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Mackenzie Aaron
English 302 Lesson Plan

Henrys Freedom Box

Grade: 3-5
Unit: Discovering the Underground Railroad and slavery
Objectives: The students will activate their prior knowledge of slavery and
what it mean to be a slave. Students will identify new information about the
journey of a slave and the Underground Railroad along with discovering the
feelings of being sold as a slave. They will make connection with the story
Standards: Students will participate in discussions and activities and
answer questions related to the book Henrys Freedom Box: A True Story
from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine.
Common Core:
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1- Ask and answer questions to
demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to
the text as the basis for the answers.
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.4- Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in a text,
distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7- Explain how specific aspects of
a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the
words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a
character or setting)
Materials:
o Book: Henrys Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
o Large Poster of classroom tree (attached)
o Leaf cut outs (attached)
o Freedom bird cut out (attached)
o Writing notebooks
o Art/coloring materials
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Duration: 65 minutes

Anticipatory Set: Before class put up a large poster of an empty tree on

one of the classroom walls. Ask students what they already know about
slavery and the Underground Railroad and record thoughts on the board.
Show students the cover of Henrys Freedom Box and ask them the
following questions:

o What do you see in this picture?

o Why do you think that the illustrator included these things in his
picture?
Write answers on the board.

Teaching: Input
Guided Reading of the story, Henrys Freedom Box: A True Story from
the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson while asking the
following questions throughout reading the book:

Pg. 3: Do you see those leaves blowing in the wind? They are torn from the
trees like slave children are torn from their families.
1 Why does Henrys mom say that slave children are like leaves?
Pg. 8: Free bird! Happy bird!
1 Do you think Henry wants to be like the birds?
Pg. 8: The leaves swirled in the wind.
1 Why do you think that the author tells us about the leaves here?
Pg. 16: Does Henry look happy here? Why not?
Pg. 21: Henry no longer sang. He couldnt hum.
1 Why cant Henry sing or hum anymore?
Pg. 24: Remember when Henry had to leave his family when he was younger
and he looked at the birds? What idea does he get when he sees this bird?
Pg. 29: How do you think Henry is feeling now that hes in the box?
Pg. 31: Someone might hear him.
1 What would happen if someone heard Henry?

Discussion: Ask students what they thought about the story and Henry.
Look back at the front cover of the book. Is there anything that you notice
about the cover that you didnt notice before? What do you think the birds
and the trees without leaves stand for?
Write on the board:
Birds stand for freedom
Trees with no leaves stand for family members who were sold

Activity:

1. Tell students that slaves lost both their family and their friends when
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the masters sold them.

2. Have students write a short paragraph about how they might be
feeling if were sold away from their family.
3. Give each student a leaf cutout (attached). Tell them to color in the
leaves and write down the names of their family and friends.
4. Bring the class back together. Ask students if they can be sold like
Henry or his family. Why not? Explain that since there is no more
slavery in the United States that leaves can stay on family trees.
Attach each students leaf to the branches of the class tree.

Closure: Have whole class discussion about ideas that were presented
within the story they read together. Also have students share their
paragraphs that they wrote about their families. Questions may be asked and
answered throughout the whole lesson.

Independent Practice: Tell students Since Henry didnt get to have a

birthday party when he was your age, tomorrow were going to have a party
to celebrate Henry. Give each student a freedom bird. Tell them that as a
gift to Henry they have to each go home tonight and write 1-2 things on the
bird that they get to do because they are free. They will do this in their
writing notebooks. In addition to this, students should feel free to decorate
the birds however they would like.

During the party tomorrow, each student will share one of the things they
can do because they are free and the freedom birds will be hung above the
classroom tree. Ask students: Did anyone come up with a reason you didnt
think about? Did anyone think of any other reasons that havent been
mentioned? Write any new reasons on extra freedom birds and hang them
up.

Attachments:
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Other Works by Ellen Levine:

Freedoms Children: A Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own
Stories

If Your Name Was Changed At Ellis Island

Catch a Tiger by the Toe

Up Close: Rachel Carson

The Journal of Jedediah Barstow: An Immigrant On The Oregon Trail

If You Traveled West In A Covered Wagon

If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad

If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King