Science: Star Light, Star Bright
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt Interdisciplinary Unit
By Cynthia Weeden

Overview

Taking an excerpt from the text where Clara focuses on the stars to guide her way north, teachers introduce the idea of navigating by the stars. Students will plot a constellation, tell its history, and predict whether it would have been useful to slaves searching for freedom.

Time Required

One class period.

Materials Needed

• Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
• Constellation Pictures
• Aluminum Foil
• Markers
• Index Cards
• Construction Paper

Anticipatory Set

Ask students if they’ve ever looked up in the sky and seen pictures mapped out by the stars. Tell them the most predominate star is the North Star. Inform them that runaway slaves were told if they followed the North Star they would reach Canada and be free. Tell students, "Today, we are going to look at different constellations (star formations) that may have also guided the slaves."

Procedures

1. Read Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt, focusing on page 12 where Clara asks her Aunt Rachel about Canada and the Underground Railroad and she points out the North Star to Clara. Later in the book, Clara finds her mom and they travel. When asked about which way to go, Clara points out the North Star.



2. Show students different constellations, such as the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, etc.



3. Have students get a piece of construction paper, index card, and aluminum foil.



4. Assign students different constellations and give them each the picture of their star formation. For constellations, see: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/.



5. Have students duplicate the pinpoint of the stars on their construction paper with pieces of aluminum foil rolled into a ball. After they finish their "dots," tell them to connect the dots with a marker.



6. Ask students to title their paper with the name of the constellation.



7. Then, have students write the origin of their constellation on an index card. Attach the index card to the construction paper and display.



8. Closure: Discuss with students why stars were important to the slaves and evaluate what might have happened if there were storms or the sky was cloudy.

Assessment

Grade constellations on their titles and the quality of the pictures, for instance, do they replicate the formations?

For Older Students

1. Introduce students to the concept of Orienteering or using a compass to navigate as an alternate method slaves could have used to travel the Underground Railroad when the stars "were not" out.



2. Take students out to the field with compasses. Have a scavenger hunt and see if students can make their way from point to point, finally reaching Canada.



3. In the debriefing of the exercise, discuss which method was easier for the slaves. What would be some disadvantages/advantages on using the North Star or compass directions as a guide to freedom? What factors precluded the slave from using compasses?

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