Civil War Gaming STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team: 5th grade team-Adams, Begue, Chandler, Garcia, Manzella, Stegall (5th grade EIP),
Hood (EBD), Hardy (PE Coach), Ervin (Music), Spardello (Art), Rives (Technology), Keffer (Counselor), Mr.
Tiwon Toney (Principal)
When & Where you attended training. Shoal Creek Elementary School, Dates: July 24-25, 2014 Town/State:
Conyers, GA
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s content
and its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: *Civil War
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: *Cause and effect of the Civil War, specific battles and key people
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
BASIC CONCEPTS
Groups of students design a project that includes the events of the
Civil War. Cards can include drawing, creating with clay, actions
Concept: Civil War Board Game
Science –
 Concepts- Microorganisms
 Goal / Objectives  Standards – S.L.4
a. Identify beneficial microorganisms and explain why
they are beneficial.
b. Identify harmful microorganisms and explain why
they are harmful.
 Careers – Medic, microbiologist
 Project – Research includes: Students will research
how microorganisms are beneficial and harmful and
which ones attributed to the deaths of many soldiers
and families during the 1800’s. Students will highlight
and organize information provided from the county
that keynotes the viruses and death count from those
diseases. Based on this knowledge, students will
create game cards that will go along with the 3D
Game Board.
Students will research the Civil War,
microorganisms, and numbers and operations
in calculating and creating a 3-D game board.
They will play physical games from the time.
They will listen to and perform historical
music of that time. They will design and
create a present day advertisement.
Basic Plan:
Engagement:
The students will be introduced to the project
by being asked about their favorite games and
telling why they like these games. The
teachers will have examples of games and the
students will have a chance to show their
favorites and/or explain why they like the
games. They will then be told that they will be
creating their own games that relate to The
Civil War.
Students will create a 3D board game that
depicts the events leading up to and during
The Civil War. There will be games cards
created that demonstrate an understanding of
conventions. The game cards will also
incorporate numbers and operations in base
ten, algebraic expression and multiplying and
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Game cards include questions that demonstrate
knowledge of diseases and microorganisms. Students
will determine how microorganisms were harmful and
which ones attributed to the deaths of many soldiers
and families during the 1800s. Some questions relate
the connections/comparisons to modern medicine and
medical care available during the Civil War.
Prior learning: students completed a 3D cell models
made of clay to kick off their exposure to the
elements. Students used this to understand how all
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dividing decimals by powers of ten. Students
will research microorganisms that were
beneficial and harmful during that time period
and today. These will also be used while
creating their game cards. Specials areas will
be demonstrated by the students creating
advertisement for their game boards in art,
learning an Orff medley that was popular
during that time period in music class, and in
Physical Education they will participate in
games that took place during the Civil War
Era.
The board game will be assessed with the
attached rubric. The students will also play
their peers’ games and provide feedback.
Students will design and create a 3D game
board that relate to the events of the Civil
War.
Students will create game card questions that
will identify beneficial and harmful
microorganisms.
Students will create game cards that interpret
algebraic expressions and denote powers of
ten.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of
the conventional (grammar) skills through
their game cards.
Students will research beneficial and harmful
microorganisms during the civil war and
today.
Students will research potential careers
relating to the standards.
Students will be creating advertisements to
promote their game boards.
Students will perform Orff arrangements that
relate to that time period and will understand
music in relation to history.
Students will participate in games that took
place during the civil war era and understand
that the materials used to play those games
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organisms are made of cells. Viruses attack cells and
use them as a host. Bacteria is a living organism.
Microorganisms are living things too small to see with
the naked eye.
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Assessment – Assessing quality of science area
questions; Knowledge of answers to questions.
Extension - Investigate which beneficial bacteria
existed during this time period.
Technology & Engineering –
 Concepts – Design and create a Civil War time-line
inspired game board.
