Section 3: Abolitionists & Freedom Fighters

**Subject:** History | **Grade:** 5

## Overview
Visual timeline-based biography collection of Black leaders, legends, and cultural figures from ancient Africa to present day

## Source Text Excerpt
Lewis  

Howard Latimer An inventor, engineer, and writer, Lewis Howard Latimer was a key figure in the development of some of the most revolutionary inventions of the 19th century. Though the importance of
his work is often overlooked, his contributions
have changed the way people live today. Telephone After inventing the first working telephone, Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell asks Lewis to assist him on the patent application for his invention.
Lewis creates the drawings required to receive the patent for it. New job Lewis and his family move to Connecticut, where he meets American-born inventor Hiram Maxim. Impressed by his drafting skills, Hiram offers Lewis a draftsman job at his Electric Lighting Company. Carbon filament While working at the Electric Lighting Company, Lewis sees a way of improving American inventor (and Maxim’s rival) Thomas Edison’s light bulb. Lewis invents and patents the carbon filament, which allows the bulb to last longer than it did with the paper filament that Edison’s design used. Author Lewis writes the first book on electric lighting, Incandescent Electric Lighting. On top of his daily work, he teaches technical drawing to immigrants and helps establish the Unitarian church in Flushing, New York. Working for Edison Following the success of his carbon filament creation, Lewis is hired by Edison’s Electric Light Company. He is employed as both a draftsman and an expert on the patents of electric lights. He later becomes chief draftsman at the company. Edison Pioneers At the age of 70, Lewis becomes a member of the Edison Pioneers, a highly prestigious and selective group composed of employees of Thomas Edison. He is the first and only African American to join the organization. 1876 1880 1881 1890 1883 1918

African Americans and the
US Civil War From 1861 to 1865, the US Civil War raged between northern and southern states over the question
of slavery. Despit

## Learning Objectives
- Master the concepts in this section
- Apply skills through hands-on activities
- Demonstrate understanding through projects

## Activities


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*Source: Leaders, Legends, Legacies: Timelines from Black History*

👩‍🏫 Teacher’s Guide — Section 3: Abolitionists & Freedom Fighters

Lesson Plan at a Glance

• Topic: Section 3: Abolitionists & Freedom Fighters
• Grade: 5 | Subject: History | State: OK
• Reading: Textbook: Leaders, Legends, Legacies: Timelines from Black History, Section 3
• Suggested Pacing: 4 sessions × 45 min (Read → Narrate → Activity → Notebook)

Teaching Sequence

1. Read Aloud the assigned text; have student narrate back in their own words.
2. Big Idea to Land: Core concept of this lesson.
3. Cover These Sections: (see student content for section headings)
4. Do a Hands-On Activity from the list — concrete experience before abstract.
5. Notebook: Student completes journal entry recording observations.
6. Review: Ask discussion questions orally; finish with review questions.

Discussion Questions (with what to listen for)

• Q: Whose perspective is missing from this account? (Listen for awareness of multiple perspectives.)
• Q: What caused this event? What were the effects? (Listen for cause-and-effect chains.)
• Q: How is this similar to/different from today? (Listen for historical connections.)

Vocabulary to Define Together

Materials to Gather

• Notebook/journal
• Writing utensils
• Textbook: Leaders, Legends, Legacies: Timelines from Black History
• Map/globe (for history/geography)
• Basic lab supplies (for science)

Standards Covered

Watch For (Common Misconceptions)

• Confusing mass with weight — use the Moon example consistently.
• Skipping narration — oral retelling is where retention happens; don’t skip it.
• Activity without notebook — the journal entry IS the assessment; don’t separate them.
• Lecturing instead of questioning — aim for 80% student talk, 20% teacher talk.

Differentiation

• Struggling: Provide sentence frames for narration; allow oral responses.
• Advanced: Add extension question: “How would this change if…?”
• ELL: Pre-teach key vocabulary; use visual aids and sentence frames.

Assessment Look-Fors

• Accurate narration with key vocabulary
• Notebook entry shows observation + reflection
• Map/timeline entry accurate
• Discussion participation with evidence
• Project completion with explanation