Freedom Trial Teacher Guide Teacher Guide & Lesson Plan
Freedom on Trial
Grade 3
History & Civil Rights
Lesson Big Idea
Laws should protect fairness and freedom for all people. In 1857, an enslaved man named Dred Scott went to court to ask for his family's freedom. The court's unfair decision changed American history.
Estimated Time
Duration: 60 - 90 MinutesFormat: Small Group or Whole Class
Objectives
• Describe who Dred and Harriet Scott were and why they sued for freedom.
• Identify key terms including enslaved, freedom, court, and unfair .
• Connect historical decisions to the concept of fairness and equal rights.
Historical Context
Third graders learn about rights and responsibilities. This lesson simplifies the complex 1857 Supreme Court ruling down to foundational ideas: fairness, the power of laws, and how citizens stood up for what was right even when the legal system failed them.
Pacing Guide
1
Hook & Concept of Fairness (10 mins)
Ask students: "What does it mean when a rule is unfair? Have you ever had a rule that felt unfair?" Transition: "Long ago, there were laws in America that were extremely unfair to Black people, which led a brave family to court."
2
Guided Reading: The Story of Dred Scott (20 mins)
Read the simplified story aloud or in partners. Focus on key historical details: Dred and Harriet's journey into free territories, their decision to sue, and the Supreme Court's heartbreaking ruling. Use the visual timeline to anchor dates.
3
Graphic Organizer & Vocabulary Activity (25 mins)
Have students work independently or in pairs to complete the Dred Scott Explorer Activities sheet, defining vocabulary and filling out the cause-and-effect map of the court case.
4
Discussion Circles & Assessment (20 mins)
Distribute the Discussion Cards . Have students speak in pairs about what they read. Conclude the lesson with the 10-question multiple-choice quiz to check for reading comprehension.
Unit: Freedom on Trial Page 1 of 2 Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Teacher Guide & Answer Keys
Assessment Guide
Grade 3
Answer Master
10-Question Quiz Key
1. B - Enslaved people2. A - A territory where slavery was not allowed3. C - They were taken to a free state and territory4. B - Ask a court of law for freedom5. D - The Supreme Court6. A - Roger B. Taney7. B - Enslaved people were not considered citizens8. C - Many people became angry and fought harder9. D - An abolitionist family bought their freedom10. A - He is remembered as a brave civil rights hero
Vocabulary Key
1. Enslaved ➔ Forced to work without freedom or pay.2. Court ➔ A place where judges decide legal cases.3. Territory ➔ An area of land that is not yet a state.4. Supreme Court ➔ The most powerful court in the United States.5. Citizen ➔ A legal member of a country with rights and protection.
Context Clues Answers
1. Supreme Court Enslaved Court
Graphic Organizer Exemplars
Cause & Effect Map:
Cause 1: Dred and Harriet Scott lived in Illinois and Wisconsin (free land).Cause 2: They sued in court for freedom because they had lived on free soil.Effect: The Supreme Court ruled unfairly, saying they could not be citizens.
Short Answer Exemplar:
"Dred Scott went to court because he and his family lived in places where slavery was against the law. He believed living in a free state meant they should be free. The passage says he asked the court for his family's freedom."
Teacher Facilitation Tips
Scaffolding (Struggling Readers)
Read the text chorally or use a whisper-read model. Emphasize visual indicators on the simplified timeline. Provide sentence starters for short-answer prompts: "Dred Scott sued for freedom because..."
Extension (Enrichment)
Encourage fast-finishers to research how people across the country reacted to the decision. Have them write a mock newspaper editorial voicing their feelings about the court's historic choice.
Unit: Freedom on Trial Page 2 of 2 Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Dred Scott Story Handout Name: ______________________
Date: ______________ Class: _________
Historical Read-Aloud
The Story of Dred Scott
A brave family's fight for fairness and freedom in America
Long ago, before the Civil War, America had a system called slavery . Slavery meant that some people, who were Black, were forced to work for other people without any pay or freedom. They were called enslaved people . It was a very unfair and painful time in our country’s history.
An enslaved man named Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet Scott , lived in Missouri, a state that allowed slavery. However, their owner took them to live in Illinois and Wisconsin. In these places, slavery was against the law . Because they had lived on free soil for several years and had two daughters, they believed they should legally be free.
