Imagine You're A Slave

When learning about the Civil War and slavery, I found that many students don't really grasp the concept of how hard it was for the slaves. If students don't understand how harsh slavery is, then how can they truly understand the importance of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement? How do we teach such a concept without going into too much detail for the elementary level? One book, "Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" by Deborah Hopkinson is a very nice picture book on the elementary level. It's the story of a girl named Clara who finds her way to the Underground Railroad. A good follow up to this book or any lesson about the Underground Railroad is a visit to the National Geographic Website. They have pictures, sounds and a journey with a slave to the Underground Railroad. This website is a great reference for kids to learn about the Underground Railroad. click the link to take the journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad.