Connect students directly to the concept in a personal way. Capture students' attention by initiating a group problem-solving activity before delivery of instruction. Begin with a situation that is familiar to students and builds on what they already know. Construct a learning experience that allows diverse and personal student responses. Facilitate the work of cooperative teams of students.

Antebellum Society simulation, brainstorm reactions.

Objective: To create an experience to help students apprehend the impact of slavery on individuals living in southern antebellum society.

Activity: Involve students in a classroom simulation of a society based on slavery and conditions of inequality. 1) Before class scatter a large quantity of wrapped candy mints around the room to represent the wealth of the society within the classroom. They will be "harvested" and consumed by students. Some of the candy should be hard to reach imperiling the lives of those who might attempt to harvest it. 2) Play selected samples of plantation songs/spirituals as students enter the classroom. 3) Divide the students into the following groups representing various elements of antebellum society: a) plantation owner and his family, b) field slaves, c) household slaves, d) free blacks, e) abolitionist(s), f) Yeomen (white non-slave holding farmers), g) overseer(s) [to be selected by the Plantation Owner from among the Yeomen]. Apportion the students among the groupings such that the slave groups comprise the majority of the students. Select a small group to role play the plantation owner and his family. Assign them to a privileged space in the classroom to represent the "big house" and surrounding plantation. The Yeomen and free blacks should be confined to the perimeter of the classroom space to represent their relative status in antebellum southern society. The Yeomen should have a designated space to "harvest." Make sure their space is limited and supplied with relatively few pieces of candy. The space for free blacks should be far more limited and contain fewer pieces of candy. Select one or two students to role-play the overseer looking after the interest of the plantation owner. Also, select one or two students to observe the scene from the perspective of an abolitionist. 4) Initiate the simulation helping students assume their respective roles as the field hands "harvest the wealth of the plantation" under the watchful eye of the overseer and the household slaves serve the plantation owner and his family. The remaining groups enact their roles on the fringes of the classroom society. 5) Interact with role players as needed to encourage and sustain the experience. Monitor the emotional tone and note key events for the post-simulation de-brief. 6) After all the "wealth has been harvested," the candy should be collected into three piles of distinctly unequal portion. The largest pile should be before the plantation owner, the next largest should be before the Yeoman, and the smallest should be before the free blacks. The abolitionists do not share in the wealth. At this point, the plantation owner pays his overseer(s) and feeds his slaves. Encourage the students to eat of the fruits of their labor and enjoy. 7) Form reaction groups to brainstorm and record on newsprint a list of feelings and thoughts engendered by the experience. As each group reports out, post their responses.

Assessment: The degree of student involvement and the emotional response of the role players in the simulation. e.g., Did the mood among the slaves shift from laughter to somber, passive acceptance of their status in life or to violent rebellion? Did the overseer(s) assume a demanding, cruel demeanor?