James Madison University – College of Education
Social Studies Lesson Plan Format
Name: __Deborah Christakos___________
Date: _7/20/11____
Subject/Class: ___USI-History___ Grade Level: __6_____ Topic: Topography in Battle of Civil
War
NCSS Theme #_3_ : __People, Places, and Environment_
Subthemes: # __Knowledge__ : __Factors that contribute to cooperation and conflict among
people..__; #_Processes__ : __Evaluate the consequences of human actions in environmental terms__
(Remember NCSS is focused on Knowledge, Process and Product—be specific)
Essential Questions/Big Ideas: What are the ways location and topography influence important
developments in the war, including major battles?
SOLs/Standards addressed: USI.9e: the student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, major
events, and effects of the Civil War using maps to explain critical developments in the war, including
major battles.
Learning Outcomes/Objectives:
1.
Student will be able to explain what topography is and be able to give examples of it.
2.
Student will be able to explain how topography played a large role in the North winning at the
Battle of Gettysburg
Assessment alignment chart: How will you know they know the objectives listed above?
Objective
U 1: SWBAT …explain what
topography is
U2: SWBAT …explain how
topography played a large part
in the North winning at the
Battle of Gettysburg
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Assessment (formative and
summative)
Formative: students will use the warmup, pictures, and clay activity to show
that they understand topography
Summative: 1. A short quiz on
topography including definitions and
examples. 2. A unit test will include
topography
Formative: 1. Using maps students
will show how topography played a vital
role. 2. While listening to The Last
Brother students will point out and
discuss how the book represents how
topography played a role in Gettysburg.
3. A unit test will include the part
topography played at Gettysburg.
Background Content Outline:
I.
Topagraphy
a. Topography is the surface features of a place region or map
b. Topography can include mountains, rivers, and valleys
II.
High Ground
a. A position above or over low ground
b. High ground can include things such as hills or mountains. In a stadium the high
ground would be anything above field level
III.
Battle of Gettysburg
a. Northern (Union) and Southern (Confederate) troops met in Gettysburg during the
Civil War
1. The Union was able to take control of the high ground which gave them an
advantage and win in this battle
DEAN CHART
Concept word
topography
High ground
Gettysburg
D=define
Surface features
of a place or
region on a map
A position above
or over lower
ground
A small town in
Pennsylvania
which was one of
the only
Northern States
to have a battle
E=examples
Mountains,
rivers, valleys
A=attributes
N=non-examples
Surface make-up, New York
how land is
Hills, mountains
Above, looking
down
valleys
Berryville
Small rural town
Chicago, urban
Instructional Plan:
Warm-up
10-15
minutes
Hook
25-30
minutes
What the Teacher Will Do
What do you know about topography and how might
it play a part in a major battle?
Put students in groups of four. Hand out clay and
have each student make it into a ball, flatten the
bottom and hollow out the center so it looks like a
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
What the Students Will Do
Students will write their answers
in their warm-up section and we
will share several of them
Students will follow the
direction of the teacher to form
clay. They will then put a bean
crater type form or the inside of a stadium. Teacher
will ask students to put a bean on a place where they
feel they will have the best view. Ask them to picture
themselves at a sporting event or concert, where
would they want to sit? Keep the conversation going,
allow them to talk among themselves why they chose
a certain area and why they think this would be the
place to be. Explain that the North would be the
group in the upper part of the crater and the South
was on the floor of the crater. Why would this be a
problem? Teacher will than show on the map exactly
how the North had settled in the hills around
Gettysburg literally surrounding the Southern
Troops.
Follow-up
15-20
minutes
Using what you learned from this exercise draw a
picture of how you think the North was set up and
how you think the South was set up in Gettysburg.
Write a short caption below to explain the picture.
Read Aloud
30 minutes
Teacher will read The Last Brother A Civil War Tale
by Trinka Hakes Noble. Before reading teacher will
ask students what they think the story is about and
why it would relate to what we are learning. Teacher
will have students raise their hands during the
reading if they hear or see anything that may have to
do with the impact of topography on the Battle of
Gettysburg.
Homework
(note: the wonderful thing about this book is that the
students can make a connection with the characters
in the book. It gives the students a better
understanding of battles and how they affected
everyday life)
Teacher will assign all students a “living the high
ground” experience. The students will explain next
class how they have used the “high ground” to their
advantage.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
on a place on the crater where
they think they would have the
best view of what is going on.
Hopefully they will put it on the
outside lip of the crater that is
the highest point. They will than
explain why they did this.
Note: if any confusion at this
point I will have several students
stand in a circle in class with a
child sitting on the floor in the
middle of the circle. The
students will need to tell me who
has the better view of everyone
without having to move, the
children standing or the child
sitting.
Students will draw a picture of
how they think the South and
North were set up in Gettysburg,
including a short caption. They
will share their drawings with
the class and explain them.
Students will discuss as a class
why they think this book is
relevant to what we are
studying. Students will be an
intregal part of the lesson by
looking for and discussing how
topography is shown in the
book.
Think about times in your life
whether playing a game,
watching a movie, attending a
sporting event, when being
above the action or in the high
ground gave you an advantage.
Write atleast two of them down
explaining what those
advantages were. Be prepared
to share with the class.
Materials Needed for the Lesson: paper, pencil, topographical map of Civil War; clay or play doh,
The Last Brother
Bibliography/Resources Used (using APA):
Noble, Trinka Hakes. (May 2006) The Last Brother A Civil War Tale. Chelsea, Michigan: Sleeping
Bear Press
Adaption/Differentiation:
ELL/struggling
Doing a group activity so that students can help and guide each other.
readers
Drawing pictures of the how they think the North and South were set up
with very little writing. Take the students and do the stand up activity
mentioned in the Hook. Use of picture book, The Last Brother
ADHD
Changing activities every 15 to 20 minutes. Many hands on activities and
interactive activities.
Gifted
Having them take a leadership role in the Hook activity. Allow them to go
further with the Follow-up activity in the form of a cartoon or action
sequence which shows topography.
Explanation of Instructional Strategies Used:
Visual: The use of the picture book, The Last Brother. The use of the topographical map. Students
drawing pictures of what they think the topography in Gettysburg was like for the North and the South.
Kinesthetic: The hands on activity with the clay to better understand high ground.
Verbal: The discussion of both the high ground with the warm-up and the reading of The Last
Brother. The sharing and discussing of pictures of Gettysburg.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10