KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER PROGRAM
LESSON PLAN FORMAT
Teacher Candidate: _Steffani Trivelpiece_________
Date: ______________
Time:
________________________
Cooperating Teacher: _Mrs. Orwig
____________
Coop. Initials: _____________________________
Group Size: _20______________________________________
Grade Level: _2nd grade_________________
Subject or Topic: _Underground Railroad Simulation
Section: _065______________________________

Standard(s):
CC.1.5.2.A Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and
larger groups.
I.

II.

III.

Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):

A. The students will be able to identify and relate to a simulation of the Underground
Railroad by identifying how it felt and what they did.
Instructional Materials:
A. Underground Railroad Dice Simulation Activity
B. 7 Dice
C. Clipboards (1 per student)
D. Writing paper
Subject Matter:
A. Prerequisite skills and knowledge:
1. Understanding of what the Underground Railroad is
2. Ability to apply schema to an activity to formulate a response
B. Vocabulary:
1. Underground Railroad- a way for slaves to escape to the North to gain
freedom
2. Simulation- A representation of an activity
3. Plantation- a large farm
4. Abolitionist- a person who wanted to end slavery
5. Border- a line separating two areas
6. Overseer- a person whom watches out to make sure slaves are doing their job
7. Escape- to get away
C. Big Idea:
1. The ability to empathize with experiences of others is crucial to gain in our
lives.
D. Additional Content:
1. Participation in the simulation
2. Creation of a narrative based on what they know it would be like to be a slave
on the Underground Railroad

IV.

Implementation:
A. Introduction
1. The teacher will begin by stating a vocab word and asking the students what it
means.
a. Each word should be given two student tries before the teacher helps
the students with the definition.
b. The vocab words are below with their definitions.
i. Underground Railroad- a way for slaves to escape to the North
to gain freedom
ii. Simulation- A representation of an activity
iii. Plantation- a large farm
iv. Abolitionist- a person who wanted to end slavery
v. Border- a line separating two areas
vi. Overseer- a person whom watches out to make sure slaves are
doing their job
vii. Escape- to get away
B. Development
1. The teacher will explain that we will be doing a simulation, or activity that
will show the students the hardships of the Underground Railroad and that
each student will be having a different experience than the rest of the class,
just as it would have been if they were actually on the Underground Railroad.
i. The teacher should disclose that not very many students will make it to
freedom, because not very many slaves did.
ii. Additionally, the teacher should highlight that although this is just an
activity for us, it was real life for those slaves trying to gain the
freedoms that we all have today.
iii. Finally, the teacher should tell the students that they should be thinking
about how they are feeling throughout this process because we will be
doing a writing prompt after we are finished.
2. Before the class begins the directions need to be explained so that they know
what to do in order to participate.
i. The teacher will tell the class that there are 7 locations throughout the
room and that the class will be going back and forth between the
locations throughout the simulation.
a. The teacher will show the class where each one is so that they
are aware.
ii. First the entire class will begin on the plantation (already marked on
their papers) because that is where slaves will live.
iii. Each student will be assigned a number 1-6 by the teacher.
iv. Once they all have their numbers all of the 1s will stand up and be
informed that they will be following the prompt after a full days
work, go back to your cabin to rest. This clue will tell them that they

should be going to the cabin because that is the underlined portion of

the sentence.
a. The student should write the new location once they have
reached it and before they move on.
b. This step will be repeated with all the numbers.
v. The teacher will simulate what would happen once they get to their
location.
a. The students will make a line and wait their turn. (This would
be a perfect time to write the location on the recording sheet.)
b. Once it is their turn they will roll the die and read the direction
that matches the number they rolled.
c. They will go to the underlined location and repeat the steps
again.
d. This will continue until the time is up, or they reach freedom in
the north.
vi. After the students know where they are going, and what to do the
teacher will signal them telling that they may go their spots.
vii. The student will have about 15 to participate in the simulation.
3. The teacher will check the students papers as they reach freedom, if they do.
However if they do not reach freedom they will put their paper face up when
the simulation is over and the teacher will walk around during the discussion
to check them.
C. Closure
1. After time is up, the students will return to their seats.
2. The class will have a group discussion about what the simulation made them
feel and how they reacted to how few of them reached freedom.
3. Then, the teacher will explain the writing prompt which they will be
completing throughout the next couple days.
a. The prompt is Write about how you would feel and what you would
be doing if you were a slave being lead on the Underground Railroad
by Harriet Tubman.
b. The class will have a short discussion to begin brainstorming a few
ideas as a class.
c. Once about 3 minutes is up the class will have a few minutes to begin
thinking of their own ideas and writing if there is time.
D. Accommodations/ Differentiation
1. The students will work one on one with the teacher in conferences as needed
to improve quality writing and look specifically at the areas in which they are
struggling.
E. Assessment/ Evaluation Plan1. Formative- The teacher will check the students simulation recording sheets to
ensure that did it correctly and have an understanding of what they it meant
2. Summative- There is no summative evaluation for this lesson.

V.

Reflective Response:
A. Report of Students Performance in Terms of States Objectives (Reflection on
students performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who failed to meet acceptable level of achievement)
B. Personal Reflection
a.

VI.

Resources:

Underground Railroad Dice Simulation with Narrative Writing Connection. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 21, 2016, from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/UndergroundRailroad-Dice-Simulation-with-Narrative-Writing-Connection-527433