The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad

5th Grade Independent Project

Welcome to the Underground Railroad Project! During the next few weeks you will be creating a project using the programs and technology that you have used and developed over the past 4 years. You will use the checklist and rubrics attached to guide and evaluate your work.

In the MLT file you will find the Underground Railroad site. This site will have several links that will help you find your needed information. You may also go to ask.com or google.com to find additional information.

You will have the choice of presenting your information using any of the 3 programs; Microsoft Word, Publisher, or PowerPoint.

During class time your MLT teacher will be available for assistance but the manner in which you present your material is your own decision.

Hope you enjoy your ride on the FREEDOM TRAIN!

LETS BEGIN

Please go to and take a journey on the Underground Railroad.

Now that your journey is complete you are free to begin your project. Please read the list of requirements and review the rubric before beginning.

REQUIREMENTS

1. The following questions must be answered.

  1. What is slavery and why did slaves run away?
  2. What was the Underground Railroad?
  3. Why was it called the Underground Railroad?
  4. Where did the Underground Railroad go?

E. Who were the people who ran the Underground Railroad and what were they like?

If you like you can also include some of the following questions in your project.

  1. Why did we have an Underground Railroad in the United States?
  2. What kinds of things did Underground Railroad volunteers do?
  3. How could slaves travel on trains or ships without being discovered?
  4. Did slaves ever wear disguises?
  5. What happened if a slave was caught while he or she was trying to escape?
  6. Do we know where all the Underground Railroad routes and stations were?
  7. If it was such a secret, how do we know about it today?

2. Select 6 of the following vocabulary words to be defined. (The more that you do the better your score will be.) You may write out the definition or be creative with pictures, drawings or crossword puzzles.

abolitionistAnti-slaveryauctionbig dipper

Civil War conductor Drinking gourdemancipation

fugitive slave masterNorth Staroverseer

patrollerplantationquilt runaway

safe houseslave slave catcherspirituals

station

3. Include a map of the Freedom Trail and write a short paragraph explaining what it is.

4. Include a picture of a quilt and write a paragraph explaining the import part quilts played in the Underground Railroad.

5. Find out about the people that worked on the Underground Railroad. Tell about two of these famous people and include their pictures.

6. Explain the importance of Underground Railroad code words and phrases.

USE THIS AS YOUR STORY BOARD TO PLAN YOUR SLIDE SHOW FOR A POWERPOINT PROJECT

Underground Railroad 5th Grade Rubric

Complete

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Requirement

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Information is presented in an organized fashion using a Microsoft program. / Information is incomplete and lacks little organization. / Information is complete and is organized / Information is complete, organized and includes extra information.
The 5 questions were asked and answered. / Questions were answered with little details. / Questions were answered using details. / Questions were answered with details and additional questions and answers were added.
Underground Railroad vocabulary words (6) were presented and defined. / 6 Underground Railroad vocabulary words were defined. / 6 Underground Railroad vocabulary words were defined in a creative way with details. / 6 or more Underground Railroad vocabulary words were defined in a creative way with details.
Project will include a map of the Freedom Trail with a paragraph explaining what it is. / Project includes a map of the Freedom Trail with a paragraph using very few details. / Project includes map, a paragraph and added details. / Project includes maps of the Freedom Trail with paragraphs explaining what they represent.
Project will include a picture of a quilt and a paragraph explaining the importance of quilts. / Project includes a picture of a quilt with an explanation of their important to the slaves. / Project includes a picture of a quilt with descriptions and examples of their important to the slaves. / Project includes requirements plus student created quilts or extra pictures to represent extension to project.
Project will include 2 famous people who were part of the Railroad, and few sentences and pictures. / Project includes 2 famous people with pictures and brief details. / Project includes 2 famous people who were part of the Railroad, pictures and a short paragraph. / Project includes more than 2 famous people who were part of the Railroad, pictures and a detailed paragraph about each.
Project will include the importance of code words and phrase to the Underground Railroad. / Project includes the importance of code words and phrase to the Underground Railroad. / Project includes code words and phrases used in the Underground Railroad and why they were important. / Project includes requirements and extends the use of code words and phrases with examples of their use.
All work will be presented neatly, accurately and proofread before handing in. / All work is neat, accurate and proofread. / All work has been presented with pride and shows details in planning and the process of project. / Work has been proofread and published with pride, accuracy and attention to details.