSSION POINTS
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Looking at your copies of the escape stories we have read, what similarities do you see between the stories and the songs you were assigned?
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What specific sections of the readings do you see that relate to the song? Give some quotations and explain how they relate to the songs.
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On the back, give some additional quotations and explain their meaning.
EXAMPLE:
“It chilled my natural body, But it didn’t disturb my soul.”
With the hope of freedom, physical suffering was endured and failed to depress the Singer.
3. EXERCISE/ASESSMENT
JOURNALING
Imagine that you are an enslaved person such as Moses Roper. You have successfully escaped from slavery and now you are telling your story. Write an account of your adventures of the length required by your teacher.
Make your escape as realistic and exciting as possible. It also must be historically accurate. In other words, be sure to set it in the 1800’s before the Civil War (1861-65) and do not use modern technology such as phones, cars, etc..
If you are unsure about the technological level of the time, read Roper’s story more closely and notice what devices he does not mention (such as surveillance cameras).
PAY ATTENTION TO THE GRADING RUBRIC AS YOU WRITE.
1 2 3 4 5 The story was of the proper length.
1 2 3 4 5 The story was set in the proper time period and included only technology that existed in ante-bellum days.
1 2 3 4 5 This section will be counted twice. The story showed an understanding of the true difficulties faced by enslaved persons as they attempted to gain their freedom.
1 2 3 4 5 The story had a minimum of grammatical and spelling errors.
Total points ______ times 4 = final grade of __________
Vocabulary
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Slave Narrative: A true story told by an enslaved or formerly enslaved person about slavery.
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Slave: A person held as property by another, and generally required to work without wages.
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Slavery: The practice of holding persons as slaves.
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Bondage: The condition of being held by another, as in slavery.
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Oppression: The unjust of cruel exercise of authority.
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Emancipation: The act of being freed, of being given one’s liberty.
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Spiritual: A song, often of African American origin, that expresses religious experiences.
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Underground Railroad: A secret, loosely organized group of persons opposed to slavery who aided slaves to escape.
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Coded Spiritual: A spiritual that seems to present one message considered innocuous by slave holders, but that contains additional meanings to enslaved persons.
Assessment Materials
Handout: Assessment JournalingIdentical to handout for students that contains journaling assignment instructions and the grading rubric.
JOURNALING
Imagine that you are an enslaved person such as Moses Roper. You have successfully escaped from slavery and now you are telling your story. Write an account of your adventures of the length required by your teacher.
Make your escape as realistic and exciting as possible. It also must be historically accurate. In other words, be sure to set it in the 1800’s before the Civil War (1861-65) and do not use modern technology such as phones, cars, etc..
If you are unsure about the technological level of the time, read Roper’s story more closely and notice what devices he does not mention (such as surveillance cameras).
PAY ATTENTION TO THE GRADING RUBRIC AS YOU WRITE.
1 2 3 4 5 The story was of the proper length.
1 2 3 4 5 The story was set in the proper time period and included only technology that existed in ante-bellum days.
1 2 3 4 5 This section will be counted twice. The story showed an understanding of the true difficulties faced by enslaved persons as they attempted to gain their freedom.
1 2 3 4 5 The story had a minimum of grammatical and spelling errors.
Total points ______ times 5 = final grade of __________
Journaling Assesment
Rubric/Answer Key
1 2 3 4 5 The story was of the proper length.
1 2 3 4 5 The story was set in the proper time period and included only technology that existed in ante-bellum days.
1 2 3 4 5 This section will be counted twice. The story showed an understanding of the true difficulties faced by enslaved persons as they attempted to gain their freedom.
1 2 3 4 5 The story had a minimum of grammatical and spelling errors.
Total points ______ times 5= final grade of __________
Supports for Struggling Learners
As stated elsewhere in the plans, one way to deal with those experiencing reading difficulty is to provide a subdivided reading and allow students time to familiarize themselves with a portion. Then the student will participate in whole class oral reading of the stories by reading the pre-assigned section aloud.
This will enable the student to participate, and also to hear other sections read aloud before being expected to decode the entire text.
You can also consider altering the rubric, or provide an alternative assessment such as a poster or having the student explain their understanding to you orally rather than in written form.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Familiarize yourself with the section that matches your assigned number. Be prepared to read the section to the class.
VIRGINIA WASHINGTON: Ex-slave, age estimated as 90.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/resources/wpa.html
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"One day I made up my mind I was goin' to try and get away, if I died in doin' it, because I done got to where I'd rather be dead than keep on so. Do you know that hard treatment make you feel that way? Well, I got just like that inside, but I done act sweet and deceitful like."
