Set up the classroom like a forest. Place random objects throughout the room. Use soft objects, such as beanbags and chairs. Do not use anything that will cause the children to injure themselves if they bump into it. Turn the lights off before the children return to the room. Open the shade so the room is not completely dark. Appoint one of the children as leader and advise the leader to get the children safely from one side of the room to the other. After the children make the journey though the room, explain to them the objects that they bumped into were similar to the obstacles that those on the Underground Railroad ran into. Explain to the children why it was important that the journey was traveled at night and the group stayed together and listened to the leader.
Give each child a picture of a bag. Have the children draw the items they would take on the journey inside the bag, or have them draw the items they think the people on the Underground Railroad took with them. Go over the items and explain which items the slaves carried with them. On the journey, the people took only what they could carry. Those helping the slaves escape to freedom provided the food, shelter and clothing along the way.
Divide the children into groups of 10. Give each group a puzzle. The puzzle should have no less than 10 and no more than 20 pieces. Give each child a piece of the puzzle. Have the children work together to put the puzzle together. After the puzzle is completed, explain to the children that the reason the Underground Railroad was successful was because of teamwork among many people. At various stops along the journey, people were waiting to care for the sick and tend to their needs. Because the slaves traveled at night, those willing to help would place lights in the windows to inform the slaves that they have found a rest stop. Share some of the songs and explain that songs were used as a code to direct the people where they needed to go.