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Follow The Drinking Gourd

Language: English

Runaway slaves journey north along the Underground Railroad by following directions in a song, “Follow The Drinking Gourd.” In the video LeVar celebrates the road to freedom paved by the Underground Railroad, introducing viewers to the history, heroes, stories and music of the African American culture, which emerged from slavery. Members of an a cappella group, Sweet Honey In The Rock, perform and share their historical knowledge of slavery.

Here are activities to do after watching this episode:

A Constellation Of Your Own

You will need:

  • Black construction paper
  • Self-stick stars


Your children will have fun re-creating a constellation they saw in the nighttime sky or creating a constellation of their very own by arranging self-stick stars on black paper. Remember, constellations can be people, animals, or objects. A white crayon can be used to write the name of the constellation. Encourage your children to make up a story about each constellation they create.

Star Gazing

Plan a family star-gazing party on a clear night when the moon is a small crescent. If you live in the city close to bright lights, find the darkest place you can for gazing.
Take along:

  • A star chart that is available in books and newspapers. This chart is a map of the sky and tells which constellations are visible and when.
  • A flashlight so you can see where you are going and can read your chart. If possible, cover the flashlight with red cellophane so your eyes won’t have to re-adjust every time you look up at the stars.
  • A notebook to write down the shape of the constellations you find and their names.
  • A blanket for lying on the ground.
  

African Animal Masks

African mask carvers often created masks that looked like animals. Masks would often resemble wild cats found in Africa, such as the lion, leopard or cheetah.

To make animal masks at home, you need:

  • paper plates
  • colored paper
  • crayons or markers
  • scissors
  • glue
  • craft sticks


Draw the face of an African animal or other animal on a plate. An adult can cut out holes for the eyes and nose. The mask can then be colored and paper scraps added for details. Glue a craft stick to the inside of the mask along the bottom to make a handle. Now your mask is ready to wear!

Check out some of these books on your
next trip to the library:

  • Shake It To The One That You Love The Best: Play Songs And Lullabies From Black Musical Traditions, collected and adapted by Cheryl Warren Mattox
  • A Picture Book Of Harriet Tubman by David A. Adler
  • Sweet Clara And The Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

READING RAINBOW has a resource library that includes teacher guide materials as well as reading programs for use in the public libraries. You can download these resources from GPN at:
www.gpnresources.com

If you would like more information about READING RAINBOW or if you would like to learn more about other educational products please visit the GPN web site.

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