For many, the concept of slavery is something that is relegated to another time or was a system practiced by former generations who were inexplicably cruel; however, The Rescue List demands that we grow our collective consciousness to include the realities of modern-day slavery and the global implications in today’s world.

This lesson offers an opportunity for students to critically consider the human rights implications of chattel slavery and of modern slavery by juxtaposing the experiences of the protagonists in The Rescue List with experiences of Frederick Douglass as shared in his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Through a guided analysis of the childrens’ experiences with slavery and abolition in present-day Ghana and Douglass’s 18th century experiences of slavery and abolition, students will be asked to think critically about the lasting legacy and persistence of slavery in order to imagine actionable alternatives.

In this lesson, students conduct a Socratic seminar in preparation for creating a plan of action to bring attention to the plight of children, families, communities, and nations directly impacted by the legacy of slavery, both now and then. Tens of millions of people around the world, including children, are forced to work as slaves. What can be done to help them?

This plan of action is malleable and will depend upon grade level and specific areas of impact, need, and/or interest in the school communities using this curriculum. The structured conversation that grows out of the Socratic seminar will help students ground their questions and proposed solutions in their written plans of action.

Note:

This lesson was a collaboration created by Vivett Dukes and a group of 7th grade student volunteers in Jamaica, NY.

OBJECTIVES

In this lesson, students will:

• Learn about the real-life implications of modern slavery;
• Assess and evaluate the events leading up to, and following, the rescue from slavery of the three protagonists on Ghana’s Lake Volta;
• Identify, reflect upon, write about, and discuss their own biases/ignorance regarding both present-day and historic slavery;
• Examine current human rights laws in order to identify flaws in, and create suggestions towards, improving the enactment of global human rights practices;.
• Respond verbally and in writing to a variety of questions varying in complexity (ex. recall, basic reasoning, analysis, synthesis, and interpretation)
• Exhibit and hone active listening skills by practicing question-based, class-wide discussion

Grade Levels: 7th grade - 12th grade

Subject Areas

Civics / Government

Earth Science / Ecology

English Language Arts

Humanities

Global History / Global Studies

U.S. History

Social Studies

MATERIALS :

• Film clips and equipment to project/screen the film clips
• Notebook
• Writing utensil
• Scholastic UPFRONT magazine articles about chattel and modern-day slavery.
• Student-generated, text-based open-ended questions (Depth of Knowledge - DOK - Level 1 through Level 4)
• Various supplementary reading materials

ESTIMATED TIME NEEDED:

Two to four 45-minute class periods (with optional homework in between)

PRIMER ACTIVITY:

Critical Quote Analysis

Choose from the quotes provided based on which are most appropriate for the grade level you teach and invite students to read and think carefully about the messages embedded in each.

Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.

— Frederick Douglass, 1845

The true character of society is revealed in how it treats its children.

— Nelson Mandela, 27 September 1997

I, too, live in the time of slavery, by which I mean I am living the future created by it.

— Saidiya Hartman, 2007, Lose Your Mother: A Journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route

You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.
— Angela Davis, 2014

You can’t ‘get over’ something that is still happening.
— Ijeoma Oluo, 2018, So You Want to Talk About Race

• Using big themes of education, history, responsibility, and possibility for change, ask students to spend a few minutes reflecting on what central message they take away from each quotation.
• Invite students to, in 2-3 sentences, describe that central message in their own words.
• Have students discuss their analysis in partners or pairs of three for a few minutes and prepare to share what their group discussed with the whole class.
• Students share their group discussions and engage in larger class discussion around realities of modern-day slavery.

PREPARING FOR THE RESCUE LIST

Students should have a working knowledge of slavery as they engage in this lesson.

KWL Activating prior knowledge and curiosity:

Using the KWL Handout Provided [Appendix A] ask students to fill in the K column by responding to the following prompt:

What I already know about slavery is:

Then, ask them to fill in the W column by responding to the following prompt:

What I want to know about slavery is:

Ask that they leave the Learn column empty for now.

Using teacher-selected texts to provide excerpts containing historical information regarding the atrocities associated with the Middle Passage and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the United States. As students read these excerpts and passages have them fill in the

Learn column of the K-W-L handout. Have a class discussion about what new information they learned regarding the experiences of those who were enslaved.

