Lesson Plan - Tracing Abolitionist Movements in North Carolina

A Lesson Plan for Grades 11-12 U.S. History

By Jennifer Job, School of Education, UNC-Chapel Hill

Students will show an understanding of the debate over slavery in North Carolina and locate the major areas of the abolitionist movement in the state. Students will express an understanding of the major figures of the movement using presentation software skills.


Detail of Quaker communities from Map to accompany Weeks' Southern Quakers and slavery, 1896.

Time Required: Two 90-minute class periods

Materials and Resources:

  • Answer Sheet (.pdf)
  • Server space or electronic drop box to turn in the final product

  • Teacher Instructions:

    1. This lesson is meant to accompany instruction on the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement.
    2. Ask students to open the PowerPoint (.ppt) on their computers.
    3. Explain to students that they will read the first half of the PowerPoint and then work on the last four slides in order to show their understanding.
    4. When students have completed work on the PowerPoint, make sure that they save the file in the following format: last name_first initial.antislavery.ppt to ensure that you know whose work is whose. If you are worried about space constraints, you may ask students to cut and paste the final four slides into a new presentation to turn in.
    5. Ask students to turn in the PowerPoints electronically, either through their server space, drop box, or email.
    6. Discussion of the elements should follow completion of the presentations. Have two or three students who volunteer show their presentations to the class. Discuss how their answers differ from other students' choices.

    Assessment Activity: The Answer Sheet (.pdf) acts as a rubric for the presentations. In addition, you may wish to quiz students on their knowledge of Levi Coffin and the North Carolina Underground Railroad to make sure they have read the first section of the PowerPoint.


    North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

    2.05: Identify the major reform movements and evaluate their effectiveness.

    2.06: Evaluate the role of religion in the debate over slavery and other social movements and issues.