Goals and Objectives
Students will learn about the lives of Civil War soldiers. Students will describe the lives of soldiers during the war.
California State and Common Core Standards
8.10 Students analyze the multiple causes, key events, and complex consequences of the Civil War.
8.10.7. Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future warfare.
CCSS Writing Literacy in History/Social Science 6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
8.10.7. Explain how the war affected combatants, civilians, the physical environment, and future warfare.
CCSS Writing Literacy in History/Social Science 6-8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Lesson Introduction
Students will do a think-pair-share with their partner where they talk about what it is like to be a soldier. They can draw on what they have learned about soldiers from the Revolutionary War era or any experience they may have with modern-day soldiers. The teacher will call on pairs to share their thoughts with the class.
Vocabulary
The vocabulary will be introduced and reinforced through the interactive activity. Key terms include:
- Rations
- Hardtack
- Bayonet
- Haversack
- Canteen
- Amputation
- Inflation
Content Delivery
The class will go to the computer lab/use the computers in the classroom. The teacher will explain to the class that they will be learning about what life was like for a soldier during the Civil War. Students will spend the class exploring the following web-based interactive:
Student Engagement
The students will complete the handout “The Life (and death) of a Civil War Soldier” using the information found on the web interactive. During the process of completing the handout, students will be given the opportunity to eat some authentic Civil War “hardtack” (allergies permitting). Students will work on this assignment individually, but they are encouraged to help each other find information if they get stuck. The teacher will be walking around the room to answer questions and help students as needed.
Lesson Closure
The students will pretend they are soldiers writing a letter to their family back home. In their letter, they must indicate which army they are serving in. The letter must be at least two paragraphs and must address at least two different themes from the interactive activity (daily life, death, money, or one of the optional topics). Students will be given time to work on the letter in class; if they do not finish it will be homework due the next day.
Assessment
Formative—The think-pair-share at the beginning of class will assess students’ prior knowledge of war in general and the Civil War in particular. The teacher will also walk around the class during the activity to monitor student progress and answer questions.
Summative—The handout will be collected and graded for completion and accuracy. If students do not give reasons when asked, the answer is incomplete. This handout will assess students’ understanding of the conditions under which soldiers lived and determine what needs to be reviewed. The letter will be collected the next day and assessed for depth of description and accuracy of content knowledge.
Summative—The handout will be collected and graded for completion and accuracy. If students do not give reasons when asked, the answer is incomplete. This handout will assess students’ understanding of the conditions under which soldiers lived and determine what needs to be reviewed. The letter will be collected the next day and assessed for depth of description and accuracy of content knowledge.
Accommodations
The web interactive has many pictures, charts, and graphs to help ELs, striving readers, and students with special needs. The dark background of the interactive does make some text difficult to see, however. Students with visual impairments will be encouraged to ask the teacher or nearby students for help if they have trouble seeing something. The teacher will also routinely ask these students if they need anything read to them. If any students have allergies or dietary restrictions that prohibit them from sampling the hardtack, they will be instructed to ask their classmates for their impressions of the food in order to answer the question on the handout.