Primary Sources, Student Activities, Teacher Reference Materials
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
- State Standards:
- Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for History and Social Science
Grade 5: Topic 1 (5.T1) #7 - B, C, D. Topic 5 (5.T5) #1
Grade 5: Reading Informational Texts (RI) #2, #7
Grade 5: Writing Standards (W) #1
Students use primary and secondary sources to explore the life of Rose, an enslaved and later free woman in Salem. Her story is representative of the experiences and history of gradual emancipation in Massachusetts.
The activity may be used alone or as part of a series to examine the history of slavery in Salem.
1. What can we learn about the lives of enslaved people from primary sources?
2. Who were the enslaved people in Salem?
Procedure
- Students are introduced to the differences between primary and secondary sources. (See the vocabulary in Student Materials - Graphic Organizer for definitions.)
- Students explore secondary sources: two short articles and a short film.
- A Woman Named Rose (5-minute film and article)
- Why Rose Matters (short article)
- Gradual Emancipation (3-minute film)
- Students examine primary source documents (Student Materials).
- Students complete graphic organizer and guiding questions.
A Note on Language
Over the course of American history, the language used to describe Black people has changed and most likely will continue to change. Be sure to discuss with students that some of the primary sources use outdated terms as well as racist and offensive language to describe Black people. We recommend developing a plan or guidelines to ensure a respectful, reflective classroom discussion.A Note on Transcriptions
The primary source transcriptions included in "Student Materials" are heavily modified for length and clarity. We have worked to keep the documents representative of their original versions. You can find original transcription in "Teacher Materials."Materials
Student Materials: primary source documents and a graphic organizer.
Teacher Materials: original transcriptions of primary sources.
Last updated: January 30, 2023