Civil War Adventures

Subject Area: Social Studies

Grade Level(s): 8

Duration of Activity: Activity will take one week. Research prior to the activity may take 6 to 9 weeks.

Description of Activity:

This lesson is part of an integrated unit on the Civil War involving all four core subject areas. The students will research causes of the Civil War, casualties, medical practices, major and minor battles, destruction of the South, personnel involved in the decision-making that affected the battles, soldiers, important dates, outcomes of battles and events, and other aspects of the war that might interest the students. The students will create Microsoft PowerPoint presentations on several topics related to the Civil War in the Social Studies classroom.

This lesson plan may be used as part of an integrated unit along with the following C·R·E·A·T·E for Mississippi lesson plans:

• A View from Me - Civil War Stories (Language Arts)
• Calendar Creations about the Civil War(Math)
• Death and the Civil War (Science)

Objectives:

• To introduce the students to the causes of the Civil War
• To give the students the understanding of the importance of economic balance between the North and the South
• To investigate the major causes of death during the Civil War
• To study the medical practices used during the Civil War
• To analyze the destruction of the South during the Civil War
• To compare the lives of Northern and Southern soldiers during the Civil War
• To identify the major military participants of the Civil War from the Union and the Confederacy

Materials/Equipment:

• Microsoft PowerPoint software
• Computers with Internet access
• Books and other print materials on the Civil War
• Handout 1: Basic Steps for Creating a Simple PowerPoint Presentation PowerPoint Presentation
• Handout 2: Rubric for Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation

Prerequisites (skills or background needed):

• Basic computer skills
• Ability to enter a URL and to access a Web site
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft PowerPoint software
• Basic knowledge of how to locate and use library resources

Procedure

Teacher Component: The teacher will

1. instruct the students about the Civil War, provide materials, and answer questions.
2. provide time for each student to use an Internet-accessible computer to look up Web sites for research.
3. divide the class into groups of four to work on their Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
4. encourage the students to choose topics of interest to research for their presentations. Suggested topics might be:
   • causes of the Civil War
   • casualties
   • medical practices
   • major and minor battles
   • destruction of the South
   • personnel involved in the decision making that affected the battles
   • soldiers, important dates
   • outcomes of battles and events
   • other aspects of the war

   Each group will submit its chosen topic to the teacher for approval.

5. provide Handout 1: Basic Steps for Creating a Simple PowerPoint Presentation to be used by the students as they design their presentations.
6. provide Handout 2: Rubric for Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation to ensure that the students are aware of the teacher’s expectations for the presentations.
7. instruct each student group to submit two to three questions pertaining to their group’s research topic. Students should be reminded to compose questions that outline the most important concepts in their presentations.
8. compile all of the student questions into a handout to be used by the students to aid in taking notes during the class presentations.

Student Activities: The students will

1. get into groups and choose topics to research.
2. submit the chosen topics to the teacher for approval.
3. research the topics they have chosen using teacher-provided Web sites and sites found through independent World Wide Web searches.
4. meet as a groups to combine their information and decide which information to include in their presentations.
5. use Handout 1: Basic Steps for Creating a Simple PowerPoint Presentation to design their Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.
6. write two to three questions highlighting the important concepts about their research topics and submit to the teacher, who will compile the questions submitted from all groups into one handout.
7. present their Microsoft PowerPoint presentations to the class.
8. use the handout containing all of the student-created questions to take notes while listening to each of the class presentations.

Accommodations:

• Students whose technology skills are not as proficient will be paired by groups with students who have greater skills so that all presentations can be created in approximately the same time.

Extension Activities:

• The class may create posters and reports on the specific information they learned during this activity.
• The students may select or draw pictures that they think depict the Civil War, print the pictures out on printable iron-on transfer paper, and use the transfers to make t-shirts to be worn by the students.
• The class may study the food of the Civil War period and cook some of these dishes for the class to enjoy.
• Each student can write a fictional child’s story of the Civil War and put it together as a book to be presented to the class or displayed in the school library. They might also take these books to the elementary grades and read them aloud to the classes. They could type the books using word-processing or desktop publishing software and illustrate it themselves or with clipart.

Integration: This is an integrated unit in which all four core subject area teachers cooperate by teaching lessons related to the Civil War.

• The students will be working with their math teacher to create a calendar with important dates concerning the Civil War. Calendar Creations about the Civil War
• The Language Arts classes will be integrating language arts with information on the Civil War. A View from Me—Civil War Stories
• The Science classes will be working on the number and causes of deaths in the Civil War. Death and the Civil War

Assessments:

1. Teacher observation
2. Handout 2: Rubric for Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation

URLs:

• The Civil War
  http://www.civilwar.com
• Civil War Monuments - MDSOS
  http://www.sos.state.md.us/MMMC/CivilWarSites.htm
• Mississippi Civil War Information
  http://www.misscivilwar.org
• The Civil War Music Site
  http://www.civilwarmusic.net
• 1895 Atlas Title Page
  http://www.livgenmi.com/1895/
• Selected Civil War Photographs Home Page
  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html
• The American Civil War Homepage
  http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/
• Civil War Timeline – 1861
  http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1861.html
  (1862-1865 Timelines accessed from same site)
• American Civil War Battles Timeline
  http://www.historypublishing.com/
• Official Records of the War of the Rebellion
  http://www.civilwarhome.com/records.htm
• The American Civil War Home Page
  http://www.civilwarhome.com
• The American Civil War – The Struggle to Preserve the Union
  http://www.swcivilwar.com/

Curriculum Frameworks

Mississippi:

Eighth Grade

3. Evaluate the impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on the United States.
   1. Identify the causes and effects of the Civil War and the Reconstruction.
   2. Describe the sequence of events that led to the Union victory

National Educational Technology Standards (NETS):

5. Apply productivity/multimedia tools and peripherals to support personal productivity, group collaboration, and learning throughout the curriculum. (3,6)
6. Design, develop, publish, and present products (e.g., Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4,5,6)
8. Select and use appropriate tools and technology resources to accomplish a variety of tasks and solve problems. (5,6)
9. Research and evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems. (2,5,6)

TerraNova:

Social Studies

26 Geographic Perspectives 11-21/22
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and process skills related to the study of the world’s people, places, and environments, and their interactions over time.

Construct answers, use geographic tools, and create solutions or products using inquiry skills and knowledge related to geographic perspectives.

27 Historical and Cultural Perspectives 11-21/22
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and process skills related to the study of time, continuity, and societal change throughout history.

Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and process skills related to the study of the contributions, influences, and interactions of various cultures.

Construct answers and create solutions or products using inquiry skills and knowledge related to historical and cultural perspectives.

28 Civics and Government Perspectives 11-21/22
Demonstrate an understanding of concepts and process skills related to the study of civic responsibilities and the structures and functions of government.

Construct answers and create solutions or products using inquiry skills and knowledge related to the role of today’s citizens and the structures and functions of government.

Link and Feedback to Author(s):

Frances Green, Booneville Middle School, Booneville, MS
fgreen@booneville.k12.ms.us