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"One night I saw it was the best chance I'd ever get, so I 'slipped away. I didn't have nothin' cept de clothes on my back, and not many of them."
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"I thought I was going try and make it up to Cincinnaty. I slep' in er woods under brush heaps for sev'ral days. Then a bunch of Yankee soldiers come past. It was a God send, I reckon, because they keep me in camp for a few days, en say they knowed when a boat was due in Memphis, and that they could get me off safe with some men they knowed on the boat."
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"I got through all right, en was up to Cincinnaty, at a place where they say I'd be safe with folks they knowed.”
END OF WASHINGTON NARRATIVE
http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/roper/menu.html
Text transcribed by Apex Data Services, Inc. .Images scanned by Brian Dietz
Text encoded by Apex Data Services, Inc., Marisa Ramírez and Elizabeth S. Wright
First edition, 2004,ca. 170K
University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2004.
© This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.
This narrative has been edited for clarity and brevity for the purposes of this lesson. It has not been edited by UNC or Apex Data Services. Responsibility is that of the lesson designer.
Narrative of the Adventures and Escape of Moses Roper, from American Slavery.
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I set off for Charlotte, in North Carolina. I went on very quickly the whole of that day, fearful of being pursued. The trees were thick on each side of the road, and only a few houses, at the distance of two or three miles apart; as I proceeded, I turned round in all directions to see if I was pursued, and if I caught a glimpse of any one coming along the road, I immediately rushed into the thickest part of the wood, to elude the grasp of what, I was afraid, might be my master. I went on in this way the whole day.
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While thinking what I should do, I observed some waggons before me, which I determined to keep behind, and never go nearer to them than a quarter of a mile--in this way I travelled till I got to Salisbury. If I happened to meet any person on the road, I was afraid they would take me up, I asked them how far the waggons had gone on before me? to make them suppose I belonged to the waggons. At night, I slept on the ground in the woods, some little distance from the waggons, but not near enough to be seen by the men belonging to them. All this time, I had but little food, principally fruit, which I found on the road. On Thursday night, I got into Salisbury, having left Chester on the Monday preceding.
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After this, being afraid my master was in pursuit of me, I left the usual line of road, and took another direction, through Huntsville and Salem, principally through fields and woods; on my way to Caswell Court-House. I also came up with a small cart, driven by a poor man, who had been moving into some of the western territories, and was going back to Virginia, to move some more of his luggage. On this I told him I was going the same way to Milton, thirteen miles from Caswell Court-House; he took me up in his cart, and went to the Red House, two miles from Milton, the place where Mr. Mitchell (Roper’s former owner) took me from, when six years old, to go to the Southern States.
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At the Red House I left the cart, and wandered about a long time, not knowing which way to go and find my mother. After some time, I took the road leading over Ikeo Creek. I shortly came up with a little girl, about six years old, and asked her where she was going; she said, to her mother's, pointing to a house on a hill, half a mile off. She had been at the overseer's house, and was returning to her mother. I then felt some emotions arising in my breast, which I cannot describe, but will be explained in the sequel. I told her I was very thirsty, and would go with her to get something to drink.
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On our way I asked her several questions, such as her name, that of her mother; she said hers was Maria, and that of her mother's Nancy. I inquired, if her mother had any more children? She said five besides herself, and that they had been sold, that one had been sold when a little boy. I then asked the name of this child? she said it was Moses. These answers, as we approached the house, led me nearer and nearer to the finding out the object of my pursuit, and of recognising in the little girl the person of my own sister.
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AT last I got to my mother's house! my mother was at home. I asked her if she knew me? she said, no. I told her, I knew her very well, and thought that if she at me a little, she would know me, but this had no effect. I then asked her if she had any sons? she said, yes; but none so large as me. I then waited a few minutes, and narrated some circumstances to her, attending my being sold into slavery, and how she grieved at my loss. Here the mother's feelings on that dire occasion, and which a mother can only know, rushed to her mind; she saw her own son before her, for whom she had so often wept; and, in an instant, we were clasped in each other's arms, amidst the ardent interchange of caresses and tears of joy.
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On the next Sunday night, I laid me down to sleep between my two brothers, on a pallet, which my mother had prepared for me; about twelve o'clock I was suddenly awoke, and found my bed surrounded by twelve slave-holders with pistols in hand, who took me away (not allowing me to bid farewell to those I loved so dearly) to the Red House, where they confined me in a room the rest of the night, and in the morning lodged me in the gaol of Caswell Court-House. IN this way we came to my old master, Mr. Gooch
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On the Monday, he chained me to the same female slave as before. We made up our minds to escape into the woods, and secrete ourselves. This we did, and he not being able to find us, which they could not do; and about twelve o'clock, when we thought they would give up looking for us at that time, we went on, and came to the banks of the Catawba. Here I got a stone, and opened the ring of the chain on her neck, and got it off; and the chain round my neck was only passed through a ring; as soon as I got hers off, I slipped the chain through my ring, and got it off my own neck.
