UNIT: Civil War and Reconstruction

7.4.4.19.1, 7.4.4.19.2, and 7.4.4.19.3

 7th Grade American History

 Unit Cover Sheet

UNIT: Civil War and Reconstruction

Standards and Benchmarks:

Regional tensions around economic development, slavery, territorial expansion and governance resulted in a Civil War and a period of Reconstruction that led to the abolition of slavery, a more powerful federal government, a renewed push into indigenous nations’ territory and continuing conflict over racial relations. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877)

• 7.4.4.19.1: Cite the main ideas of the debate over slavery and states' rights; explain how they resulted in major political compromises and, ultimately, war. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877). For example: Missouri Compromise, Nullification Crisis, Compromise of 1850, and Bleeding Kansas

• 7.4.4.19.2: Outline the major political and military events of the Civil War; evaluate how economics and foreign and domestic politics affected the outcome of the war. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877)

• 7.4.4.19.3: Describe the effects of the Civil War on Americans in the north, south and west, including liberated African-Americans, women, former slaveholders and indigenous peoples. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 1850-1877). For example: Reconstruction, Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, Black Codes, sharecropping, National and American Woman Suffrage Associations, and the Homestead Act

Teacher’s Notes

Unit Instructions and Layout

That being said there are creative aspects where a poster is required, which can be created electronically and turned in that way.

 The Debate Over Slavery

Starts to tell the story of the debate between the states over slavery and state's rights.

Lesson 1 – Video called “The Debate Over Slavery” with closed notes. I prefer closed notes to any other type for this age group, however, I do provide Cornell notes and graphic organizers to offer variety. I usually introduce the units with closed notes. These notes will be addressing 7.4.4.19.1. At the end of the notes are a few “Questions to Ponder”, it is an opportunity for students to use the knowledge they have recorded in their notes in an interactive way, analyzing, comparing or even simply reiterating information, the point is the students are using it in one way or another! The questions are based on the COSTA’s house of leveled questioning from the AVID program.

Lesson 2 – Will focus on the politics of slavery, namely the Acts and Compromises through the use of a Graphic Organizer. Unfortunately the Graphic Organizer did not load the way I created it so it appears as a "fill in the blanks" activity with the key included. As the teacher you can create a graphic organizer with this information or use it in Cornell notes. This information will be used on Day 3 to help the students create political cartoons. This lesson is addressing the 7.4.4.19.1 benchmark.

Lesson 3 – Continues the focus on the politics of slavery with the students using their Graphic Organizers/Fill in the blank activity to create a political cartoon about one of the Acts and Compromises discussed. This is a formative assessment so it will be collected on Day 4 and not included in the summative work that appears in the Student Cover Sheet packet (the graphic organizer will however be included as summative work).7.4.4.19.1

Comparing the Civil War: Political and Militarily

Begins to tell the story of the events that lead up to the actual Civil War, including the election of Lincoln and the birth of the Republican Party, The reaction of the south and secession of South Carolina, and finally, the creation of the Confederacy and the election of Jefferson Davis. A Khan Academy video will introduce these lessons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghgPq2wjQUQ 

Start the clip at 15:15 and let it go to the end 18:28.

Lesson 4: Students will be provided handouts about each of the three topics: the Civil War, including the election of Lincoln and the birth of the Republican Party, The reaction of the south and secession of South Carolina, and finally, the creation of the Confederacy and the election of Jefferson Davis. Students will be asked to create a children’s book that demonstrates understanding of each of the three topics. This is the last assignment that addresses benchmark 7.4.4.19.2.

Lesson 5 – This will be a day they will create a mapping assignment which will have them recreate a map that indicates “free states”, “slave states”, “territories”, “Confederate Boundaries” and other important information. They will also need to answer three questions on the map as well. I have provided a Key to use, make sure they have their TODALSS on their maps (see grade 6 benchmarks) Benchmark 7.4.4.19.2. 

Lesson 6 – Will introduce students to some of the important people who played a role in the Civil War era. I call this lesson, “The Movers and Shakers of the Civil War Era”. Students will be given several identities that they must choose 6 and create "Trading Cards" which will describe different facts about the person.

Using the website: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/trading-card-creator-30056.html

Students will create trading cards for 6 of the following "Movers and Shakers of the Civil War Era". Follow the directions on the site OR do your own research and create your own digital trading cards. Include a picture and answer the provided questions.

Lesson 7– Graphing the North and the South. Benchmark 7.4.4.19.2. Students will be given data comparing the North and the South economically and politically. With the economic data they will be asked to create either pie charts or bar graphs with the data. Another good assignment for this subject can be found in the form of a project at the following website (I might recommend this for GT cluster groups):

https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/lesson-1-eve-war-north-vs-south 

Lesson 8 – Comparing the North and the South politically. Today students will be completing VENN diagrams that outline the differences in the North and the South using information provided. Provide a class set of materials (laminated, including the Primary Source document of the Emancipation Proclamation. Benchmark 7.4.4.19.2.