 Goal / Objectives – Students will have to incorporate
spatial reasoning to create an appropriate size board
according to the spaces needed. The board would also
utilize 3D features. The overall development of a
game board is the basis of systems engineering
concepts.
 Standards  Careers – designer, architect, engineer, graphic design,
computer game designer
 Project - Use internet to better understand objects,
artifacts, places, etc.; Research; clipart and
photographs
 Creates a board and box and inner box areas for cards
and pieces.
 Students use their prior knowledge and exposure to
game concepts to plan how they plan on having their
game be played. The students worked in teams to
create their own rules, how the game is played, how
many players/teams per game, how the players
advance throughout the game, and how a player/team
wins the game. The students were not limited to how
the game directions, etc. were made as long as the
directions were clear and the game was effective.
 Typing game cards
Students will create the board games, game pieces,
and 3D elements using: recycled cardboard, paint,
paint brushes, natural elements (grass, dirt, and
branches), markers, pencils, rulers, clay, milk cartons,
pipe cleaners, tape, glue, hot glue guns, construction
paper, card stock, magazines, etc.
 Assessment – rubric will be attached Students will
also evaluate the quality of the questions and the game
cards themselves in order to establish the answers and
the rules of the game. –Also, the interworking of the
game pieces and the board and playing and pieces and
the flow of the game.
 Extension - The addition of the 3D effect to add depth
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differ from the materials that are used
currently.
to the game board.
Math –
Students will explain the causes and events of
 Concepts –Algebraic Expressions and Powers of Tenthe Civil War by creating a chronological
enlarged numbers
game board.
 Goal / Objectives
 Standards
 OA.2 - Write simple expressions that record
calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical
Skill level (Grade Range):5th
expressions.
 NBT.2 - Explain patterns in the number of zeroes of
the product when multiplying a number by the powers
Timing of Lesson: Once the standards have
of ten. Use whole-number exponents to denote powers
been addressed, students will utilize 30
of ten.
minutes of instructional time for 3 weeks to
 Careers – statistic, surveyor
work on the project concepts.
 Project – Game cards include questions that
(Civil War instruction)Social Studies-6 weeks
demonstrate knowledge of algebraic expressions and
(board preparation)Engineering-2 weeks
powers of ten.
(microorganisms)Science-3 weeks
Students will use other math skills such as geometry,
(algebraic expression and powers of
measurements, and patterns in their creation of their
ten)Math-4weeks
3D Game Board.
(card preparation)ELA-2 weeks
 Students will create questions and answers using their
(typing of cards)Technology-2 sessions
knowledge based on the informational text. Students
will research Civil War casualties and other
The students will work on their board games
information regarding numbers in order to create
for the length of their first quarter. They will
questions for game cards to correlate with the
work Wednesdays and Fridays for 1 hour each
standards on Operations and Algebraic Expressions
day until it’s completed.
and Numbers and Operations. Students will also use
basic mathematical concepts in order to play the
Basic Supplies: open option material board,
game-addition and subtraction according to the card
paper, pencils, tape, various supplies (to make
drawn.
3D)
 Assessment – Assessing the quality of mathematics
area questions; Knowledge of answers to questions.
All Subjects:
Functional game that uses algebra to score or analyze
scores of players. *See Assessments Below
Individual Subjects:
 Extension
IT Resources: computer, iPad, internet,
printer, paper, ink, active board
LA –
 Concepts –informational text and conventions of
standard English
 Goal / Objectives
 Standards – 5.SW 1a - Write information/explanatory
text to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
 5L2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of
Standard English, capitalization, punctuation, spelling,
and writing.
 Careers – Reporter, Journalist, Author, Teacher
 Project – Students will create questions and answers
using their knowledge based on the informational text.
