Underground Railroad Glog
In the sixth grade, our students read the novel The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton. It is a mystery involving an African-American family that moves to an old house that was once a station on the Underground Railroad. As part of the curriculum, the 6th grade takes an annual field trip to the Joy Outdoor Education Center to participate in a night-time simulation as escaping slaves.
In preparation for beginning this unit, I hoped to engage students in the slavery debate with a research project, having them explore the roles of abolitionists and their opponents. I chose to use GlogsterEDU as the medium in which students would display their research. I felt that Glogster had many affordances for this type of work. Being an interactive poster board, it allowed students to easily post pictures and text. In addition, I liked the ability to embed the projects to our class website.
Students were told that they were going to explore the Underground Railroad and the issue of slavery through the eyes of a historical figure. Students were randomly assigned to different "personalities" and it was their job to learn any biographical information about their person and decide what was the person's opinion of slavery. Ultimately, they would have to answer the question, if a runaway slave came to this person's door, what would they do?
In the sixth grade, our students read the novel The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton. It is a mystery involving an African-American family that moves to an old house that was once a station on the Underground Railroad. As part of the curriculum, the 6th grade takes an annual field trip to the Joy Outdoor Education Center to participate in a night-time simulation as escaping slaves.
In preparation for beginning this unit, I hoped to engage students in the slavery debate with a research project, having them explore the roles of abolitionists and their opponents. I chose to use GlogsterEDU as the medium in which students would display their research. I felt that Glogster had many affordances for this type of work. Being an interactive poster board, it allowed students to easily post pictures and text. In addition, I liked the ability to embed the projects to our class website.
Students were told that they were going to explore the Underground Railroad and the issue of slavery through the eyes of a historical figure. Students were randomly assigned to different "personalities" and it was their job to learn any biographical information about their person and decide what was the person's opinion of slavery. Ultimately, they would have to answer the question, if a runaway slave came to this person's door, what would they do?
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Once students were assigned their personality, they were given the following sheet to help them begin the research process. The first step required them to go to National Geographic's interactive Underground Railroad website as a way to establish prior knowledge.
Afterward, as they began to research their personalities, they were to consider the question, "Imagine that you are this person and it is 1851. A runaway slave comes to your door one night for food and shelter. What would you do as this personality?"
Afterward, as they began to research their personalities, they were to consider the question, "Imagine that you are this person and it is 1851. A runaway slave comes to your door one night for food and shelter. What would you do as this personality?"
Having done this project for a number of years, I have found that students sometimes have difficulty finding some of the necessary information about their person because of the broad scope of the assignment. In the past, I gave students the advice to Google their person's name with the terms "slavery" or "Underground Railroad" to narrow results.
In an effort to improve the research process, I decided to experiment with a Google Custom Search. I researched each individual on my list using our school's access to Proquest databases and Google. I included several websites for each person, including some primary sources. I embedded the search box on a page I created for the project on my class website.
In an effort to improve the research process, I decided to experiment with a Google Custom Search. I researched each individual on my list using our school's access to Proquest databases and Google. I included several websites for each person, including some primary sources. I embedded the search box on a page I created for the project on my class website.
This definitely was a helpful addition to the research process, but in doing the research myself, I discovered how widely the number of sources varied between the different people on my list. My list had been handed down to me from another 6th grade teacher and needs to be revised for future use so the available sources are more evenly balanced. I also found that no photograph was available for some individuals. As I had made this a requirement of the Glogster project, I found I needed to make accommodations for several students. Instead they were allowed to post a "no picture available" box or use another related image.
My students were very enthusiastic about this project and once they had the basics of Glogster explained, they worked well. I used my trial of the GlogsterEDU Premium to assign a "project" to my class. Once they logged in with the accounts I had created for them, they clicked on the project which created a copy of my example glog in their account. Together as a class, I walked them through what to delete from the Frederick Douglass glog and explained how to customize the text and add other elements. This was great and I think made the project a little easier for the students, none of whom had ever used Glogster. Below are the directions students were given for this assignment.
My students were very enthusiastic about this project and once they had the basics of Glogster explained, they worked well. I used my trial of the GlogsterEDU Premium to assign a "project" to my class. Once they logged in with the accounts I had created for them, they clicked on the project which created a copy of my example glog in their account. Together as a class, I walked them through what to delete from the Frederick Douglass glog and explained how to customize the text and add other elements. This was great and I think made the project a little easier for the students, none of whom had ever used Glogster. Below are the directions students were given for this assignment.
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I didn't know what to expect in terms of how much class time to allocate to this project, since in the past it was a homework assignment. I ended up doing the introduction and National Geographic activity in about 25 minutes on one day, the Glogster introduction and project set-up in a 65 minute period and two additional 65 minute blocks to do the work. I also used time the last day to introduce my students to EasyBib.com and show them how to do a website and image citation and copy and paste the information to their glogs.
Creating this lesson has helped my teaching practice in several ways. Since I needed to create an example of the assignment, I was very conscious of what I required from students in their projects. In addition, the process of creating the Google Custom Search and helping students with the difficulties they had finding images has made me aware of what needs to be improved in the assignment. Despite these issues, I am pleased with the resulting projects my students created. Below are some screenshots of the glogs created by my students.
