Lesson Three: Connecting the Past to the Present

Overview

Students will work in cooperative groups to investigate the various forms of contemporary slavery. Groups of four students will read one of four articles and have a group discussion about the content of the article. The discussion will be structured: The teacher will time the lesson and each student will have a particular role to assume. After the small group discussions, the teacher will facilitate a whole class discussion in order to synthesize the information ascertained by each group. During both the small group discussion and the large group discussion, students will consider the reality of being a slave and will compare contemporary slavery and slavery in U.S. history.

Objective

Students will identify at least five differences and five similarities between contemporary slavery and slavery of U.S. history. Students will identify five important characteristics of a government or a power system that can lead to slavery.

Time Frame

15 minutes: Independent Reading of Article
15 minutes: Small Group Discussion
5 minutes: Large Group Discussion
Total: 45 minutes

Materials

1. Overhead projector or chalkboard.
2. Four sets of color-coded folders. Each set will be the same color and will contain two items:
3. One first-hand account of slavery. Teacher will select two first-hand accounts of modern-day slavery (available here) and two of U.S. slavery (available here - external link will open in a new window) during the 1800’s.
4. An assigned role. Each student will fulfill one role for the group:
   • Team Leader keeps the group on track.
   • Time Keeper ensures that all students have time and opportunity to voice their thoughts and reactions.
   • Recorder takes notes of group members’ thoughts and reactions.
   • Reporter presents the ideas of the small group to the whole class during the large group discussion

Procedure

1. Upon entering the class, students will receive a color-coded folder. Students will sit with students who have the same color folder.

2. Students will read first-hand accounts of slavery while considering the following questions:

• How is this account of slavery similar to what you already know about slavery in the United States during the 1800’s?
• How is this account of slavery different from what you already know about slavery in the United States during the 1800’s?
• What methods, means, or systems keep the person enslaved?
• How do the people in power maintain the system of slavery?

3. Teacher will explain the responsibilities of each role for the small group discussions. Students will participate in small group discussions and will assume their assigned roles.

4. After small group discussions, reporters will share ideas with the entire class.

5. While a reporter is presenting, the teacher will write down the reporter’s ideas and facts and group them into one of four columns as answers to the four proposed questions (above).

6. Teacher will facilitate whole group discussion of the class’ ideas and findings.

Follow-Up Activities

1. Students study the abolitionist movement in 19th century United States. Students investigate how citizens contributed to this movement.
2. Students write perspective pieces using the voices of modern-day slaves. Students create the lives of the slaves before, during, and after slavery.
3. Students write perspective pieces using the voices of the slave owners. In these pieces, students examine the moral conflicts (or lack thereof) within the consciences of slave owners.
4. Students present the debate to another class that is not currently studying modern-day slavery.

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