LINCOLN AND THE ABOLITIONISTS:  A PRESS CONFERENCE IN LATE 1864

TEACHER DIRECTION PAGE  

Using resources from the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS this learning activity will use LOC and other resources to instill within students a deep understanding of the cooperation of President Abraham Lincoln and African-American leaders in the 1860's to make things better for slaves and free-men/women as well as eventual freedom for all slaves.

By Howard Taylor, Former Gifted Education Teacher

Click Here for Materials     Click Here for Standards    Click Here for Process Assessment Rubric &

Here for Product Assessment Rubric        Click Here for the EIU Primary Sources Learning Experiences

INCLUDED IN THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE THE STUDY OF LOC IMAGES AS WELL AS THESE PEOPLE:

CLICK EACH IMAGE TO VISIT THE HOST IMAGE SITE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION

IMAGE STUDY

The theme of this learning experience is the "relationship" of President Lincoln within his own White House to African-American abolitionist and human rights representatives, as listed to the right.

Students will analyze the images  of Lincoln with Tubman, the slave walking along (escaping), and Douglass' last seeing of his mother.

The "More You Look" image evaluation form will be used in analyzing these images:

Click Here for the Form

Students will select an image from the selection at right (1-8) and fill out the form with responses.

The Form includes these image analysis considerations:

1.  What I see-- visual description of clothing, scenery, subject, mood, action or stillness, artistic characteristics

2.  What I infer-- the subject content must be considered with "prerequisite" knowledge from the slavery timeline.  Why is the person looking the way he/she looks? what is going on?  What does the title of the image have to do with its' meaning?  What do you think the image represents--in your own words?

3.  What do I need to Investigate?

The images will stimulate the student to want to know more.  The students will use the provided questions for each press conference participant, and seek answers from the narrative writings provided. 

NARRATIVE STUDY

Using actual LOC and other resource primary documents, the students will derive answers to questions for learning about the persons in our press conference.  The documents can be read in actual handwriting, or in transcribed form, when available. 

The following educational considerations will be included in this reading/comprehension in this component of the learning experience:

Lincoln Autobiography

America's Story:

Abraham Lincoln

Harriet Tubman

Frederick Douglass

Other Resources:

Sojourner's Amazing Life

Life & Times of Frederick Douglass' Life

Frederick Douglass National Memorial Museum

Harriet Beecher Stowe Biography

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center & Library

 LWLI EDUCATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS (ON SEPARATE FORMS):

• What Lincoln Thought of Slavery Advanced Activity

• Differentiation Possibilities

• Learning Standards

• Materials & Resources

THE PRESS CONFERENCE DRAMA--step-by-step directions for the teacher (facilitator)

1. Have all students review the PBS Slavery Timeline before entering this learning experience.

2. Organize students into small groups and allocate a topic for each to research from the list of persons in the press conference activity:  conference announcer, moderator (Sec. of War, Edwin Stanton, President Lincoln, Tubman, Truth, Douglass, and three reporters to ask questions.

3. An outline-script must be made up for the moderator, who will keep the Press Conference flowing smoothly.

4. Students will answer a series of questions about each of the persons in our study.  The answers can be derived from the narrative autobiographical and other resources listed in the narrative section (also in the materials section).

5. After answers are located and written by student groups a "script" must be written out in final form (answers for each question to be asked by the reporters.

6. Each group should come up with at least one person to represent the person in the press conference.  All in the group should help in planning costume, make-up, special effects and whatever will make the "person" look realistic.  Additional research on the Internet or in books could be done by the group to find more images to view for different pictorial viewpoints.

7. A first rehearsal, dress rehearsal and final production should be done.

8. For the final production, a special location, guests to watch, and background decorations-- posters, name tags on table top, and a formal announcer to introduce the moderator who will take over on the production. 

9. Video taping or digital recording would be great so participants and teacher/facilitator could see the final production.

SPECIFIC DRAMA TIPS & QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED BY THE REPORTERS--CLICK HERE