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Breaking the Chains of Slavery

Lesson Plan

General

Grade Level

Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Author Info

Teresa Goodin and Stephanie Doyle

Type of Lesson

Challenge

Type of Project (Individual/Group/Both)

Both

Duration

90-120 minutes

Challenge Question

You have been hired by Frederick Douglass to create a public service announcement advocating for the abolition, or end, of slavery. Your public service announcement should contain images and quotes that illustrate how the institution of slavery is in conflict with the ideas of the founding fathers.

Rationale

This synthesis activity should be preceded by instruction about the institution of slavery as well as the origins and arguments of the Abolitionist Movement.
At the end of this activity, students will be able to: 1) Analyze and interpret founding Americans’ thoughts and beliefs about slavery and abolition. 2)Choose and use primary source quotations as support for an original argument on slavery and abolition. 3) Construct an original argument on the topic of slavery and abolition.

Notes to Teacher

You can use the document analysis sheets in the Teach Resources section to help guide exploration of the primary sources or use another form you like. If time allows, you can have students watch each other’s PSAs, then vote on the best two or three to be posted in the Showcase.

Steps

  1. Go to My Collection. Use the source analysis sheets to ask questions and learn more about each source. As you look at each source ask: Can this source help make my argument against slavery or could it be used to support slavery? How?
  2. Go to Explore. Find related sources that support your argument against slavery that you could use in your video.
  3. Go to Create. Use the video tool to create a short, 2-3 minute long video in favor of abolition. Be sure to include at least three images and one quote in your video.