Lesson Plans for Civil War Unit
Day 1 - Compromises of 1820 and 1850
Lecture - Go over notes for Lesson 1 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/compromise_of_1850.htm
Have students color maps illustrating the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. Compare the two.
Source for Map of Compromise of 1850 http://chnm.gmu.edu/7tah/unitdocs/unit12/pdfs/unit12.pdf
Quiz over Lecture
Day 2 - Slavery
Show video Reading Rainbow "Follow the Drinking Gourd". Discuss the meaning of the song.
Example from Follow the Drinkin' Gourd
When the sun come back and the first quail
calls,
Follow the Drinkin' Gourd,
For the old man's waitin' for to carry you to freedom,
If you follow the Drinkin' Gourd.
The meaning:
At sunset you will hear someone make a sound like a quail. If you head north in the direction of the North Star you will find someone waiting to lead you along the Underground Railroad to freedom in the North.
Other examples:
| heaven / home | a better life in the North |
| Jesus / Lord | Harriet Tubman or another conductor of the Underground Railroad |
| chariot | the Underground Railroad |
| drinkin' gourd | the Big Dipper |
| Judgment Day | time of escape |
Lecture - Go over notes for Lesson 2 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/slavery.htm
Quiz over Lecture
Read "Nettie's Trip South
Discuss the reasons the Southerners felt slaves were necessary. (including cotton plantations)
Have students glue cotton balls to picture of cotton plant. http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/InsectCorner/photos/cotton.htm
Day 3 - Rebellion
Divide the students in the classroom arbitrarily by one of the following (shoe color, bus rider or pick up, etc.). Without giving any rationale, tell the first group that they will get candy. Don't respond to the other students cries of unfairness or questioning. Discuss the feelings of discriminating.
Lecture - Go over notes for Lesson 3 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/rebellion.htm
Quiz on Lecture
Read Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt - Have students make a freedom quilt http://www.smv.org/pubs/UndergrdRRK4d.pdf
Day 4 - Abolitionists
Lecture - Go over notes for Lesson 4 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/abolitionists.htm
Quiz on Lecture
Show video - Animated Hero Classics Harriet Tubman
Assign each student one abolitionist to make a poster about.
Day 5 - Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott Case
Lecture - Go over notes for Lesson 5 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/kansasnebraska_act.htm
Give quiz over notes.
Take a blank map of the United States. Make a color key. Color the map according to the following regions in the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.
Compare this map to the maps of 1820 and 1850.
Day 6 - Abe Lincoln
Lecture - Go over notes for Lessons 6 and 8. http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/lincoln_douglas.htm and http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/abe_lincoln.htm
Give quiz over notes.
Worksheets on Abe Lincoln from The Mailbox Magazine
Read A Picture Book of Abe Lincoln and/or Abe Lincoln's Hat. Then make a stovepipe hat.
Day 7 - Harper's Ferry and Fort Sumter
Lecture - Go over notes for Lessons 7 and 9 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/harpers_ferry.htm and http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/confederacy.htm
Give quiz over notes.
Show Harper's Ferry and Fort Sumter clips from North and South.
Day 8 - The Civil War
Lecture - Discuss main events of the Civil War
Read Pink and Say
Show clips from North and South Book II
Create a battle scene with plastic figures.