Lesson Plans
Lesson plans designed for learners in grades K-12.
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Pre-K and Kindergarten Lesson Plans -|- Elementary Lesson Plans -|- Middle School Lesson Plans -|- High School Lesson Plans -|- Poetry
Pre-K and Kindergarten
- An Apple for Harriet Tubman
- Subject: Social Studies/Writing
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: An Apple for Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Lesson Length: 4 days
- Underground Railroad Lesson Plan:Harriet Tubman
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: The Life of Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- Underground Railroad Lesson Plan:Minty
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: Minty
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- Minty: The Story of Young Harriet Tubman
- Subject: Social Studies/Art
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: Minty
- Lesson Length: 45 minutes
- Minty: Underground Railroad Lesson Plan
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: Minty
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Art
- Grade Level: Kindergarten/1st Grade
- Lesson Length: 5 days
- Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
- Subject: History/Visual Arts
- Grade Level: Pre-K/Kindergarten
- Primary Resource: Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
- Lesson Length: 5 days
Elementary
- Underground Railroad Guided Reading Lesson Plan
- Subject: Reading/Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Primary Resources: Student Direction Sheet, Student Book Activity
- Lesson Length: 1.5 hours
- A Train Without Tracks
- Subject: Art
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: 2 class periods
- African Americans in Colonial America
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 4th/5th Grade
- Primary Resource: Building a New Land: African Americans in Colonial America
- Lesson Length: 2 class periods
- Can You Be Tricked?
- Subject: Art/Special Education
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft
- Lesson Length: four 30 minute sessions
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Lesson Length: Approximately 2 weeks
- Conductor Groups Underground Railroad Lesson Plan
- Subject: History/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 3rd/4th Grade
- Primary Resource: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: two 1 hour sessions
- Conductors of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Technology
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Journey to Freedom
- Lesson Length: 1 class period
- Follow the Drinking Gourd
- Subject: History/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 3rd/4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Follow the Drinking Gourd
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- Escape Routes Underground Railroad Lesson Plan
- Subject: Language Arts
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: 3 days
- Escape to Freedom: A Journey Along the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Lesson Length: four 45 minute sessions
- Exploring the Underground Railroad Using Children's Literature
- Subject: Language Arts
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Lesson Length: twelve 50 minute sessions
- Freedom Journal
- Subject: History/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom's Wings
- Lesson Length: 5 days
- Freedom Quilts
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Lesson Length: 1-2 hours
- The Value of Helping
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Primary Resource: The Value of Helping, The Story of Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Length: six 45 minute sessions
- They Called her Moses. A Message in Code.
- Subject: Reading
- Grade Level: 3rd/4th Grade
- Lesson Length: three 45-60 minute lessons
- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Language Arts (Guided Reading Lesson)
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade/Level S
- Primary Resource: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: three 30 minute sessions
- Heroes of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Technology
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Escape! A Story of the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: two 1-2 hour sessions
- Heroes of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd/4th Grade
- Lesson Length: five 1 hour sessions
- If You Traveled on The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: 4 days
- Introduction to the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Lesson Length: 120 minutes
- An Introduction to the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Lesson Length: five 40 minute sessions
- John Parker and The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Reading
- Grade Level: 4th/5th Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom River
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- A Story of the Young Harriet Tubman
- Subject: Social Studies/Theme
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Primary Resource: Minty: A Story of the Young Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Length: 2 class periods
- The Underground Railroad and Writing Sensory Poetry
- Subject: Poetry
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Sources of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: American History
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Primary Resource: His Promised Land: The Autobiography of John P. Parker, Former Slave and Conductor on the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: 1 hour
- Freedom Quilts and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: History/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 3rd/4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Lesson Length: 2 class sessions
- Journey to Freedom: Quilts and Codes
- Subject: History/Art
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: 2 days
- Reading and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Reading/ Language Arts
- Grade Level: 1st/2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
- Lesson Length: 40 minutes
- Underground Railroad: Literature and Writing
- Subject: Literature/Writing
- Lesson Length: 60 minutes
- Riding the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom River
- Routes to Freedom
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: Upper-Elementary Grades
- Primary Resource: "The Quest for Freedom" (video)
- Lesson Length: 4 days
- Secret Signs and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Literature/Writing
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
- Lesson Length: 60 minutes
- Shine Freedom!
