Lesson Plan # 5- Unknown Hero

Subject Area: United States History and Geography

Grade Level: Grade 8

Unit Title: Civil War

Lesson Title: Unknown Hero

Connection to State and National Standards:

From the History-Social Science Content Standards:

·         8.10: Students analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the Civil War.

o   .5: Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee) and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and regiments.

o   .6: Describe critical developments and events in the war, including the major battles, geographical advantages and obstacles, technological advances, and General Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

o   .7: Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future warfare.

From the National Language Arts Standards:

·         Standard 7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.

·         Standard 8: Students use a variety of technological and informational resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Objectives:

Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to...

·         Better understanding how it was to be a soldier during the Civil War.

·         Name historical battles during the Civil War.

Materials:

·         Book:

o   Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War Hero. Moss, M. & Hendrix, J. (2011) New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780810997356

Preparation:

·         Instructor will assign students into groups to work on the presentations about Sarah Edmonds.

Presentation:

·         Instructor will read Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, A Civil War Hero to the class.

o   There will be a brief discussion about Edmonds and her many roles in the Civil War.

Application:

·         Students will work as a group to do a presentation about Sarah Edmonds.

o   Outside research about Edmonds will be done as a group.

o   Presentations can be done on poster board or through Power Point presentations.

Evaluation:

Upon completion of:

·         The poster or Power Point slides, students will be evaluated on the amount of work put into the presentations.

·         The presentation, students will be evaluated how they presented material to the class.

Closure:

·         Posters created for the presentations will be put on display throughout the classroom throughout the Civil War unit.