Slave Narratives-Olaudah Equiano Lab

Name: Mr. Overstreet

Class/Subject: 8 Grade Social Studies

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Time: 50 minutes

Big Idea

Students obtain an understanding of the importance of narratives in history through primary

source documents.

Essential Questions for the Unit

1. How do slave narratives compare and contrast with other works written about
slavery from a white perspective?
2. What were the realities of slave life?

Student Objectives/Student Outcomes:

1. Students will understand the importance of Olaudah Equiano’s narrative in the

context of history and the time period.
2. Students will understand the realities of slave life from the perspective of a former
slave.

Content Standards:

1. 16.A.4b-Compare competing historical interpretations of an event.

2. 16.D.4a (US)-Describe the immediate and long-range social impacts of slavery.

Materials/Resources/Technology:

1. Lesson Power Point

2. Digital Projector
3. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano Print
Out Excerpts
4. Computers
5. Portfolio
6. Primary Source Document Based Question Handout

Teacher’s Goals:

Effectively introduce the Olaudah Equiano novel and connect it to the history of the time period.
Help navigate and lead the students through the readings and also provide guidance in
completing their assignment
 Start of Class: Pass out the Primary Source Document Based Question Handout and the
2 minutes The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano Print Out
Excerpts.

Introduction of Lesson: Pass out the The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
8 minutes Equiano by Olaudah Equiano Print Out Excerpts. Give a brief power point lecture on the
history surrounding Olaudah Equiano and also the time period. Activate prior knowledge
by tying in the previous day’s lecture over early/colonial slavery.

Lesson Instruction: After introducing the reading, allow the students to begin reading
the excerpts from Equiano. The students will work independently on the reading and the
35 minutes handout. The handout will ask critical analysis questions over the reading. The students
will be allowed to use the computers to help further research questions asked on the
handout.

Assessments/Checks for Understanding: The Primary Source Handout will ask critical
comprehension questions over the reading. Also students will gain an understanding of
how to navigate the internet to find relevant information. Maneuvering around the
classroom while the students work independently on their assignment in order to answer
questions or to pose questions to students. In the last 5 minutes of class students will be
allowed to pose questions or thoughts they have about the reading.

Closure/Evaluation/Review: Students will file their assignment into their portfolios.

5 minutes The class will come together and will have time to ask any questions or final thoughts
about the reading. Other students and the teacher may respond to these questions and
thoughts.

Time

Total Time: 50 minutes