Internet Field Trip: Exploring the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad! Don't let the name fool you: The "Underground Railroad" was a series of routes, which changed frequently, that slaves could risk taking so that they could make it to states in the North — and, hopefully, to freedom. If they didn't make it to the North, however, the cost was great: a return to slavery and, quite possibly, death.
Begin at The Underground Railroad Site, which gives general overviews of what the railroad was, its objectives, and historical background. Look at the map, which shows the general areas of many of the Underground Railroad's routes. Are any of them in your region?
Your students can have a firsthand sense of living through the era by examining historical posters. Students can create their own posters. Would they advertise for their lost "property"? Or, would they be among those who bought slaves and then paid for their transport to freedom?
That could be quite expensive, but as one of my students said, "How could I not help others, especially when I have my freedom?" There were true heroes who exhibited such humanity, like Levi Coffin, the "president" of the Underground Railroad. When you read this brief biography on Levi, you can easily see how lucky the world was to have had someone like him in it.
Now that your students have a strong background on the Underground Railroad, a final visit to the National Geographic's exploration of the Underground Railroad can allow your students a brief taste of what it was like for people to decide to change an escape to freedom. This is not a site that just opens up a page for you, but one where your students must make choices and follow along. Be sure to listen to the music, too.
- Scholastic Store
-
Dear America: Color Me Dark
The Scholastic Store 
Dear America: Color Me Dark
Nellie's journal chronicles her family's move from Bradford Corners, Tennessee, to Chicago, after the Ku Klux Klan murders her uncle. The family hopes to find a more tolerant culture up North, but instead find themselves in the middle of race riots. Introduce your child to early civil rights activists, like W.E.B. Du Bois, and show her what it was like to live in a city divided along racial lines.
$10.95
books;hardcover books;hardcovers | Ages 9-14
Ages 9-14 $10.95
- Scholastic Store
-
The Royal Diaries: Catherine, The Great Journey, Russia, 1743
The Scholastic Store 
The Royal Diaries: Catherine, The Great Journey, Russia, 1743
As Princess Sophia, soon to be Catherine, moves from everything familiar towards an uncertain future she chronicles her own experiences. Follow Catherine through her arranged marriage and family break up, amidst the deception, disorder, and decadence of the Russian Empire. In this installment of The Royal Diaries series history not only comes alive but comes to greatness!
$10.99
Learning Highlights
An inspiring account emphasizing the impact of individual action on history.
books;hardcover books;hardcovers | Ages 9 and Up
Ages 9 and Up $10.99