ResourcesCells:
www.cellsalive.com
http://www.icnet.uk/kids/cellsrus/cellsrus.html
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/i
nsideacell/
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/cell/cell.h
tml
http://kg025.k12.sd.us/cells.htm
www.hspscience.com
http://www.iknowthat.com/com/L3?Area=Science
%20Lab
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Microorganisms:
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.fda.gov
http://www.microbe.org
http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/yogurt.h
tml
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc
http://www.ilovecheese.com/chees_health.asp
www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/infection/infectioni
ndex.html
http://www.microbeworld.org/home.htm
http://www.microbeworld.org/
Civil War:
http://fifthgradeemancipators.wordpress.com/civ
il-war-lessons/
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/civwar.html
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/civil
war.htm
http://www.nationalgeog
raphic.com/railroad/
http://pathways.thinkport.org/following/
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/l
incoln3
.html
www.gcee.org
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/reconstruction
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/reconstruction/in
dex.html
http://www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/schools/le
ssons/46_dueprocess_play.html
http://www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday/schools/le
ssons/46_dueprocess_yertle.html
Math Concepts:
http://www.learningwave.com/lwonline/numbers/
ordofops.html
http://www.nzmaths.co.nz/resource/four
Other Resources:
Misc:
Photos-obtained online and via text-Civil War
soldiers, battle location, supplies
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Students will research Civil War casualties and other
information regarding numbers in order to create
questions for game cards to correlate with the
standards on Operations and Algebraic Expressions
and Numbers and Operations.
Assessment – Rubric- Students will also evaluate the
quality of the questions and the game cards
themselves in order to establish the answers and the
rules of the game.
Extension - Students will type out the cards.
Reading and Instructional Technology (IT)
Reading Career Portfolio Standards for Georgia (5th Grade
Mandatory Project) Students will be exposed to various
careers during the process of researching and creating the
game board. This exposure ties into the career portfolio and
the career clusters
Career Portfolio
As part of the project, the 5th grade students will research
various careers that relate to not only these careers mentioned,
but others as well.
Standards: Common Core Anchor Standards
Reading
R.CCR.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to
make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the
text
R.CCR.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas
R.CCR.4
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how
specific word choices shape meaning or tone
R.CCR.6
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and
style of a text
R.CCR.10
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational
texts independently and proficiently
Writing
W.CCR.2
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Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey
complex ideas and information
clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content
W.CCR.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
W.CCR.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach
W.CCR.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital
sources
Overview/Concept/Project:
Students will complete a Career Portfolio using the
GAcollege411 website and/or other electronic and nonelectronic resources. Using GAcollege411, students will
investigate a career interest, determine the training required
for the career, describe the kinds of work involved in the
career, and indicate potential job/salary/growth of the career.
To complete this segment of the Portfolio, students will write
an informational essay based on the career they have chosen.
Students will attend a field trip to Rockdale Career Academy
to see how they can further their interests in these fields. They
are able to see hands on what goes into specific career clusters
such as medical, computer technology, and engineering.
Note: Teachers with access to career information system
websites may use these programs to complete this unit.
Duration: This project will be worked on weekly for the
entire year with the Technology Teacher, Counselor, and 5th
grade team.
Extension:
PowerPoints will be done on their own personal careers and
submitted to their middle school teachers. These career
portfolios with be a part of their career paths and will be used
until graduation.
SS –
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Concepts –Civil War
Goal / Objectives Standards - SS5H1
Explain the causes, major events and consequences of
the Civil War (including diseases that impacted
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soldiers during this era).
Careers – Medical Field, Military, Public Service,
surveyor
Project - Groups will create a game that demonstrates
the sequence of events of the Civil War including
people, events, and battles. The game board denotes
places and events in chronological order. The game
cards reflects causes and events of the civil war and
their effect on the past, present, and future.
Assessment – Accuracy based on student responses to
the question cards.
Extension –Students must record and correct incorrect
answers to further their understanding after the
completion of the game.
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Concepts – graphic design, advertising
Goal / Objectives – Students will create a poster
advertising their game that is well balanced,
informative, and appropriate for its target audience
and aesthetically pleasing.
