Civil War Times: A Look at Culture

Summary

Students will gain a broad perspective of what life was like during Civil War times through primary source photographs and images of dwellings, food, clothing, music, art, drama, etc. This information will help them have a broader context of the times while they are studying the Civil War.

Materials

1. Mobile computer lab

2. LCD projector and presentation computer

3. Instructional Architect (IA) webpath (see website below)

4. Photo analysis graphic organizer(see attachment below)

5. Butcher paper and markers for Venn diagram posters

Background for Teachers

Most students learn about events during the Civil War without studying the cultural context outside the war. In this lesson students will study primary source photographs and images of dwellings, food, recreation, music, art, drama, etc. during the Civil War to broaden their perspective of life during this time.

Student Prior Knowledge

1. Students should know basic computer searching skills

2. Students should know how to create a Venn diagram

Intended Learning Outcomes

Content objectives:

1. Examine cultural differences between North and South during the Civil War

2. Examine cultural differences between slave and free during the Civil War

Thinking Objectives: :

1. What was the background life and culture like during Civil War times?

• What were important features in each photograph or image?
• What is the photograph or other primary source telling you about this time period?
• What conclusions can you draw from the sources?
• What specific details in your primary source provide evidence for your conclusion (people, objects, etc.)?

2. How can the features be categorized based on location (North, South) and status (citizen, slave)?

3. How can you use the information gained from the images to compare/contrast North and South, citizens and slaves?

4. After analyzing the images, what are the differences between North and South, citizens and slaves?

Students can also evaluate and reflect on how having a broader perspective of Civil War times helps them understand the war better.

Instructional Procedures

1.Students will individually access the Instructional Architect pathfinder that gives primary sources links. Teacher will show students how to navigate the website.

2.Students will select one of the seven categories (dwellings, clothing, food, art, music, entertainment, literature). Five students will have the same category.

3.Students will individually examine and analyze two primary sources from each category.

4.Students will individually use the photo analysis graphic organizer to record important details from the primary sources. .

5.Students will individually find two additional primary sources to analyze from Internet sources and complete the graphic organizer for each. Teacher will help students find additional sites for primary sources.

6.Students will individually use analyzing and synthesizing skills to create a Venn diagram poster that compares and contrasts the differences found in primary sources.

7.All the students from each category will meet together in a group. They will compare Venn diagrams and discuss their findings. Students can make additions and help each other to become "experts" in their category. They can also decide what information from their Venn diagrams are most important to share with other groups.

8.One person from each category will meet together in a "jigsaw" group. The groups should be diverse in gender, ethnicity, race, and ability. One mature student from each group will be selected as leader. Each student will present information about her/his category to the group. Students should ask questions to clarify concepts they do not understand.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

1.Jigsaw groups will be composed of students of different ability levels.

2.Advanced students can look for books in the school library that have Civil War primary source materials and read them.

Extensions

1. Through class discussion, students will predict how the differences between North and South, slave and citizen might have changed as a result of the Civil War.

2. Students could read a historical fiction book about the Civil War to find more cultural background about the time period (see attached link).

Assessment Plan

Students will review the rubric before beginning this project, so they will know the assignment criteria.

Bibliography

Aronson, Elliot. "Jigsaw in 10 Easy Steps." 2009. Jigsaw Classroom. 7 September 2009 http://www.jigsaw.org/steps.htm

Brooklyn Public Library. "Brooklyn in the Civil War." 2009. Brooklyn Public Library. 7 September 2009 http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/civilwar/cw_doc_dailylife.html

Library of Congress. 2009. American Memory: Selected Civil War Photographs. 7 September 2009 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html

Library of Congress. "Civil War: Selected Resources." 2009. Library of Congress. 7 September 2009 http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/uscw_rec_links/civilwarlinks.html

Smithsonian. "Civil War @Smithsonian: Life and Culture." 2009.Smithsonian Institution. 7 September 2009 http://www.civilwar.si.edu/life_intro.html