Prudence Crandall The Forbidden Schoolhouse Lesson Activities

This packet is complete with activities that look at the Prudence Crandall and her famous school for “misses of color” in 1830s America. What better way to encourage students to reflect on how Prudence Crandall made an impact on American lives than with The Forbidden Schoolhouse?

At a time when ladies were not even allowed to attend town meetings, Prudence Crandall stood up to an entire town in order to teach young African-American girls in her boarding school. Her entire fight from the beginning of her school to the end and her final vindication with the people of a small rural town in Connecticut is chronicled in this 126-page historical nonfiction book by Suzanne Jurmain, who read about Crandall as a child and has been in awe of her extraordinary courage to fight for the rights of others ever since.

This packet includes comprehension questions and vocabulary handouts arranged by chapter. Also included are an extensive final assessment and an internet research activity, writing prompts and writing rubric are also included.

These activities are scaffolded and differentiated: teacher decides on groupings for reading the text, analyzing the text, decides the extent to which the text will be explored. The whole class might read together or small groups might work together, presenting chapter answers as the reading continues. Vocabulary worksheets can be divided by groups and definitions can be supplied to differentiate. Teacher determines whether the test will be taken open book or open notes, or not.

Duration depends on teacher objectives: usually one to two weeks, or more if students are responsible for coming up with their own working definitions.

Kid tested, teacher approved. Yours from Paradise Unlimited New England!