Students will use multiple mediums in their poster.
Creates a game to have a logical layout with spaces
proportional to pieces.
Creates an engaging layout.
Creates a board and box and inner box areas for cards
and pieces.
Standards
VIS.5.VA5AR.3: Explains how selected principles of
design are used in an artwork to convey meaning and
how they affect personal responses to and evaluation
of the artwork.
VIS.5.VA5AR.3.a: Uses art terms with emphasis on
the elements of art: line, shape, form, color, space,
value, texture.
VIS.5.VA5AR.3.b: Uses art terms with emphasis on
the principles of design: balance, proportion, rhythm,
emphasis, unity, contrast. move to project area
Students will have to incorporate spatial reasoning to
create an appropriate size board according to the
spaces needed and creation of the poster. The board
would also utilize 3D features. The overall
development of a game board and poster are the basis
of systems engineering concepts. –
VIS.5.VA5C.1: Applies information and processes
from other disciplines to enhance the understanding
and production of artworks.
VIS.5.VA5C.1.a: Makes interdisciplinary connections
applying art skills, knowledge, and ideas to improve
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understanding in other disciplines.
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VIS.5.VA5C.1.b: Researches, describes, and discusses
various art-related careers (e.g., art historian, art critic,
curator, web designer, game designer, fine artist).
move to project area This standards is imperative for
students to see how this project ties into art related
careers such as architect (blue-printing the original
design of the board), engineer (creating the board),
designer (the layout of the board and the 3D concepts,
color, texture), and game designer (writing out the
rules of the game and creating the concepts that make
the game playable).
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VIS.5.VA5C.1.c: Describes and discusses design in
daily life (e.g., clothing, houses, and furniture). move
to project area Students were able to model homes,
buildings, fencing, and other structures on their
board. They were also able to implement pictures of
these items on their poster.
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VIS.5.VA5MC.2: Formulates personal responses to
visual imagery.
VIS.5.VA5MC.2.a: Uses a sketchbook for planning
and self-reflection. move to project area (Students will
draw out a sketch of their poster prior to making a
larger version for display.)
VIS.5.VA5MC.2.c: Applies images from a variety of
sources (e.g., personal experience, social and/or
academic interests, books, visual resources, popular
culture) and transforms them in free and open-ended
ways.
VIS.5.VA5PR.1: Creates artworks based on personal
experience and selected themes.
VIS.5.VA5PR.1.c: Communicates values, opinions, or
personal insights through an original work of art.
VIS.5.VA5PR.1.g: Combines materials in new and
inventive ways to make a finished work of art.
Careers – graphic designer, game designer
Project –
Students will create a poster advertising their game.
Students will discuss the concepts of advertising and
graphic design. Students will look at examples of
advertisements and analyze the elements and
principles of art show in the advertisement. Students
will develop a plan for a poster design to advertise
their civil war game. Students will use combine
various drawing and collage materials to create a 12”
x 18” size poster to advertise their game. The design
of the poster must convey the unique qualities of the
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game the group created and utilize art elements and
principles to convey meaning or persuade the viewer
to be interested in the game.
Students will have to incorporate spatial reasoning to
create an appropriate size board according to the
spaces needed. The board would also utilize 3D
features. The overall development of a game board is
the basis of systems engineering concepts.
Assessment – Rubric related to the organization and
craftsmanship of the poster design: Design of the
poster shows strong organization of the art elements
and principles to convey a message. Poster shows
appropriate use of art materials, an outstanding effort
is made for neatness and quality craftsmanship.
Extension – Students could create a commercial
advertising their game
Music –
Concepts – Music of the Civil War Era
* Goal / Objectives – Students will be introduced to music of
the Civil War Era, Drum and Fife and how that music
influenced American music.
