The Underground Railroad

A Web Quest

aherbert@cortlandschools.org

bclosson@cortlandschools.org

tpristash@cortlandschools.org

This project is a collaboration between 2nd grade and 5th grade with the assistance of the library media specialist

Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion |Resources |

Introduction

Harriet Tubman was a key figure from the past, who helped to free many slaves from the harsh cruelties of the South. Harriet was a unique individual who persisted in her quest to free the slaves. Your task is to work with your partner to learn how a slave, such as Harriet Tubman, was able to free herself and others using the Underground Railroad.

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You and your partner will read two books. You will first read Follow the Drinking Gourd  by Janette Winter and answer some questions about the story. Next, you will read Who Was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough, and summarize each chapter. In addition, you will learn the meanings behind the quilt squares that were used by the escaped slaves and develop an understanding of how the quilt squares were used to communicate the routes to freedom. As a final product, you will create a poster that will demonstrate what you have learned about Harriet Tubman.

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Process

1) Follow the Drinking Gourd by Janette Winter is a historical fiction account of a family's escape to freedom and the risks involved using the Underground Railroad. "Follow the Drinking Gourd" is a song in which the words provide a secret and ingenious way of giving runaway slaves directions for how to go north to Canada and freedom.

Read this story with your learning partner. Discuss the story, then click on the blinking stars to link to the questions you need to answer. Print out your questions when you have completed the worksheet.

Questions Worksheet

2) Read the story Who Was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough. After each chapter, discuss what you have learned, then enter a summary into your e-journal. Please use your own words to summarize what you have learned from each chapter. Click the book  below to link to your e-journal.

E-Journal

3) Click on the quilt square below to link to a vocabulary word list. Follow the directions on the worksheet, and be ready to explain the meanings of the words. Use a dictionary to look up the words if you need more clarification. An online dictionary link is located below. Print out your completed worksheet.

4) Choose a quilt symbol from those you have studied. Click on the quilt square link below to find out the meaning of the arrangements of the quilts.

Underground Railroad Quilt Code

5) As a culminating activity, create a poster highlighting the accomplishments of Harriet Tubman and the importance of the Underground Railroad. Click on the picture of Harriet Tubman  below to link to the graphic organizer you will use as you gather information from the books you have read, your e-journal entries, and various web sites.

Poster Graphic Organizer

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Evaluation

You and your partner can earn up to 100 points on this web quest. You may earn the maximum number listed below.

** You may also earn 10 bonus points for each enrichment activity**

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Conclusion

Through this investigation we have learned that Harriet Tubman was a brave and determined person. She believed that freedom was so important that she would risk her life so that others could be free. She is a true hero!

Now that you have become an expert on Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, try out one or more of the following enrichment activities to test your knowledge of this important time in our nation's history...

Enrichment Activities

Crossword Puzzles

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/puzzles.htm

Word Search

http://www.beavton.k12.or.us/greenway/leahy/ugrr/puzzle.htm

Quiz

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/quiz.htm

Timeline: Click on the template link below to create a timeline of Harriet Tubman's life. Use the book Who Was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough and/or the following web site to obtain information to add to your timeline.

Timeline Template

Timeline Web Site:

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/Ohistory/hwny-tubman.html

Code Words: Click on the web site link below to learn what the code words were that were used by the slaves and what each word meant. Print out the code words and their meanings, mix them up, then arrange them correctly, matching each word with its meaning.

http://www.beavton.k12.or.us/greenway/leahy/ugrr/code.htm

Important People: There were many influential people who were a part of the history of the Underground Railroad. Click on the picture below to link to a list of some of the important people that lived during Harriet Tubman's lifetime and follow the directions provided.

Influential People of the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman Remembrance Quilt: Choose an interesting fact about Harriet Tubman. Write 1-3 sentences describing this fact. Then click on the quilt link below and type in your fact. Print out the quilt square and draw a picture to go with your fact. Each person must select a different fact, so please check with your classmates before you choose your fact.

Harriet Tubman Remembrance Quilt

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Resources:

In addition to the web sites listed with the Enrichment Activities, we have used/consulted the following resources to create this WebQuest:

Follow the Drinking Gourd by Janette Winter

Who Was Harriet Tubman by Yona Zeldis McDonough

National Geographic: The Underground Railroad: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/j6.html

Harriet Tubman & The Underground Railroad (A WebQuest):

http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tubman/tubman.html

Greenway Elementary's Underground Railroad Quilt:

http://www.beavton.k12.or.us/greenway/leahy/ugrr/

What Was the Underground Railroad? http://www.kathimitchell.com/undrr.html#Teacher%20Resources

Visit the Library for the these and other interesting books about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad:
 

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© Annette Herbert, Barbara Closson, & Teresa Pristash

Smith Elementary School