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom River
- Lesson Length: five 40 minute sessions
- Slavery and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: Primary
- Lesson Length: two-three 30 minute sessions
- Slavery, Kentucky and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Slavery in America
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Lesson Length: four 20-30 minute sessions
- Stories of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: four 60 minute sessions
- Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Lesson Length: 2 hours
- Sweet Clara
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Primary Resource: A Quilt Full of Memories
- Lesson Length: 40 minutes
- Sweet Clara Historical Literature Response
- Subject: Social Studies/Art
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Literature Studies Groups and The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
- Lesson Length: 2 weeks
- Taking the Train to Freedom
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Lesson Length: 5 days
- Defining the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Writing
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: 1 class session
- The Underground Railroad System
- Subject: History
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Lesson Length: five 45 minute sessions
- Threads of Freedom
- Subject: History/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 1st/2nd Grade
- Primary Resources: The Patchwork Path and The Secret to Freedom
- Lesson Length: 2 class periods
- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 1st Grade
- Lesson Length: two 30-45 minute sessions
- What Freedom Means
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 2nd/3rd Grade
- Primary Resource: Minty
- Lesson Length: 1-2 hours
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky
- Lesson Length: 7 days
- The Underground Railroad Lesson Powerpoint
- Subject: Social Studies
- A Secret of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: U.S. History
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt
- Lesson Length: 60 minutes
- The Underground Railroad Mini-Unit
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Lesson Length: 7 class periods
- Cinquain Poems - Jack Parker
- Subject: Social Studies/Reading
- Grade Level: 3rd Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom River
- Lesson Length: two 30 minute sessions
- Yesterday & Today
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Lesson Length: 5 days
- Walking the Road to Freedom
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 2nd Grade
- Primary Resource: Walking the Road to Freedom
- Lesson Length: three 1 hour sessions
- What is the UGRR?
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 4th Grade
- Primary Resource: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad
- Lesson Length: 45 minutes
Middle School
- Freedom Quilts
- Subject: Social Studies/Art
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Lesson Length:2 hours
- The Underground Railroad: A Journey to Freedom
- Subject: Reading/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Lesson Length: six 1 hour sessions
- Creating a Picture Book
- Subject: Language Arts
- Grade Level: 6th Grade
- Lesson Length: 5 days
- Go Down Moses
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Lesson Length: 3-4 days
- Harriet Jacobs: Slave Ad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 8th Grade
- Lesson Length: 2 class sessions
- Creating a Digital Story: The Life of John P. Parker
- Subject: Arts and Humanities
- Grade Level: 5th Grade+
- Lesson Length: two-three 55 minute sessions
- Life As a Runaway
- Subject: Social Studies/Writing
- Grade Level: 5th/6th Grade
- Primary Resource: "Follow the Drinking Gourd"
- Lesson Length: 60 minutes
- The Underground Railroad Computer Technology Lesson
- Subject: Computer Technology
- Grade Level: 6th Grade
- Primary Resource: Freedom Light, Underground Railroad Stories from Ripley, Ohio
- Lesson Length: 5-6 days
- Moral Dilemmas and the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: Middle School
- Lesson Length: 1 day
- Myths of the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies/Language Arts
- Grade Level: 6th/7th Grade
- Lesson Length: 4 Days
- The Path to Freedom
- Subject: Language Arts
- Grade Level: 7th Grade
- Primary Resource: Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Length: 53 minutes
- Questions On Demand
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 8th Grade
- Lesson Length: three 150 minute sessions
- The Underground Railroad Reading Lesson Plan
- Subject: Reading
- Grade Level: 7th Grade
- Lesson Length: 4-5 Days
- Recreated Underground Railroad Historical Scene
- Subject: American History
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Lesson Length: four 50 minute sessions
- Science and Abolitionists
- Subject: Science
- Grade Level: 5th/6th Grade
- Lesson Length: 1 week
- Stations on the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 8th Grade
- Lesson Length: 2 class sessions (approx. 120 minutes)
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 5th Grade
- Lesson Length: six 1 hour sessions
- Exploring the Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 7th/8th Grade
- Lesson Length: 5 days (approx. 225 minutes)
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: Middle School
- Lesson Length: 5 class sessions
High School
- Borderlands History
- Subject: History
- Grade Level: High School
- Using Primary Resources to Interpret Runaway Slave Ads
- Subject: History
- Grade Level: High School
- Finding the Real Underground Railroad
- Subject: AP US History
- Grade Level: 10th/11th Grade
- Roadmaps to Freedom
- Subject: American Studies/American History
- Grade Level: High School
- Primary Resource: Worksheet
- Lesson Length: 2-3 days
- The Underground Railroad
- Subject: English
- Grade Level: 9th Grade
- Lesson Length: 3 days
- His Promised Land
- Subject: Language Arts
- Grade Level: 9th Grade
- Primary Resource: His Promised Land
- Lesson Length: 1.5 weeks
- New Richmond's Preview to the Freedom Center
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: High School
- Lesson Length: 7 days
- The Underground Railroad: Geography and History
- Subject: Social Studies
- Grade Level: 9th/10th Grade
- Lesson Length: three 50 minute sessions
- The Underground Railroad Newscast
- Subject: Social Studies/American History
- Grade Level: High School
Poetry