Creating this lesson has helped my teaching practice in several ways. Since I needed to create an example of the assignment, I was very conscious of what I required from students in their projects. In addition, the process of creating the Google Custom Search and helping students with the difficulties they had finding images has made me aware of what needs to be improved in the assignment. Despite these issues, I am pleased with the resulting projects my students created. Below are some screenshots of the glogs created by my students.
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"Harriet Beecher Stowe" by Catherine
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"John Rankin" by Anne
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"Daniel Drayton" by Cole
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"John C. Calhoun" by Connor
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"William Whipper" by William
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"Elijah Anderson" by Tejas
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I also enjoyed this lesson because it allowed students to write creatively about a historical topic. Below are some of the first-person paragraphs students wrote for their glogs.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
by Catherine
It was a chilly night in 1846 when I heard knock on my door. I opened it and I saw an young man I didn't recognize standing on my doorstep. He was out of breath, dirty, worn out, and had a few red marks from a whip on his face. I felt very sorry for him. He asked gently, "Are you a friend of a friend?" Instantly, I knew he was a runaway slave seeking my help. He probably saw the lantern in my window which was a sign that I was a friend of a friend. I was inspired by the abolitionist John Rankin and his work against slavery. so I replied softly, "Of course." I let him in quietly. The man was very skinny and he looked hungry, so I sat him to the table and fed him a nice warm supper. I laid out blankets and made him comfortable upstairs in my loft. Then, assured him that I would help him continue on his journey to freedom the next morning.
William Whipper
by William
On a cold night in 1851, while I was alone in my "front street home", eating my supper and counting my money from work earlier in the day, I heard a faint knock on my door. I arose, and right away, reached for my gun by the door. Then, with my gun in hand, opened the door with a creak. There they were, four of them. They were runaways! I welcomed them in, but they stood still in their tracks, as if to question who I was. Hadn't they heard of me? William Whipper the abolitionist! Suddenly, one of the slaves asked in a weak voice,
"Are you a friend of a friend?" I nodded my head quickly and rushed them in. But before I shut and locked the door, I peered out the doorway and sighed. If only I could help all runaway slaves! I remember when I was a slave. I remember when I was born, February 22, 1804. I remember too well! I slammed the door shut and locked it with a click. I turned around to the four runaways who, by this time, looked miserable! I immediatly gave them some tea and soup. Once they were done, I showed them to the hay loft in my barn, and got them settled. I wished them good luck.
John C. Calhoun
by Connor
One dark, wintry night in 1807 , I heard a soft knock on my door when I was half asleep in my bed. I went to the door and opened it. I saw an unfamilliar old man. He had raggedy clothes and he was shivering vigorously. I had never been a slave so I was wondering what it was like. He must have been brave to sneak away from his owner for freedom. He asked me if I was a friend of a friend. I lied and said I was. I brought him in my home to learn more about him. I acted nice so he would tell me who his owner was and he did. I am a southern plantation owner in South Carolina in favor of slavery. My family owned slaves when I was young and I believe slaves are a "positive good". I immediatly took him right to his owner. When the owner saw the slave, he started whipping him. The owner thanked me and gave me 1,000 dollars.
by Catherine
It was a chilly night in 1846 when I heard knock on my door. I opened it and I saw an young man I didn't recognize standing on my doorstep. He was out of breath, dirty, worn out, and had a few red marks from a whip on his face. I felt very sorry for him. He asked gently, "Are you a friend of a friend?" Instantly, I knew he was a runaway slave seeking my help. He probably saw the lantern in my window which was a sign that I was a friend of a friend. I was inspired by the abolitionist John Rankin and his work against slavery. so I replied softly, "Of course." I let him in quietly. The man was very skinny and he looked hungry, so I sat him to the table and fed him a nice warm supper. I laid out blankets and made him comfortable upstairs in my loft. Then, assured him that I would help him continue on his journey to freedom the next morning.
William Whipper
by William
On a cold night in 1851, while I was alone in my "front street home", eating my supper and counting my money from work earlier in the day, I heard a faint knock on my door. I arose, and right away, reached for my gun by the door. Then, with my gun in hand, opened the door with a creak. There they were, four of them. They were runaways! I welcomed them in, but they stood still in their tracks, as if to question who I was. Hadn't they heard of me? William Whipper the abolitionist! Suddenly, one of the slaves asked in a weak voice,
"Are you a friend of a friend?" I nodded my head quickly and rushed them in. But before I shut and locked the door, I peered out the doorway and sighed. If only I could help all runaway slaves! I remember when I was a slave. I remember when I was born, February 22, 1804. I remember too well! I slammed the door shut and locked it with a click. I turned around to the four runaways who, by this time, looked miserable! I immediatly gave them some tea and soup. Once they were done, I showed them to the hay loft in my barn, and got them settled. I wished them good luck.
John C. Calhoun
by Connor
One dark, wintry night in 1807 , I heard a soft knock on my door when I was half asleep in my bed. I went to the door and opened it. I saw an unfamilliar old man. He had raggedy clothes and he was shivering vigorously. I had never been a slave so I was wondering what it was like. He must have been brave to sneak away from his owner for freedom. He asked me if I was a friend of a friend. I lied and said I was. I brought him in my home to learn more about him. I acted nice so he would tell me who his owner was and he did. I am a southern plantation owner in South Carolina in favor of slavery. My family owned slaves when I was young and I believe slaves are a "positive good". I immediatly took him right to his owner. When the owner saw the slave, he started whipping him. The owner thanked me and gave me 1,000 dollars.
