Title:  Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

Grade Level:  Fourth grade

Subjects:  Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and Art

Learner Outcomes:

• The students will predict what the story will be about using the book cover.
• The students will read Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt and summarize the                sequence of events in the story.
• The students will analyze and discuss quilt patterns used as maps on the Underground   Railroad.
• The students will create a quilt square using geometrical shapes and name the square.
• The students will create a quilt square on a 5x5 inch piece of paper that represents them.
• The students will combine all of the quilt squares to create a class quilt.                      

Duration of Lesson:  2 hours plus at-home project

Materials:

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, computer, projection device, paper squares cut 5 inch by 5 inch, crayons, markers, triangles and shapes printouts, hole punch, yarn, family quilt checklist

Technology Tools/Courseware: Computer, projection device, PowerPoint, Windows Paint program, Internet access, printer,                                    

Teacher Notes:

Black History Month is February

Quilts were used as maps on the Underground Railroad helping slaves to escape to the north. Use Follow the Flying Geese: Underground Railroad Quilts website.

Students can work in pairs, small groups, or individually.

Procedures:

1. Introduce story by projecting the book cover (using PowerPoint) on a    projection device. Ask students what they think the story will be about. Have students describe what they see on  the cover.
2. Read aloud the story Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt.
3. Using the web site Follow the Flying Geese: Underground Railroad Quilts students will research patterns used in quilt making for the Underground Railroad.  The  teacher can print out these quilt patterns and copy them for students to use.
4. Give a pair of students a bag of geometrical shapes and have them create quilt square pattern and name them. See geometrical shapes printouts triangles (HTML or DOC) and shapes (HTML or DOC).
5. Glue geometrical shapes to paper square and write description on the back with the title of the pattern.
6. Give each student a paper square to decorate the square to represent their personality or what they like to do.
7. Hole punch the corners of each quilt square and tie all of the squares together to create a class quilt.

Modifications:
                       
Students can make their own geometrical shapes for their quilt squares.
Special needs students can be paired with higher level students.                           
Students who have difficulty with written language can excel in art and drawing.

Enrichment Activities:

1. Students can experiment with sewing pieces of fabric together using a simple slip stitch. Have several pieces of scrap fabric available. Also have available, if possible, examples of completed quilts or have students bring in quilts that they would like to share. Check the community to find quilters to come and speak to your class.
2. Using Windows Paint Program,  students can develop quilt patterns on the computer to design a "map" to their house or school.

Evaluation/Assessment:
                       

1. Assign to your students to create a family quilt using paper squares or fabric squares with fabric paint. Have the student make a quilt square for each family member that describes him or her. Family members may assist in the project by making their own squares. The student must make at least 4 out of a total of 9 squares. Students may make as many squares as they wish, but must have a minimum of 9 squares. Things to include are hobbies, vacations, important events in the family life, or other things that help describe their family.

 2. Students will present their family quilts to the class and explain each square and how it represents his or her family.

3. Use the checklist for family quilt evaluation.        

State Standards:

Reading Comprehension: 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.6, 4.1.9, 4.1.10, 4.1.12, 4.1.13
Listening/Speaking: 4.3.1
Social Studies: 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.7, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.4.4, 4.4.10, 4.5.8, 4.5.10, 4.5.12
Art: 4.2.4, 4.4.1, 4.4.3, 4.6.3
Technology: 4.2.1, 4.5.1

National Standards

Social Studies:
1. Understands family life now and in the past, and family life in various places long ago
2. Understands the history of a local community and how communities in North America varied long ago.
3. Understands the people, events, problems, and ideas that were significant in creating the history of their state.
6. Understands the folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the United States and how they helped to form a national heritage.

 

Art: 4:
Understands the visual arts in relation to history and cultures
                       
Reading:
5.  Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
6. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts
7.  Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts

Listening and Speaking:
8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes       

References: 
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt 

Follow the Flying Geese: Underground Railroad Quilts  triangles (HTML or DOC) and shapes (HTML or DOC) printout sheets

Web Site Resources
                        
Windows Paint Tutorial 

PowerPoint Tutorial

 

Amy Loftis
J.E. Robins Elementary
aloftis@kcs.kana.k12.wv.us

Overview	Lesson 1	Lesson 2	Lesson 3	Lesson 4	Lesson 5