Sweet+Clara+and+the+Freedom+Quilt+Activity+Reinforcing


 * __ Materials: __**


 * __ Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt __
 * Construction Paper
 * Markers
 * Pencils


 * __ Procedures: __**
 * Begin the lesson by asking the students what they know about the Underground Railroad. Then build upon their comments and give them sufficient background knowledge of the topic (this will be beneficial for them towards the end of the activity). Be sure to let the students know how big of an impact Ohio had in the Underground Railroad, especially the Ohio River, which is a vital aspect of this subject. Afterwards introduce the book __Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt__ and read it aloud to the students.
 * After discussing the Underground Railroad and reading the short story, ask students to raise their fists in the air, indicating on a scale of 1-5 with their fingers how well they understand what the Underground Railroad was and why it was so significant.
 * After conducting a short informal assessment, have the class quickly and orally summarize what happened in the book __Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt.__

Then, have the students make a timeline out of the construction paper. The timeline should have two levels, the top should include the steps Clara had to take to reach the Underground Railroad in the book, and the bottom should contain significant events leading up to the development of the Railroad itself. Allow the students to be creative with this timeline and encourage both color and descriptive drawings.

Before having students construct timelines however, show an example of what the timeline should look like. Also, do one top and bottom example of the timeline together with the students on an overhead. This will help guide and ease students into independently creating their own timelines.


 * Additional Ohio Academic Social Studies Standards: **

__Grade:__ 8 __Theme:__ U.S. Studies from 1492 to 1877: Exploration through Reconstruction __Topic:__ Colonization to Independence __Content Statement:__​ 4. The practice of race based slavery led to the forced migration of Africans to the American colonies. Their knowledge and traditions contributed to the development of those colonies and the United States.