Lesson 1:  Vocabulary

Goal:  Students will know and understand the Underground Railroad movement.

Objectives:  The students will recognize and understand vocabulary related to the Underground Railroad.

Benchmarks/Standards: 
ELA I/Standard I / Benchmark 3
SOC I/Standard 2/Benchmark 1

Procedures:
1. Read a short story or excerpt from a story about a character living during the Underground Railroad.
2.  Brainstorm with the students to create an Underground Railroad vocabulary list.  (Possible beginning word list:  abolitionist,       Big Dipper, conductor, Drinking Gourd, emancipation, fugitive slave, master, North Star, patrollers, plantation, Quakers, quilt, runaway, safe house, slave, slave catcher, station, Underground Railroad.
3.  Instruct students in the proper method of locating vocabulary words using a dictionary.
4.  Review the words and their definitions with the students to check for understanding.
5.  Give each student graph paper with the instruction for them to create a crossword puzzle using the Underground Railroad word list.

Evaluation:

Individual student assessment will be based on the following criteria:
• the completeness of the student-created crossword puzzle.
• his/hers ability to complete the teacher-made crossword puzzle. 

Extension:

Instead of having the students create a crossword puzzle, request they generate a word search.

Materials:
• Example Book- The Underground Railroad by Raymond Bial
                                Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston. 1995
                                 ISBN   0-395-69937-1
• Graph Paper
•  Pencils