Exploring Primary Sources:
In this lesson, students will explore primary sources to understand the American experience during The Civil War. Students will analyze three sources that give a glimpse of what The Civil War must have been like.
Goals & Objectives
Students will explain how the Civil War affected combatants and civilians
Students will analyze the letters of two Union Soldiers. One letter will be a first-hand account of the Battle of Shiloh, and another letter is a soldier describing how he misses his wife and how the war has kept them apart. The third letter is a letter is from nineteen-year old Fannie Courtney who was a southerner that sympathized with the Union even though she had relatives who had joined the Confederate Army. Her letter gives an account of the events of The Battle of Franklin.
Students will analyze the letters of two Union Soldiers. One letter will be a first-hand account of the Battle of Shiloh, and another letter is a soldier describing how he misses his wife and how the war has kept them apart. The third letter is a letter is from nineteen-year old Fannie Courtney who was a southerner that sympathized with the Union even though she had relatives who had joined the Confederate Army. Her letter gives an account of the events of The Battle of Franklin.
California State Content Standards
8.10.7 Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future warfare.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Driving Historical Question:
How did The Civil War affect American Lives?
Lesson Introduction :
To gain students interest and to access prior knowledge, they will be shown a crash course video that briefly describes the major battles of The Civil War. The video provides detailed information in a short time span as well as provide images such as photographs and paintings.
Vocabulary:
Sympathizer, Rebel, Confederate, secesh (abbreviate term for succession). The Teacher will go over the meaning of these words and give an example of how they are used in a sentence. Teacher will explain that the language of the time isn't grammatically correct as well.
Content Delivery:
The Teacher will ask students to do a think-pair-write share and ask, “What was life like during the American Civil War?” Students will write down their answers and share them with the class. Teacher will call on students to share with their classmates.
After think-pair-write-share, the teacher will lead a discussion about the significance of The Civil War. No other war since has ever been on American Soil. Besides the American Revolution, no war was as close to Americans as ever before. Soldiers on both sides would often desert their posts for a time to make sure they could continue to grow crops at home so their families could continue to eat while they were away fighting the war, and that these soldiers would come back. This is the one war where people where upfront and close with the action. The war wasn’t on another continent but in people’s backyards, almost literally.
The teacher will show images of The Civil War and describe how close in proximity the war was for Americans. The Civil War had put Americans against each other. Even family members became divided when members of the same family would fight on both sides of the war. Students would be asked how would they feel if one of their brothers or sisters fought on the side of the enemy?
Day 1: Students will be asked, “What was life like for Americans during The Civil War?” Students will examine the experience of people involved in The Civil War
The teacher will hand out the primary source documents and worksheet analysis form the students will be working from. Each letter has an annotation attached that gives a brief description of what the text is about and provides some context about who the person who is. The teacher will read this annotation while students follow along. Students will be placed into groups of three and analyze the primary sources as a group. The purpose of the assignment is to help students prepare for the summative assessment where they will either write a fictionalized journal entry or draw a picture of themselves along with images that help describe what experience that person is going through.
The teacher will take a look at one example and go over the first few sections of the analysis worksheet to model how to evaluate the primary source document. Teacher models how a “normal” person would read the text. Then the teacher would re-read parts of the text but this time like a historian would, noting out loud what to look for when examining historical texts. This helps students prepare to analyze the information. Students will be asked about the source of the document (Who wrote this? Why did they write it?)
Day 2: Students will complete a journal entry or self-portrait of themselves during the war. Students who complete a journal entry will write 3-4 paragraphs writing about their experience of the war from a perspective they chose: civilian (man or woman) or soldier. Students will create a fictionalize journal entry and will cite information that was compiled from the analysis worksheets.
Students who complete a portrait must also include a thought bubble with three additional images that describe their experience.
Teacher will provide show pictures of The Civil War. Students will view portraits of soldiers, life in South, photos of the aftermath of battles.
Student Engagement:
Day 1: Students will do a think-pair-write-share with neighbors in class. This helps the teacher asses what the students may not know or understand about the subject matter
Student will engage in 3 primary source articles and answer on the analysis worksheets provided. Students will investigate the primary source to see if there any biases detected. Students will be asked what the documents say about the American experience during The Civil War. Students will be asked to consider the source of the document. Students will close read the articles and examine how the language is being used. Students will then be ask the corroborate the information being presented to see if there any points of agreement or disagreement. Teacher will demonstrate how a historian reads a piece of evidence as oppose to how a "normal" person reads a piece of evidence.
Day 2: The students will complete a fictionalized journal entry or a self-portrait with three (3) images that help describe the journal entries. Students must cite the letters.
Student will engage in 3 primary source articles and answer on the analysis worksheets provided. Students will investigate the primary source to see if there any biases detected. Students will be asked what the documents say about the American experience during The Civil War. Students will be asked to consider the source of the document. Students will close read the articles and examine how the language is being used. Students will then be ask the corroborate the information being presented to see if there any points of agreement or disagreement. Teacher will demonstrate how a historian reads a piece of evidence as oppose to how a "normal" person reads a piece of evidence.
Day 2: The students will complete a fictionalized journal entry or a self-portrait with three (3) images that help describe the journal entries. Students must cite the letters.
Lesson Closure:
Lesson will close by asking the students if they have any questions about the assignments. Teacher will go over any information that the students may have missed.
Assessments:
Formative :Think-write-pair-share: “What was The Civil War like for Americans?”
Formative : Primary source analysis worksheet.
Summative: Fictionalized journal entry or self-portrait describing the American Civil War experience.
Formative : Primary source analysis worksheet.
Summative: Fictionalized journal entry or self-portrait describing the American Civil War experience.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs:
ELLs: English Language Leaner students will be placed in groups heterogeneously by academic level. This gives them the chance to be with students of a higer academic level. Students will be exposed to many images that depict warfare during The Civil War.
Striving readers : Will be provided annotated notes
Students with Special Needs: Student needs will be assessed according to student.
Striving readers : Will be provided annotated notes
Students with Special Needs: Student needs will be assessed according to student.