In 1846, Dred and Harriet did something incredibly brave. They went to a local court in St. Louis, Missouri, to sue for their freedom. This began an 11-year legal battle! At first, they actually won their case in a local Missouri court in 1850. However, the owners appealed, and the Missouri Supreme Court took their freedom away again in 1852. Dred Scott did not give up. He took the fight to a federal court in 1854, and finally to the highest court in the nation: the U.S. Supreme Court .
In March 1857, the Supreme Court made an unfair and historic ruling. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney declared that Black people—whether free or enslaved—were not citizens of the United States and therefore had no rights in court. Furthermore, the court ruled that Congress had no power to ban slavery in new territories, making older laws like the Missouri Compromise illegal.
This terrible decision shocked and angered millions of people across the country. It made the conflict over slavery even stronger. But how did Dred Scott finally get his freedom? The answer lies with the Blow family . Peter Blow was Dred's original owner from his childhood. Peter's children, who had grown up with Dred and did not support slavery, funded and paid for Dred's expensive legal battles. Just a few months after the Supreme Court's ruling, in May 1857, Taylor Blow bought the Scott family’s freedom and officially set them free.
Although Dred Scott lived for only one more year as a free man before passing away, his brave 11-year court battle became a giant spark that helped lead to the Civil War and, ultimately, the end of slavery for everyone.
Key Milestones in the Scott Case
1846 Trial Begins
Dred & Harriet sue in St. Louis court.
1850 First Victory
Dred Scott Explorer Activities Name: ______________________
Date: ______________ Class: _________
Vocabulary & Context Clues
Dred Scott Explorer: Part 1
Activity A: Match the Words!
Draw a line or write the letter of the correct kid-friendly definition in the space provided.
1. Enslaved
____
A. An area of land that is not yet a state.
2. Court
____
B. Forced to work without freedom or pay.
3. Territory
____
C. A place where judges decide legal cases.
4. Supreme Court
____
D. A legal member of a country with rights and protection.
5. Citizen
____
E. The most powerful court in the United States.
Activity B: Context Clues!
Fill in the blank using the correct vocabulary words from above.
1. The highest and most important court in our country is called the . They make final decisions about what laws mean.
2. Dred and Harriet Scott were people, meaning they were owned by another person and did not have their own rights or freedom.
3. They took their case to a local , hoping the judge would agree that living on free land meant they were free.
Unit: Freedom on Trial Vocabulary & Context Clues Worksheet (Page 1) Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Name: ______________________
Date: ______________ Class: _________
Cause-and-Effect Map & Short Answer
Dred Scott Explorer: Part 2
Activity C: Cause and Effect Flowchart
Fill in the blank boxes in our courtroom flow map with the correct causes and effects from the reading passage.
Cause
Dred and Harriet Scott lived in places like Illinois and Wisconsin where slavery was against the law.
Step 1
Action (Student Writes)
Step 2
Effect (Student Writes)
Step 3
Activity D: Write & Cite Evidence
Question: Why did Dred and Harriet Scott believe they should be declared free? Use at least one detail from the story handout to explain your answer.
Start writing here...
Unit: Freedom on Trial Graphic Organizer & Short Answer Worksheet (Page 2) Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Dred Scott Quiz Worksheet Name: ______________________
Date: ______________ Class: _________
Reading Comprehension Check
The Dred Scott Decision Quiz
Directions: Read each question carefully. Fill in the bubble or circle the letter of the best answer choice.
1 What was slavery in America long ago?
A A game that children played
B A system where people were forced to work for no pay
C A type of school for lawyers
D A travel club across territories
2 What does "free land" or a "free territory" mean in the story?
A A place where slavery was not allowed by law
B A park where people could camp for free
C An empty forest with no homes
D Land that did not cost any money to buy
3 What did Dred Scott's owner do that was important to his case?
A He taught Dred Scott how to write laws
B He gave Dred and Harriet their freedom right away
C He took them to live on free land in Illinois and Wisconsin
D He asked Dred to travel to Europe to buy a home
4 What does it mean to "sue" in a court of law?
A To build a new courtroom out of wood
B To ask a judge or court to solve a legal problem
C To buy freedom with a lot of gold coins
D To argue with a family member in private
5 Which court made the final decision about Dred Scott's case in 1857?
A The State Court of Wisconsin
B The local town hall meeting
C The City Court of Chicago
D The Supreme Court of the United States
Unit: Freedom on Trial Quiz Worksheet (Page 1 of 2) Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Name: ______________________
Date: ______________ Class: _________
Reading Comprehension Check
The Dred Scott Decision Quiz
Directions: Continue answering the questions. Ensure your choices are clearly circled.
