Slavery and the Making of AmericaPicture of slave women cultivating a village garden in Central Africa, Courtesy of the University of Virginia Library
Time and Place Slave Memories Resources The Slave Experience

K-12 Learning
Intro Historical Fiction Primary Sources Lesson Plans Virtual Museum Credits
Introduction
The K-12 Learning portion of the SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA Web site was developed in close concert with American History and Social Studies teachers. A recurring topic from our advisors was to develop projects and activities that help students take on the many different perspectives of people involved in slavery in order to better understand the climate in which slavery existed. This section of the site -- with historical fiction for grades 3-12, Lesson Plans for ages 9-18, primary sources, and a Virtual Museum with contributions from museums across the country and exhibits curated by students -- offers resources we hope you will find valuable for your classrooms.
Historical Readings Lesson Plans Virtual Museums
Illustration of a slave family
Photo of Robert Smalls Illustration showing a slave owner and a female slave

These essays, stories, and letters give a glimpse of life during the era.
Primary-source documents from this Web site offer rich classroom use.
These six standards-based lesson plans allow students to learn about runaway slaves, liberty, the slave family, and the ability to use knowledge as power. Students can create their own "virtual museums" for personal and/or classroom use by using our downloadable PowerPoint template.
Go! Go! Go! Go!

NOTE TO EDUCATORS: We strongly encourage educators to use portions of the SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA broadcast program and Web site in the classroom. As always, be sure to preview all video and Web materials to make certain that they are appropriate for your students. All video segments were carefully selected according to grade-level and content appropriateness. Due to the nature of the topic, the documentary presents the very real physical, emotional, and sexual violence experienced by slaves. Of course, you know your students best, so we ask that you use your own discretion. For more information on using video effectively in your classroom, visit the National Teacher Training Institute Web site.

K-12 Learning content has been delevoped by Thirteen's Educational Technologies Department For additional classroom resources, visit PBS TeacherSource
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SLAVERY AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York.
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