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We then went on by the banks of the river for some distance, and found a little canoe about two feet wide. I managed to get in, although the irons on my feet made it very dangerous, for if I had upset the canoe, I could not swim. The female got in after me, and gave me the paddles, by which we got some distance down the river. The current being very strong, it drove us against a small island. It was a very dark night and rained tremendously; and, as the water was rising rapidly towards the top of the rock, we gave all up for lost, and sometimes hoped, and sometimes feared to hope, that we should never see the morning.
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We remained all night upon the rock, and in the morning reached the opposite shore, and then made our way through the woods till we came to a field of Indian corn, where we plucked some of the green ears and ate them, having had nothing for two days and nights.
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We came to the estate of--, where we met with a coloured man who knew me, and having run away himself from a bad master, he gave us some food, and told us we might sleep in the barn that night. Being very fatigued, we overslept ourselves; the proprietor came to the barn, but as I was in one corner under some Indian corn tops, and she in another, he did not perceive us, and we did not leave the barn before night, (Wednesday.)
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We then went out, got something to eat, and strayed about the estate till Sunday. On that day, I met with some men, one of whom had irons on the same as me; he told me that his master was going out to see his friends, and that he would try and get my feet loose; for this purpose I parted with this female, fearing, that if she were caught with me, she would be forced to tell who took my irons off. The man tried some time without effect, he then gave me a file and I tried myself, but was disappointed on account of their thickness.
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On the Monday I went on towards Lancaster, and got within three miles of it that night; and went towards the plantation of Mr. Crockett, as I knew some of his slaves, and hoped to get some food given me. When I got there, however, the dogs smelt me out and barked; upon which, Mr. Crockett came out, followed me with his rifle, and came up with me. (At this point, Roper was returned to his master, and sold to another man. He later slipped away from that master when they were traveling. He tricks a young boy into writing him a pass, but decides he needs one written by an adult.)
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I had now to wade through another river to which I came, and which I had great difficulty in crossing, in consequence of the water overflowing the banks of several rivers to the extent of upwards of twenty miles. In the midst of the water, I passed one night upon a small island, and the next day I went through the remainder of the water. On many occasions, I was obliged to walk upon my toes, and consequently found the advantage of being six feet two inches high, (I have grown three inches since,) and at other times was obliged to swim. In the middle of this extremity, I felt it would be imprudent for me to return; for if my master was in pursuit of me, my safest place from him was in the water, if I could keep my head above the surface.. I was, however, dreadfully frightened at the crocodiles, and most earnestly prayed that I might be kept from a watery grave, and resolved, that if again I landed, I would spend my life in the service of God.
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Having, through mercy, again started on my journey, I met with the drovers; and having, whilst in the waters, taken the pass out of my hat, and so dipped it in the water as to spoil it, I showed it to the men, and asked them where I could get another. They told me that in the neighbourhood, there lived a rich cotton merchant, who would write me one. They took me to him, and gave their word that they saw the passport before it was wet, (for I had previously showed it to them,) upon which, the cotton-planter wrote a free pass and a recommendation, to which the cow-drovers affixed their marks.
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The recommendation was as follows:--
"John Roper, a very interesting young lad, whom I have seen and travelled with for eighty or ninety miles on his road from Florida, is a free man, descended from Indian and white. I trust he will be allowed to pass on without interruption, being convinced, from what I have seen, that he is free, and though dark, is not an African. I had seen his papers before they were wetted."
( Roper uses this pass to travel, but is unable to get out of the South. He reaches a port city where he is met by a stroke of luck.)
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But when I reached the docks at Savannah, the first person I met was the captain of the Fox, looking for another steward. He was a very kind man, belonging to the Free States, and inquired if I would go back to his vessel. This usage was very different to what I expected, and I gladly accepted his offer. This captain did not know that I was a slave. In about two days we sailed from Savannah to New York.
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WHEN I arrived in the city of New York, I thought I was free; but learned I was not, and could be taken there. I secreted myself till I heard of a ship, the Napoleon, sailing to England, and on the 11th of November, 1835, I sailed. The time I first started from slavery, was in July, 1834, so that I was nearly sixteen months in making my escape.
END OF ROPER NARRATIVE
Enrichment Activities
Lessons 2, 3, and 5 are enrichment activities and include additional resources.