R.A.F.T.

Name: Janet Jenkins

Grade: 4th Grade
Concept:
Students will be able to relate to a slave, conductor, or child during the Civil War on the
Underground Railroad.
State Academic Standards:
SS 4.1.7
o Explain the roles of various individuals, groups, and movements in the social conflicts
leading to the Civil War.
LA 4.RN.2.1
o Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what a text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
Students will understand the roles of individuals during the Civil War on the Underground
Railroad. With this knowledge students will infer experiences of those individuals and use this to
create their own experiences in writing to a friend.
Objectives:
The students will demonstrate their understanding of roles played during the Civil War on the
Underground Railroad by writing to a friend.
The students will be able to place themselves in history and play a role of someone living during
the Civil War.
Materials List:
Website
o http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/List
the
materials/supplies, books, visuals, artifacts, A/V equipment that are needed for the lesson.
Rubric with following criteria
o Grammar & Spelling-5
o Content-5
o Presentation-5
Pictures of slave, conductor (Harriett Tubman/Levi Coffin), and child with writing prompts on the
back.
Allen Jay and The Underground Railroad By Marlene Brill
Notebook paper, plain paper, markers
Word Wall
Engagement & Exploration:
Together as a class we will do the interactive video regarding the Underground Railroad:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/
Before moving to the next journey on the interactive website the teacher will ask questions to pull
prior knowledge.
Word Wall
Slave
Conductor
RAFT procedures and Engagement & Exploration
Explanation:
R- Role of the writer (Second)

Students will select their role by picking a picture of either a slave, a conductor, or a child
with writing prompt on the back.
A Audience (Third)
Student will be writing to a friend.
o Examples
Slave
Write to another slave telling of your experience. It might be to warn
your friend of dangers.
An adult conductor
Write to another friend about slaves you have encountered or about
experiences with slave hunters.
A child
Write to a friend about being a slave and how your parents and you
have been separated. Write to a friend about being in a home where
slaves are hiding.
F Format of the writing (Fourth)
Writing may be in the following forms:
Letter, song, drawing (map), or any other form as long as the writing prompt is covered
T Topic (First)
Introduction by participating in an interactive
website:http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/
Before going to the next journey on the interactive website the teacher will ask questions to pull
prior knowledge.
Evaluation:
Students will share as a presentation in pairs. One student will read and the other will be the
friend. Then the friend will share their presentation. (This allows for students to not feel so scared
presenting by themselves.)
Rubric with the following criteria
o Grammar & Spelling-5
o Content-5
o Presentation-5
Gearing Up and Down:
Students who are high Ability or above grade level.
o After students have completed RAFT ask students to group together to create a readers
theatre where their writing is played out. Ask them to practice and then they will present.
Students with IEP, disabilities, below grade level, special needs, etc.
o Work in teacher groups to help students to brainstorm ideas for writing.
o Allow students to be paired with 2 other students when presenting.