Middle Tennessee State University
A House Divided: The Civil War Home Front in Tennessee
To broaden their understanding of both the short term and long terms effects of the Civil War, class groups examine primary source materials and then assume the role of a family member and draft a letter to a soldier describing life at...
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Civil War Weapons and Changes
Students research the weapons of the Civil War era, how they were used and manufactured, and how they have changed over the years since the Civil War.They complete a 3-5 page paper about a weapon that was used in the Civil War.
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Civil War Essay
Upper graders explore equality by writing an essay. They read the story Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, and discuss the meaning of the story and its relevance to Civil War events. Learners investigate the five writing process steps and...
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Civil War Photographs
Eighth graders explore the new technology brought on by the Civil War. For this U.S. History lesson, 8th graders examine photographs and drawings that depict the changes that happened as a result of the Civil War, then have a class...
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Civil War Journal Mini Lesson
Eighth graders explore the battles of the Civil War through journaling exercises. For this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders write journals from the perspective of teens accompanying the troops into various battles.
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Lincoln: A Photobiography
Students read Lincoln: A Photobiography by Russell Freedman. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the life of Abraham Lincoln, including, but not limited to, the Civil War. Included are reading, art, math,...
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Weapons Of War: The Monitor
Learners investigate the building of the first warships of the Civil War. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students compare and contrast two battleships of the era using a graphic organizer. They also compose a journal...
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Civil War Tribune
Fifth graders choose a black and white copy of a photo from the Civil War and 'enhance' picture by adding color using crayons and colored pencils. They research the photo.
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Historical Episodes
Students choose a historical book set in the Civil War. They create a flow chart of the steps involved in producing a film. They select one scene and prepare props, costumes and setting for the scene.
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The Forgotten Soldiers: Their Glory Remembered
High schoolers watch a video and then role-play what it would have been like to be a member of the 54th Massachusetts regiment during the Civil War.
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Body / Kinesthetic & Visual / Spatial
Tenth graders produce a multimedia project using HyperStudio. This project is similiar to an "information kiosk", with engaging media to "tell a story" about the Battle of Gettysburg. They have knowledge about the Civil War events that...
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Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War
Students identify and interpret the life of a drummer boy during the Civil War as well as about a reenactment. Students listen to a fictionalized story or a Civil War reenactor and compare ot with the life of the drummer boy the story...
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Civil War Leaders
Fifth graders explore leaders of the Civil War. In this history lesson, 5th graders use picture puzzles, vocabulary, worksheets, WebQuest, a Venn Diagram and role play activities in order to learn who the Civil War leaders were, what...
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The Red Badge Of Courage: Directed Reading Thinking Activity
As part of a Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) class members are asked to predict events in Patricia Polacco's Pink and Say based on illustrations in the story, on their knowledge of Steven Crane's The Red Badge of Courage, and...
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Mississippi Trial, 1955: Pre-reading Strategy
Pink and Say, a picture book by Patricia Polacco, and an anticipation guide, set the stage for a reading of Mississippi Trial, 1955, Chris Crowe's novel based on the true story of the murder of Emmett Till. Instructional routines, the...
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Sami and the Time of Troubles
Students read Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland's, Sami and the Time of Troubles before discussing it as a class. They brainstorm ideas for a letter to the main character, Sami. Next, they write a rough draft of a letter to...
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Teaching with Primary Sources Across Tennessee: Debunking Civil War Photographs
Students analyze photographs and texts using primary source analysis. In this primary source lesson students determine whether the photographs and text are truthful.
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History Through Picture Books and Photographs
First graders become familiar with historical figures central to the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery.
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Gettysburg
Learners investigate the major events of the Civil War by reading and depicting the Gettysburg Address. Video clips are used to create an iMovie to enhance their background knowledge.
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
Learners create an art project based on "Follow the Drinking Gourd," a song used to guide slaves to freedom during the Civil War. They read a picture book to learn the story of how Harriet Tubman and Peg Leg Joe led slaves to freedom.
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Abraham Lincoln
First graders explore famous people in America. They read and discuss a story about Abraham Lincoln. After the class discussion, 1st graders create a web of important events in the life of Abraham Lincoln. Finally, students write...
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A Brightly Colored Past
Students read A Brightly Colored Past, choose three things they found out about Middletown's African-American history that they didn't know before, and create slide using Kid Pix Studio Deluxe to be incorporated into classwide slide show.
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The Roots of Slavery
Students conduct research about the Civil War and the slavery movement. They examine primary and secondary resources. The use of the internet and web slides are resources made available for students to make cognitive connections.
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Windows of Wisconsin (History)
Fourth graders research the history of Wisconsin. They explore Wisconsin's culture, sovereignty and environment. Using multiple computer technology resources (computer, scanner, camera, internet), 4th graders develop a book on the...