6 Who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who made the decision?
A Roger B. Taney
B Dred Scott
C George Washington
D Harriet Tubman
7 What main reason did the Supreme Court give for ruling against Dred Scott?
A Dred Scott arrived late to the courtroom
B They ruled that enslaved people were not citizens and had no legal rights
C The Scotts did not have a lawyer to speak for them
D They decided Illinois was not actually a free place
8 How did people across America feel about the Supreme Court’s decision?
Dred Scott Discussion Cards Cooperative Learning Activity
Partner Discussion Cards
Directions for Teachers: Cut along the dashed lines to make 8 discussion cards. Have students work in pairs or small groups to discuss these thoughts.
Prompt 1
The Brave Case
Why did Dred Scott go to court? Do you think he was brave? Why or why not? Use details from the story.
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 2
Fairness vs. Law
Can a law or a rule be unfair? What should citizens do if they think a rule is unfair?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 3
The Power of Allies
How did a friendly family help Dred and Harriet Scott? Why is it important to help others stand up for their rights?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 4
What is a Citizen?
What is a citizen? Why is it important for every person to have the rights and protections of a citizen?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 5
The Long Fight
Dred Scott fought in court for 11 long years! Why do you think he did not give up? What would you do?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 6
School Rules
If you saw an unfair rule in your school or classroom, how would you try to change it in a peaceful way?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 7
Remembering Heroes
Why do we still study Dred Scott today, even though the Supreme Court made an unfair decision?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Prompt 8
Our World Today
How did Dred Scott’s brave fight help make the United States a fairer and more equal place for everyone today?
Freedom on Trial • Grade 3
Unit: Freedom on Trial Discussion Cards Printable Historical Civil Rights (Grade 3)
Freedom on Trial Slides Grade 3 History
Freedom on Trial
The Story of Dred and Harriet Scott
Unit 1: Civil Rights Slide 1 of 8
Warm-Up Discussion
What is "Fair"?
Have you ever seen an unfair rule? How did it make you feel?
Today, we will learn about a family that went to the highest court in America to fight against a rules system that was extremely unfair.
Concept Connection Slide 2 of 8
Who Were They?
Meet Dred & Harriet Scott
Dred and Harriet were enslaved Black people. Under slavery, they were forced to work with no pay or freedom.
They lived in Missouri, but their owner moved them to Illinois and Wisconsin, where slavery was against the law .
A Brave Couple
They wanted their two daughters to grow up free and safe.
The Story Slide 3 of 8
The Courtroom Fight
11-Year Battle
First sued in St. Louis in 1846, won in 1850, but lost it in 1852. They never stopped fighting!
Suing in Multiple Courts
Dred and Harriet argued that because they had lived on free soil, they should be declared free.
After losing in the Missouri State Supreme Court, they took their fight to a Federal Court in 1854, and finally to the U.S. Supreme Court!
The Story Slide 4 of 8
The Ruling
The Supreme Decision (1857)
Chief Justice Roger B. Taney ruled against the Scott family.
The court declared that Black people could not be citizens of the United States. They also ruled that Congress had no power to make laws banning slavery in new territories, sparking nationwide outrage.
The Decision Slide 5 of 8
Freedom At Last
The Helpful Blow Family
How did they finally get free? The children of Dred's original childhood owner, Peter Blow, supported the Scotts and paid their heavy legal bills.
In May 1857, Taylor Blow bought the family's freedom and officially set them free. They were finally free citizens!
American Heroes
Dred Scott lived as a free man for one year. His bravery lit the spark that ended slavery.
The Legacy Slide 6 of 8
Visual History
Dred Scott Timeline
1846
Trial Begins
Dred & Harriet sue in St. Louis court.
1850
First Victory
A local court rules that they are free.
