Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Teaching People of the Civil War with the Common Core Standards

Topic: The following selections are for a cluster on the people of the Civil War. Using these resources, teachers, librarians, and other educators can acquaint students with military leaders, presidents, ex-slaves, abolitionists, etc. to present a full picture of one most of the most important events in United States history. A close look at letters, diaries, speeches, and memoirs, allows them to talk about their experiences in their own voices, providing a personal insight into war. Age: middle school

Robert E. Lee: The Story of the Great Confederate General by Terry Collins, Illustrated by Cristian Mallea- Illustrated in graphic novel format, this text depicts Lee’s leadership in Antietam, Gettysburg, and other major battles as well as his surrender at Appomattox. There is additional information about Lee’s life, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography in the back of the book.

Gettysburg: The Graphic Novel written and illustrated by C.M. Butzer- Comic book artist Butzer lets Lincoln speak for himself, setting the 271 words of the Gettysburg Address against images by using primary sources—letters, diaries, and recorded dialogue. Also included are the author’s notes, a prose version of the Gettysburg Address, and a bibliography, with endnotes and a webliography.

Civil War Medicine 1861-1865 by C. Keith Wilbur, M.D.- This book takes you on a detailed tour through the medical history of the Civil War. There are hundreds of illustrations, which allow you to experience the Civil War through the eyes of its physicians and wounded.

Voices From America’s Past written by Steck-Vaughn Company- Through first-person narratives three participants describe the Civil War they witnessed. In his journal Union soldier John Haley shares his experiences at the Battle of Gettysburg. Mrs. Alfred Proctor Aldrich describes what happened when Sherman’s army camped in her Southern town. Ulysses S. Grant writes about the meeting with Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House.

Sojourner Truth: Speaking Up For Freedom by Geoffrey Michael Horn- This book is party of a series of biographies portraying the abolitionist movement and the right to free African-American slaves before and during the Civil War.

Freedom Roads: Searching for the Underground Railroad by Joyce Hansen and Gary McGowan, Illustrated by James Ransome- A look at artifacts retrieved from archaeological digs, information found in laws, receipts, petitions, letters, journals, and other written sources.

Photos By Brady: A Picture of the Civil War by Jennifer Armstrong- Armstrong tells the story of the Civil War as seen through the lenses of its recorders. This book includes photos from the struggle as it played out in Virginia and the East, and on the activities of the Union Army of the Potomac, President Lincoln, and the photography based in New York City and Washington.

Dear America: A Light in the Storm, The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin by Karen Hesse- Ida Lewis kept the Lime Rock Light burning off the Coast of Newport, Rhode Island, during and after the Civil War, taking over her father’s duties when he became too ill to serve. She saved twenty-two people in her career as Light Keeper. Amelia Martin was created in Ida Lewis’s image, and in the image of the other female Light Keepers.

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt- A story about a family from Southern Illinois and their personal struggles in the War Between the States.
With Every Drop of Blood: A Novel of the Civil War by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier- “Despite his promise to take care of his family, Johnny embarks on a bold mission to supply the Confederates, only to be taken prisoner by a runaway slave, in a novel that explores the reasons for the Civil War.”- (Amazon)

Dear Ellen Bee: A Civil War Scrapbook of Two Union Spies by Mary E. Lyons and Muriel M. Branch- A scrapbook kept by a young black girl details her experiences and those of the older white women.

Websites with audio, video, and visual links:
Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library highlights two collections at the Library of Congress that illuminate the life of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865).http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/alhtml/alhome.html
National Park Service- http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/people.htm From famous politicians to everyday citizens, people from all walks of life played important, sometimes revolutionary, roles during the war.

In this letter written in 1907, when he was an attorney at the Justice Department, Mosby furiously attacked the men who supported this mindset. Mosby expressed a complex and fascinating set of beliefs about the Civil War at a time when its history was just beginning to be written.

http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/reconstruction/resources/former-confederate-officer-slavery-and-civil-war-1907

This 2-minute History Channel video portrays one of the first official black units in the United States armed forces during the American Civil War.

http://www.history.com/topics/the-54th-massachusetts-infantry/videos#gilder-lehrman-massachussetts-54th

Civil War interactive is a daily news source for Civil War related news, events, reviews, etc. and is free.

http://www.civilwarinteractive.com/index.htm

Encouraging Hearts, Strengthening Hands: Confederate Women Support the War Effort

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2flcW_FbnZU

Sound recording of an interview with John Salling, last surviving Confederate veteran: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/civil-war-docs/#documents

Teacher resources:

US Civil War: Selected Resources (Maps, Music and Sound Recordings, Photographs, Resource Guides, For Teachers & Young Audiences, Text, Webcasts)http://loc.gov/rr/main/uscw_rec_links/digital.html

Free Civil War lesson plans designed by teachers for history and social studies teachers. Primary sources, maps, and other related resources are all easily downloaded.

http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/

Flocabulary Study Guides: Hip-Hop U.S. History by Blake Harrison and Alexander Rappaport- Chapter 8: Frederick and Abraham Lincoln (Interlude) Chapter 9: Ghosts of the Civil War (Original music and lyrics that brings history to life. This book has a CD inside with 14 songs using today’s music.