Our Slavery/Underground Railroad Study
We took a field trip last week. We'd planned it in advance-it was a train ride on the Cuyahoga Vally Scenic Railway. The state parks put on an Underground Railroad presentation. We rode the train from Akron north and on the way up, we were treated to several reenactments of peoples involved in the Underground Railroad, both for and against. The ride back was reserved for free time, eating lunch (if you brought it) and visiting the concession stand and souvenir shop on board. It was fun for the kids and I had a good time on the train. Chris was able to take the day off and join us as well.
I wanted the girls to have some idea of what we were doing, so to prepare for our day out, we did a little study ahead of time. We worked through a lapbook on slavery. It covered the first slaves in America (Jamestown, 1619) and went through the slave trade, the rise of slavery in the south and how it affected the country in regards to legislation and later in the Civil War and to the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the war and the fate of former slaves after the war. I thought it was a great study and I know I learned a lot from it, too.
Along with the lapbook, we read a book I had picked up some time ago called The Last Safe House. This story combined factual tidbits about slavery and the Underground Railroad with a fictional story of a runaway slave girl, helped along to freedom on the Underground Railroad. The story would break every now and then to go into the history behind the story and explain the various aspects of slavery, plantations, among other things. It was an interesting read and had just enough pictures to keep even the little ones engaged.
I wanted the girls to have some idea of what we were doing, so to prepare for our day out, we did a little study ahead of time. We worked through a lapbook on slavery. It covered the first slaves in America (Jamestown, 1619) and went through the slave trade, the rise of slavery in the south and how it affected the country in regards to legislation and later in the Civil War and to the Emancipation Proclamation, the end of the war and the fate of former slaves after the war. I thought it was a great study and I know I learned a lot from it, too.
Along with the lapbook, we read a book I had picked up some time ago called The Last Safe House. This story combined factual tidbits about slavery and the Underground Railroad with a fictional story of a runaway slave girl, helped along to freedom on the Underground Railroad. The story would break every now and then to go into the history behind the story and explain the various aspects of slavery, plantations, among other things. It was an interesting read and had just enough pictures to keep even the little ones engaged.
The girls and their lapbooks
Here comes our train!
And the conductor
The canal lock
Hard to see, but the towpath-documented as being used by runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad
This lake was actually a junkyard not so long ago. An industrious beaver dammed up the river and viola! A lake. And no one will move the beaver's dam.
The end of the line for us-we headed back after a short stop at the station
Graci, musing about life, trains and railway stations
Byron and Boo
This picture amuses me on a number of levels. David's face and Byron's attempt to butt in the frame just to name 2...
The kids and me-Ruth is missing, but don't worry-
I got her, too!
The ride home was a little more sober. Sort of.
Then again, maybe not.
You just can't resist tickling David.
"No, I'm not tired!"
Lunch afterward with the Muniz clan and Aunt Nancy-tons of fun!
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