The Underground Railroad: Navigate the Journey from Slavery to Freedom With 25 Projects

Description

Imagine leaving everything you've ever known-your friends, family, and home-to travel along roads you've never seen before, getting help from people you've never met before, with the constant threat of capture hovering over your every move. Would you risk your life on the Underground Railroad to gain freedom from slavery? In The Underground Railroad: Navigate the Journey from Slavery to Freedom, readers ages 9 to 12 examine how slavery developed in the United States and what motivated abolitionists to work for its destruction. The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses operated by conductors and station masters, both black and white. Readers follow true stories of enslaved people who braved patrols, the wilderness, hunger, and their own fear in a quest for freedom. In The Underground Railroad, readers dissect primary sources, including slave narratives and runaway ads. Projects include composing a song with a hidden message and navigating by reading the nighttime sky. Amidst the countless tragedies that centuries of slavery brought to African Americans lie tales of hope, resistance, courage, sacrifice, and victory-truly an American story.

Judy Dodge Cummings has taught American history for 25 years. She has a BA in Broadfield Social Studies and an MFA in Creative Writing for Children and Teens. She is the author of The American Revolution: Experience the Battle for Independence and Human Migration: Investigate the Global Journey of Humankind for Nomad Press. Judy lives in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Tom Casteel is an illustrator and cartoonist with a master's degree from the Center for Cartoon Studies. Tom has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including The Brain: Journey Through the Universe Inside Your Head; Cities: Discover How They Work; and Human Migration: Investigate the Global Journey of Humankind. Tom lives in South Bend, Indiana.

Praise for other books by Judy Dodge Cummings: The American Revolution: Experience the Battle for Independence Publishers Weekly "Readers can take a hands-on approach to learning about the American Revolution in this addition to the Build It Yourself series ... Cartoon illustrations and 25 activities create a lively learning experience ..." Children's Literature "... Readers will encounter a combination of learning tools that help shed light on the watershed events that embodied the American Revolution in this insightful book. This approach should appeal to readers and helps make this a fun book filled with multiple approaches to learning." School Library Journal "Featuring a lively page design, this volume asks readers a series of questions to prompt them to consider the American Revolution... Along with the standard textual information, pages are filled with sidebars, vocabulary words, and definitions, and QR codes that provide access to primary sources." Jamie Kallio, author and youth services librarian, Chicago, Illinois "A fresh look at a defining moment in American history. With its bright and colorful pages, active language, and interesting sidebars, The American Revolution asks pertinent questions and suggests hands-on activities to encourage young readers. Provides a full picture of the experience of American independence as our new country found its way." Jodi Baker, elementary teacher, adjunct professor, and educational consultant "This interactive book will captivate the imaginations of young readers. Hearing both sides of the story encourages students to think for themselves and reflect upon the historical causes and effects of the American Revolution." Claire Rudolf Murphy, author "The primary source material is exceptional, featuring the stories of not only colonial leaders, but also the often ignored people behind the scenes--the women, children, black slaves and Native Americans who also played a part. Cummings' clear explanations of events make this book a valuable addition to the study of the colonial period." From other titles in the Build It series: Praise for Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself The New York Times Book Review "... a fascinating gem of a book." Praise for Great George Washington Projects You Can Build Yourself Booklist Spotlight on Crafts Top 10 Pick "This very readable account of Washington's life is paired with appealing projects from the colonial period." Praise for Cities: Discover How They Work with 25 Projects Booklist "Propounding the emerging interdisciplinary paradigm of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and design, and mathematics), this hands-on informational book discusses how cities' complex structures and systems function together in an interdependent way... Basics of civil engineering are introduced and potential future problems of city life are explored. Through appealing illustrations, reader-friendly text, and fun, hands-on experiments suitable for home and classroom, Reilly helps foster an appreciation for the way that cities function almost as organisms with vibrant systems and interdependent structures."