Interactive Whiteboard Activities

The Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery

With this interactive slideshow, students follow the path of a slave in 1860 as he courageously travels the Underground Railroad to freedom.

  • Grades: 3–5, 6–8, 9–12

With Scholastic’s “The Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery” (grades 4-12), students travel back to 1860 to follow a young slave as he flees a Kentucky plantation for Canada along the Underground Railroad. The interactive slideshow (with audio) lets students read a short article at each stop. They can click on accompanying images to read pop-ups with more information.

In this compelling online activity, students get a unique, first-hand account of what life was like for slaves, encounter the dangers of the Underground Railroad, meet brave abolitionists who helped runaways, and compare life in the North and South.

  • On the Plantation: Here, students “meet” Walter, a young slave sold to a plantation in Kentucky.
  • Escape!: Walter sneaks away during the night, headed for the Ohio River. He runs all night and hides during the day.
  • Reaching Safety: Walter crosses the Ohio River, encountering a family in Ohio who has helped many slaves. They put him up and plan his route to freedom in Canada.
  • Reaching Freedom: With help from more abolitionists, Walter passes through Cleveland, his last stop before crossing Lake Erie to Canada. 
  • Tell the Story: In this writing activity, students imagine themselves as slaves in 1870 and answer a set of questions about their journey on the Underground Railroad. Students can read actual interviews with former slaves for more research and inspiration.

  • Subjects:
    Civil War Period and Reconstruction, American Civil War, Civil Rights, Slavery, Underground Railroad, Abolition, Content Area Reading, Independent Reading, Reading Comprehension, Reading Response, Listening and Speaking, Research Skills, Creative Writing, Letter Writing, Nonfiction Writing, Writing Prompts, Civics and Government, Communities and Ways of Life, Geography and Map Skills, African American, Maps and Globes, Historic Documents, Historic Figures, Women's History and Experience, Individuals, Groups, Institutions, Tolerance and Acceptance, Black History Month, Women's History Month, Prejudice and Tolerance Experiences, Communication and the Internet, Computers, Teaching with Technology
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Supporting Resources

The Underground Railroad Teacher's Guide

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