Lesson Four: Understanding the Personal Reality of Slavery

Overview

Using case studies of modern-day slavery, students will identify the four major types of modern-day slavery: forced labor, debt bondage, chattel slavery, and child labor. In addition, students will consider the personal, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual elements of a slave’s life as expressed in the case studies. Students will work in cooperative groups and large groups to explore these issues and to chart the elements of the four major types of modern-day slavery.

Objective

Students will name and characterize four types of slavery: forced labor, debt bondage, chattel slavery, and child labor. Students will identify personal elements in the life of a modern-day slave.

Time Frame

15 minutes: Independent Reading of case study
15 minutes: Small group discussion of case study
15 minutes: Large group discussion of case studies and synthesis of information
Total: 45 minutes

Materials

1. Overhead or chalk board
2. Modern-day slavery case studies available here

Procedure

1. Students are in groups of four. Each student in the group receives a different case study and a different role for the small discussion: team leader, time keeper, recorder, and reporter (see Lesson 3 for explanations of the roles).

2. Students read the case studies independently while considering the following questions:

• What are some personal, emotional, spiritual elements of the slave’s life that are expressed in this case study?
• What does it mean to be enslaved physically and to be enslaved mentally?
• How does violence affect the different types of slavery?
• What are some differences and similarities between this slave’s experience and the facts you already know about 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. Small group discussions focus of the above questions.

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 characteristics of the four major types of slavery

• Forced labor
• Debt bondage
• Chattel slavery
• Child labor

(Keep this chart for use in Lesson 6)

Follow-Up Activities

1. Students will create artwork depicting their reactions to modern day slavery.
2. Students will study other types of oppression in history.
3. Students will research in depth cases of modern-day slavery.
4. Students will conduct "field interviews". They will ask friends, family, and community members what they know about the four major types of slavery. Students will report findings to the class.

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