Lesson by N’Dia Riegler
Essay by Chandra Manning, Georgetown University
Grade Level: 3–5
Number of Class Periods: 1
Primary Era: National Expansion and Reform, 1815–1860
About This Lesson Plan Unit
This lesson explores The Anti-Slavery Alphabet (1846), an ABC book created by abolitionists Hannah and Mary Townsend. Through guided discussion, small-group collaboration, and evidence-based writing, students will examine selected letters to discover how abolitionists taught and persuaded others, especially young people, to oppose slavery.
Lesson Plan Author: N’Dia Riegler
Historical Background Essay by Chandra Manning, Georgetown University
Additional Information About This Unit
Common Core Standards
Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions
How did young people in the 1840s learn about slavery?
How did abolitionists explain why slavery was bad?
Documents
Documents
Excerpts from The Anti-Slavery Alphabet by Hannah and Mary Townsend, 1846