James Madison University – College of Education

Social Studies Lesson Plan Format

Name: Steven Jackson Date: 7/11/2011

Subject/Class: US History Grade Level: 11 Topic: Battle of Fredericksburg

NCSS Theme #3: People, Places, and Environment

Subthemes: # 3 : Knowledge Concepts such as location, physical and human characteristics of national and global regions in the past and present, and the interactions of humans on environment

Processes: Ask and find answers to geographic questions…. ( (National Council for Social Studies,134)

Essential Questions/Big Ideas: Why did battles of the Civil War occur where they did? Was there a strategic reason for why the battles occurred where they did?

SOLs/Standards addressed:

VUS.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible citizenship, including the ability to

a) identify, analyze, and interpret primary and secondary source documents, records, and data, including artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, journals, newspapers, historical accounts, and art, to increase understanding of events and life in the United States;

c) formulate historical questions and defend findings, based on inquiry and interpretation;

d) develop perspectives of time and place, including the construction of maps and various timelines of events, periods, and personalities in American history;

e) communicate findings orally and in analytical essays or comprehensive papers;

g) apply geographic skills and reference sources to understand how relationships between humans and their environment have changed over time;

VUS.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era and their importance as major turning points in American history by

b) identifying the major events and the roles of key leaders of the Civil War Era, with emphasis on Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglass;

Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Students will use primary sources, maps and map skills to understand how important role geography played in determining battle sites.

Assessment alignment chart: How will you know they know the objectives listed above?

Objective / Assessment (formative and summative)
U 1: SWBAT …
identify locations, physical features, measure distance, and draw in troop positions on a map; given a web based presentation includes maps, a historical narrative, and images / Formative
Students will be following along as a class filling out a map and worksheet
U2: SWBAT …
explain in writing a historic event that took place and the reasons for certain outcomes; given a map with identified locations, physical features, and troop positions / Students will write in one to three pages, the relationship of geography to troop positions.

Background Content Outline:

I.  Battle of Fredericksburg

A. Major River Campaign

B. First Urban combat of War

II. Union Plan

A.  Burnside

1.  Flanks Lee’s Army

B.  Keep Longstreet Busy

C.  Main assault on Jackson

1.  Heavy losses

III. Battle of Mayre’s Height

IV. Lincoln’s Action

A. Burnside removed as Union Commander

DEAN CHART

Concept word / D=define / E=examples / A=attributes / N=non-examples
Flank / The side of the army / Attacking flank is attacking at the side / Tricky maneuver and surprise move and at the weak point in army / Attacking at front
Pontoon / flat bottom boats that float on water / Used for bridges / Temporary
Used to cross rivers / canoe
Artillery / Weapons in combat / Cannons
mortars / Weapons that are capable of throwing a large amount of shot / Pistols
swords
Feign / To move in one direction and then quickly move in another direction in an attempt to trick your opponent or enemy. / To make up
Fake
Imitate or copy / Tricky, may be seen as unfair / Truthful
Honest and open
Race / A stream, channel, or current. / Strong current in a river / Swift water, dangerous, looks may look safe but not so safe / contest
Telegraph / a coded message sent a distance through a wire or series of wires / Wires on tall poles that are connect to telegraph machines / Early Instant Messages
Communications speed progress of war / Letter sent by a carrier on a horse

Instructional Plan:

What the Teacher Will Do / What the Students Will Do
Teacher will ask what geography has to do with war. Teacher will ask if geography is important or necessary to know to fight a war. Discuss how George Washington knew the terrain of Virginia and understood that Cornwallis was located on a peninsula that allowed for him to be surrounded by men and water trapping him. / Students will respond to questions.
Teacher will distribute copies of the worksheet and map of Virginia to each student to complete.
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/battle-of-fredericksburg-lesson-plan/animated-map-activity.pdf
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/battle-of-fredericksburg-lesson-plan/map-of-virginia.pdf
Teacher will play the introduction to the Battle using the link below, pointing out the date line at top of map, the causality totals if present, topographic lines.
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fredericksburg/maps/fredericksburg-animated-map/
When prompted to make a choice choose Marye’s Heights first and then choose Prospect Hill and Slaughter Pen Farm. / Student will complete map and worksheet when necessary
Have students take notes on back of map or worksheet listing four Union Commanders and Four confederate Commanders referenced in the animated map.
Teacher will wrap by posing questions that will be answered by students in a writing assignment.
Why did a Battle take place in Fredericksburg—what was it over?
Why do you think the Rappahannock River was so vital to both the North and South? Or was it not important? / students write one to three pages

Materials Needed for the Lesson: computer, Internet connection, copies for each student of: Map of Virginia and map activity worksheet (from link above), colored pencils or markers, high lighter, ruler

Bibliography/Resources Used (using APA):

Civil War Preservation Trust. (2011). Battle of Fredericksburg Lesson Plan. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from www.civilwar.org: http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/battle-of-fredericksburg-lesson-plan/battle-of-fredericksburg.html

National Council for Social Studies. (2010). National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A framework for Teaching , Learning, and Assessment. United States: National Council for Social Studies.

Virginia Department of Education. (n.d.). History and Social Science. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from The Standards & SOL-based Instructional Resources : http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/history_socialscience/index.shtml

Civil War Preservation Trust. (2011). Battle of Fredericksburg Lesson Plan. Retrieved July 11, 2011, from www.civilwar.org: http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/battle-of-fredericksburg-lesson-plan/battle-of-fredericksburg.html

Adaption/Differentiation:

ELL/struggling readers / Students may be paired with a stronger student to aid in understanding
ADHD / sufficient
Gifted / May be paired with a struggling student to be a mentor of sorts to help with understanding.
May serve as a narrator or the one who commands the computer part of the lesson as it may help to have someone who can start/stop the map and have a different voice reading.

Explanation of Instructional Strategies Used:

This is a lesson that must be done ahead of class to understand how rich the site is with information.

By doing this as a whole class assignment the teacher has more control over what the students see as the teacher is able to point out much that a student may not see. The battle map has many things going for it that include the progression of time as troops move, the geography the impacts and the local knowledge that can be applied while the map unfolds. If a computer lab setting is the only option then I would suggest trying to keep students together as much as possible. If a teacher has any anecdotal stories to tell about the war, this would be a great way to give a place to the story. Also, by doing as a whole class, the teacher is able to assess which students are getting the connection and which ones may be having trouble.

This lesson plan is based on the session that was presented by Bud Hall. This is also the geography lesson for the CTA.