Lesson B-5
Anna Kingsley and Plantation Life
By Tammy Fiore, Medulla Elementary, & Angela Dunn, R. Bruce Wagner Elementary
I.
Lesson Summary
Summary
Anna Kingsley (full name Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley) was a thirteen-year-old African princess
who was purchased by Zephaniah Kingsley, a planter and trader, while he was in Cuba. He brought her
back to Florida, which was at the time a Spanish colony, in 1806. Kingsley later married Anna and in
1811 granted her freedom. Soon after Anna received her freedom, she moved off of Zephaniah
Kingsley’s land and established her own farm at Mandarin (in present-day Jacksonville) on five acres of
land across the St. John’s River from Laurel Grove. In order to establish her own agricultural business,
she owned 12 slaves and raised corn, poultry and other livestock. This venture was not successful and
she moved back to Kingsley’s plantation. Anna later became the manager of Zephaniah Kingsley’s
plantation, a position she held for twenty-five years.
Objectives
Students will:
1.) Become familiar with the events of Anna Kingsley’s life and legacy, and the impact and influence
that she had, by creating a timeline from childhood through death.
2.) Understand the import features of a plantation by creating a model of a plantation.
3.) Be able to describe the life of a plantation slave.
4.) Research Anna Kingsley’s life using the Internet and other resources.
U.S. History Time Period
This lesson focuses on the hundred years from 1775 to 1875. These lessons could be easily included as
part of a unit on slavery in America, or a Civil War unit.
Grade Level
Upper Elementary and Middle School.
Materials Needed
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Research Materials (Internet access, encyclopedias, books)
Four sentence strips per student (for time line)
Pencils, colored pencils
Pictures and diagrams of southern plantations
Ingredients and utensils for making crackers
Drawing paper
Lesson Time
This lesson will take approximately 6 class periods.
Classroom Setting
Cooperative Learning Groups
II.
Lesson Procedures
Day 1
1. Before the lesson, prepare a large K-W-L chart in the front of the classroom, or make a
transparency for projecting a K-W-L chart for all students to see.
2. Using Kagan strategy “Round Robin” each student team will brainstorm what life would be like for
a slave. Teacher writes student generated ideas into the “K” column of a KWL chart.
3. Fill in the “W” part of the KWL chart.
Day 2 and Day 3
1. In the computer lab/library students will research the life of Ann Kingsley and southern
plantations.
2. Students will then use sentence strips to make a time line and record the significant events of
Anna’s life, from slavery to death.
3. Students will use illustrations to add to the timeline.
4. Students will have one week to complete this assignment.
Day 4
1. Using research on the life of Anna Kingsley, the students will then make a circle map (see
“Activities” section) that defines the life of a slave.
2. Students will use their research to sketch a diagram of a southern plantation to use as a
reference for their project.
3. Complete KWL chart whole group. Fill in “L” column on KWL chart.
Day 5
1. Students will complete their sketch of the diagram of their plantation. During this time the teacher
should circulate giving feedback and suggestions if necessary. The students will then use this
diagram as a reference for their duplicate plantation. The plantation must be constructed on
project board and may be cut down to no less than 18 X 18. It must include a main house, slave
quarters, cooking houses, fields of crops, etc. They may use Popsicle sticks, pint sized milk
cartons, construction paper, etc. to construct the project. The students will have two weeks to
complete this project at home, but may bring it in early to be turned in or for teacher feedback or
suggestions (see Rubric in “Assessments” section).
Day 6
1. “Making Crackers” activity (see Recipe in “Activities”)
III.
Activities
“Making Crackers”
Slaves who worked in the main house, the home of the master, often were in charge of
cooking, cleaning, and looking after the children. “Soul Food” was derived from slave
cooking. Meals were cooked over open fires or barbecued in open pits because there were
few stoves, which the slaves didn’t use unless they were cooking for their masters.
Ingredients:
1 lb flour
1 c sugar
4 pinches of salt
½ stick of butter
½ c milk
Utensils:
Fork, spoon, bowl, measuring cups, rolling pin, cookie cutters (or glass), pastry board
and baking sheet.
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients together. Add butter and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the milk
until well mixed. Roll out dough on pastry board until flat and thin. Cut the crackers out using
a cookie cutter or glass turned upside down. Bake at 350* F until golden brown.
IV.
Assessments
Grading Rubric for Plantation Model
Points
Possible
Creativity
50
Accuracy
75
Labeling
50
Dimensions of Project w/ diagram attached
Turned in on Due Date
Points
Earned
25
50
Total
250 pts
Grading Rubric for Timeline:
Points
Possible
Creativity
15
Accuracy
50
Labeling (neatness)
25
Illustrations (neatness and color)
25
Turned in on Due Date
15
Total
Grading Scale for plantation project
250-225
A
224-200
B
199-175
C
174-150
D
149-0
U
130 pts
Grading Scale for Timeline
130-117
A
116-104
B
103-92
C
91-78
D
77-0
U
Points
Earned
V.
Resources
Web sites:
http://www.jacksonvillestory.com/Kingsley%20Plantation.htm
http://www.nps.gov/timu/education_guide/anna_kingsley/anna_kingsley_home.htm
http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2496/Anna_Kinsley_has_an_interesting_story
http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his311/notes/shafer.htm
http://www.jacksonvillestory.com/Celia's%20Family.htm
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/10379.shtml
http://greenlightwrite.com/kingsley.htm
http://www.amelianow.com/summer02-walls.htm
Books:
Slavery: A Thematic Unit pub. by Teacher Created Materials
Other Resources:
Kingsley Plantation: Teacher’s Guide and Educational Actives pub. by Timucuan National Preserve