"Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt" Interdisciplinary Unit
By Cynthia Weeden

The lessons in this unit are to be used with a study on slavery. Through the literature, students will discuss slavery across the curriculum. The children’s book Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt introduces the audience to a young slave girl who learns to sew and creates a quilt that guides slaves to freedom. Depending on the skill level of the class, these lessons can be appropriate for grades two through eight.

Curriculum Standards

For a list of standards that this unit addresses, click here.

Materials Needed

• Internet Connection
• Copies, or copy, of Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
• Other materials in materials section for individual lessons

Time Required

Approximately five to ten class hours.

Lesson Plan Menu

Each of the following descriptions links to the corresponding lesson:

• Reading: Pass It Around
  Students will read children’s fictional books on slavery, including Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, after a preliminary discussion on the idea of freedom. They then will evaluate whether the book helps them understand the topic of slavery.



• Social Studies: Mapping out a Route to Freedom
  Students will learn basic parts of maps. They will have to interview classmates and draw a map without any street signs, etc.



• English: Five Senses of Slavery
  Students will compare and contrast slave housework to slave fieldwork. They will then use this information to describe how slavery feels to them so they can better understand why people like Clara wanted to run away.



• Science: Star Light, Star Bright
  Students will learn about the different constellations (star formations). They will plot a constellation, tell its history, and predict whether it would have been useful to slaves searching for freedom.



• Math: Quilting Geometry
  Students will learn about tangrams and their use in quilt making. They will produce their own quilts and discuss their reasons choosing their designs.

Cynthia Weeden is a teacher at Dardenne Elementary School in Missouri.