Underground to Canada (Runaway to Freedom)
If you are doing a unit of slavery or the Underground Railroad, then the novel
"Underground to Canada" is one that will hold the students' attention throughout the unit.
This is the story of Julilly who was taken from the only mother she knew from the
plantation in North Carolina. She along with several other slaves were sold down South
to a plantation where the slaves were cruelly treated. This novel has been
republished under the name of "Runaway to Freedom".
Throughout the story of "Underground to Canada", Barbara Smucker paints a picture for
the students about slave life and the cruelty of some of the masters. The students become
aware of the Negro Spirituals and the codes the slaves used to guide them to Canada
using the North Star as their guide.
Your students will laugh and cry along with Julilly when reading "Underground to
Canada" and they will be on the edge of their seats as they read how the Abolitionists
helped hide the escaped slaves. They will rejoice when Julilly gets united with Mammy
Sally in St. Catharine's, Ontario.
Using the novel study guide for Underground to Canada is an excellent way to combine
Language Arts and Social Studies in your classroom. Although there are 10 activities for
Research included in the novel study guide, this novel lends itself to many more. The
guide contains teaching suggestions, questions for a response journal, vocabulary and
comprehension questions on every chapter.
There are 10 activities each for Creative Writing, Word Study, Literary Elements,
Grammar and Research. There are also teacher record keeping sheets and a tracking sheet
for the students. Of course, the guide contains the answers that you will need to correct
the students' work.
Sample pages from the novel study guide for Underground to Canada:
Comprehension
Chapter 1
1. What droned through the slave quarters of Jeb Henson's plantation?
2. Who was Julilly waiting for as she sat in her cabin doorway?
3. Why didn't Massa Henson like the song the slaves were singing?
4. How did Julilly get her name?
5. What were the slave cabins like?
6. What did Missy Henson say about the land?
7. What was the sign plastered on the court house door?
8. Why did Old John's hands tremble on the reins?
9. What did some of the slave owners say about Massa Henson?
10. What made Julilly's fears about slave traders go away?
11. What had happened to Julilly's daddy?
12. What three things did Mammy Sally tell Julilly to remember?
13. What was the place the slaves whispered about? Why?
Creative Writing
Activity 9
Identify a scene from the novel Underground to
Canada and rewrite it from the point of view of
another character.
For example, what would the scene be from
Simms point of view when he discovered that four
slaves had escaped.
Word Study
Activity 7
Write a synonym for each of the following words:
1. melody 6. oppressed
11. murmured
2. tote
7. smoothed 12. calloused
3. screeched 8. jogged
13. ambled
4. skimpy 9. whimpering
14. stifling
5. shaggy 10. appraised
15. weary
Literary Elements
Activity 2
Describe the original setting of the novel.
How did this setting influence the main characters
and their actions? Do you think the characters
would have acted the same if they were in a different
setting?
Give evidence from the novel to support your answer.
Grammar
Activity 5
Change the underlined adjective in each sentence to an
adjectival phrase:
1. James is an honorable boy.
2. These are brass candlesticks.
3. I like adventure stories.
4. We visited a Mexican seaport.
5. He has a valuable watch.
6. Make good use of your leisure time.
7. She wore a gold chain.
8. Paul drew a four-sided figure.
9. We have woolen sweaters.
10. The labeled jars were on the shelf.
11. We gave Mom some spring flowers.
12. An ambitious pupil will succeed.
13. Our house has a tin roof.
14. Phillip read a cowboy story.
15. A brick wall surrounds the yard.
Research
Activity 7
Who were the Quakers? What were the tenets of their
religion?
When and why did they come to the United States?
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