Keep in mind that the film clips that they will be viewing from The Rescue List will be covering topics related to:

• modern-day slavery, trafficking, and abolition
• educational inequity
• Trauma, healing, and community

During the viewing of “The Rescue List” they will use the knowledge in the Learned section as a lens through which to evaluate the atrocities of modern-day slavery depicted in the documentary and engage in further structured dialogue about the topic.

VIEWING FILM CLIPS:

Film clips provided in this lesson are from The Rescue List. Access the streaming clips for free on POV’s website by visiting www.pbs.org/pov/educators. You can request a copy of the full film for free from our DVD Lending Library by joining the POV Community Network.

*For additional engagement activities with film clips, see “Extension Activities & Scaffolding” on page 8.

ACTIVITY - SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Modern slavery: the recruitment, movement, harboring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation (Laurent, Salway, Such, 2017).

Step 1: Screen film clips and tell students they will be required to take notes during viewing. As students view clips from The Rescue List ask them to first make observations, to be as specific as possible about what they observe. After the initial screening, give students some time to write their observations in the form of questions. Remind them to be as specific as they can with the questions they develop as they will be what guide the activity. The questions should be of/about The Rescue List and about the themes and issues it brings up for them.

NOTE: If working with younger students, you may want to use writing prompts to scaffold students’ critical thinking skills (see sample provided on page seven).

SOCRATIC SEMINAR PREPARATION:
SUGGESTION: You might want to schedule Group A and Group B’s Socratic Seminars for separate class days to ensure that each group has ample time to engage.

REMINDER: Not all students have an easy time engaging in class-wide conversation. Rather than failing a student for not participating, consider offering an alternative assignment after the seminar for those who struggle with speaking in larger groups.

Step 1: Review with students that Socratic Seminars are question-driven discussions named after the philosopher Socrates who used questions to teach his students. In these discussions people don't talk over one another; they listen to each other's comments respectfully; they don't attack anyone's opinions and they agree to disagree. It is a model framework used for having difficult conversations.

Step 2: Split students into two groups. They will sit in concentric circles, with Group A sitting in the innermost circle, and Group B sitting in the outermost circle.

Step 3: Assign each person in Group B to a person in Group A. Tell students in Group B to sit directly behind their partners in Group A. Tell those in Group B that for the first round of discussion, it is their job to keep track of their partner’s comments, responses, and general approach to engaging in dialogue. Following this first discussion, those observing (Group B) will debrief and give constructive feedback about their partner’s participation.

Step 4: Pass out at least three strips of paper to each student in Group A and instruct them to write their names on each slip. When a student wants to make a comment, he or she must drop a slip of paper on the floor inside the circle. In order to get full credit for this activity, each student must use all of his/her/their slips. The goal is not to force participation, but to engage in a naturally-flowing, question-driven dialogue with their peers.

Step 5: Explain that you are a silent facilitator: students should not look to you for justification or a change of direction for the discussion. They are responsible for answering each of the questions, and they may not move on to a new question if the one at hand hasn't been thoroughly addressed. Remind them to refer specifically to the text, in this case, The Rescue List. Remind them that the goal is to deepen discussion and ask new questions.

Step 6: Pass out a list of open-ended questions that refer to the text of The Rescue List. Explain that only the people in Group A are allowed to speak during the discussion. Everyone in Group B must remain silent at this time. Some essential questions to considered are:

• How can learning about the past impact our present and future realities?
• What impact can personal accounts have on our understanding of an issue?
• What are some similarities between the Middle Passage and chattel slavery that took place in the United States and the modern-day enslavement of children taking place in Ghana? Discuss the physical and psychological damage done to children who are enslaved.
• Despite abolition, why does modern slavery persist? In what different forms does slavery exist today? (e.g. the school-to-prison pipeline).
• How does trauma incurred during childhood affect other developmental stages of one’s life?
• How have the love of money (greed) and the lack of money (poverty) caused humankind to commit egregious acts against its own race?
• Discuss friendship. In what ways can it be a source of healing?
• Is education a fundamental human right? Explain.
  

TIP: You might choose to offer a question to get the conversation started, or to assign a facilitator whose job it is to step in when the conversation needs extra support.

Step 7: Give the students a specific amount of time for the discussion, set a timer, and let them begin. Remind them that if they get stuck they can refer to the list of essential questions. Give them a 10-minute warning and a 5-minute warning.

Step 8: When the discussion is over, have students in Group B give constructive feedback to their Group A partners. Afterwards, you can share your overall feedback with your students in Group A.

Step 9: Repeat with Group B in the inner circle and Group A acting as observers in the outermost circle.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES & SCAFFOLDING

ENGAGING FILM CLIPS:

CLIP ONE: MY NAME IS EDEM

Optional Activity (Use for extension or scaffolding):

Comparative Analysis:

For younger students, or students working towards strengthening literacy skills, have them read The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton after viewing Clip 1: “My name is Edem;” and/or have them watch Frederick Douglass The Last Day of Slavery by William Miller. Ask them to consider the following questions as they read/view:

• What different ideas of slavery are expressed between texts?
• Is modern-day slavery described differently than chattel slavery?
• In what ways are they described similarly?
• Do any specific words, themes, or motifs occur across texts?

CLIP TWO: THOSE WE LEFT BEHIND

Optional Activity (Use for extension or scaffolding):

Gallery Walk:

Using stills from The Rescue List, print and tape those images on your classroom wall. Using images from the national archives, find images appropriate for your student community and for visual comparison (if any) and tape those images to your classroom wall alongside the stills from The Rescue List.

Ask students to note what strikes them visually. What is different? What is shared? What is included in the frame? What is not included in the frame? Why does that matter?

Use these visual images to spark a classroom dialogue about framing stories, historical narratives, and the power of images.

ENGAGING THROUGH REFLECTION AND WRITING:

Before viewing the film clips, pass out notecards to students and write some prompts on the board.

Suggestions for prompts:

The Rescue List opened my mind by:
While watching The Rescue List I felt connected to the characters because:

Something I admire about the characters in The Rescue List is: __________, because __________.

Immediately after viewing, give students time to sit quietly and reflect as they respond to one prompt on their notecards.

Digital engagement: Take photos of notecards and post them using the hashtag: #RescueListPBS

GLOBAL STUDIES / HUMAN RIGHTS ENGAGEMENT:

Before Viewing:

Post or pass out a copy of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and share information on what this declaration is, when it was established, and for what reasons it came into existence.

Review each Article in the Declaration.

After viewing:

Following each lesson plan clip or after a screening, have students respond to the following prompt:

1. “According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adhered to by members of the United Nations, the human rights I observed being violated in The Rescue List are:

HELPFUL SOURCES:

Douglass, Frederick, and William L. Garrison. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Wortley, near Leeds: Printed by Joseph Barker, 1846. Print.

Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. 2017.

Jones, Nikole- Hannah. The 1619 Project. The New York Times. 2019. Podcast.

Miller, William. Fredrick Douglass The Last Day of Slavery. 2016.

US Department of State. What Is Modern Slavery? Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

What is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Why Was it Created? Amnesty International

Zissou, Rebecca. Modern Day Slavery. 2018.

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING:

Challenging Heights

https://challengingheights.org/

Learn more about the work of Challenging Heights and the impact of the organization featured in The Rescue List.

US Department of State - Trafficking in Persons Report

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2019-Trafficking-in-Persons-Report.pdf

This report provides in-depth updates about the state of human trafficking worldwide, including in Ghana.

Global Slavery Index

https://www.globalslaveryindex.org

The 2018 Global Slavery Index provides a country by country ranking of the number of people in modern slavery, as well as an analysis of the actions governments are taking to respond, and the factors that make people vulnerable.

Youth for Human Rights

https://www.youthforhumanrights.org/

STANDARDS-ALIGNMENT

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3 9-10.3

Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6

Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6 - 11-12.6

Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.A

Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.B

Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g., informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.C

Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1.D

Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.

W.9-10.2d Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.

W11-12.2d Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary and techniques such as metaphor, simile and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.

W.9-10.4, 11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.

SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.

RL.11-12.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,

including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

RL.11.12.6 - Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

RI.11-12.6 - Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness or beauty of the text.

RI.11-12.8 - Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public.

W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

W.11-12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or

shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

SL.11-12.3. - Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.

SL.11-12.5. - Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and

interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vivett Dukes, M.A, is a New York State certified English Language Arts teacher, a teacher of English to New Learners, and a Literacy Specialist. She is a public speaker and advocate who writes a weekly education blog post for www.newyorkschooltalk.org and publishes the writings of men, women, and children impacted by the collateral consequences of mass incarceration on her personal blog www.speakyatruth.org.

This resource was created, in part, with the generous support of the Open Society Foundation.