Standards – NafME- 2. Performing on instruments, alone and
with others, a varied repertoire of music.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts,
and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
* Careers – Musicologists, musicians, and composers *
Project – Students will learn an Orff arrangement of a Civil
War Medley. Instruments used will include hand drums,
xylophones, triangle, and rhythm sticks.
* Assessment – Students will be informally assessed on their
performance of the Civil War Medley of the Orff
arrangement.
* Extension – Civil War Medley: Arrange their own medley
with Civil War influences.
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Concepts –Students will participate in games popular
during the Civil War era.
Goal / Objectives - Students will better understand
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that most activities and games played during this time
were based on materials available at the time. (ie.
Baseball would have been played, but probably with a
stick and not baseball bat.)
Standards – PE5.2 Demonstrates understanding of
movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics
as they apply to the learning and performance of
physical activities.
Careers – Engineer (Baseball equipment designer)
Project – Students will use various types of balls
(wiffle balls, super 70 balls and tennis balls) and/or
equipment to play a “baseball” game. This will enable
the students to understand how different types of balls
will react differently when struck with different
objects. (noodles and wiffle ball bats)
Assessment – Students will participate in a game in
which one side has a distinct advantage based on the
type of equipment furnished by the teacher.
Extension – Students will explain how different types
of equipment are better and explain what makes its
better.
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Assessment: Math Examples
Civil War Problems!
Soldier. You have been hired to solve the major problems of the Civil War. Can you solve these for us? You
may use whatever methods you prefer, just make sure you show your work and final answers. Remember, word
problems can be solved through a variety of ways (even drawing pictures!) Ten hut! On your way then! We’re
counting on you!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
At Cold Harbor, Virginia, 7,000 Americans fell in just 20 minutes. This was a very sad and bloody day
for both sides of the Civil War. How many Americans died per minute? Show your work please!
The number 7,000 can be written as 7 X 10^---. (What is the exponent?)
Missouri sent 39 regiments to fight in the siege of Vicksburg: Some of these regiments went to the
Confederacy and some went to the Union. If 3 more went to the Union than to the Confederacy…how
many were sent to each? Show your work!
Complete the expression that could solve this problem by adding the two operations you could use.
39 _____ 3 ______ 2 (Add the symbols.)
More than 3 million men fought in the Civil War. Write 3 million as a number and identify each of the
number’s place value. (For example, the last 0 of 3 million is the ‘ones’ category.) Show your work!
Now, write 3 million using exponent form.
Interestingly, disease actually killed more soldiers throughout the war than battle conflicts. In fact, 2
men died from disease for every 1 man who died in battle. That means, if 3 men died in battle, 6
probably died of disease. If 10 died from battle conflicts, how many would have died from disease?
Show your work!
If you used a chart to solve the problem, X could be used to represent the number of men who died in
battle. What expression would represent the number who died of disease?
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Assessment – Rubric related to the organization and craftsmanship of the poster design.
Exceeds (4)
Design of the poster
shows strong
organization of the
art elements and
principles to convey
a message
Poster shows
appropriate use of art
materials, an
outstanding effort is
made for neatness
and quality
craftsmanship
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Meets (3)
Design of the poster
shows some organization
of the art elements and
principles to convey a
message
Poster shows a somewhat
appropriate use of art
materials, some effort is
made for neatness and
quality craftsmanship but
improvement is needed
Does not meet (2)
Design of the poster
shows little or no
organization of the
art elements and
principles to convey a
message
Poster shows that
materials may not
have been use
appropriately, little or
no effort was made
for neatness and
quality craftsmanship
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Incomplete (1)
Poster is incomplete or no
attempt is made
Poster is incomplete or no
attempt made
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Rubric for the overall game board project:
Making A Game : STEAM: Civil War
Student Name:
________________________________________
CATEGORY
Knowledge Gained
4 Exemplary
All students in group
could easily and
correctly state several
facts about the topic
used for the game
without looking at the
game.
Accuracy of Content
All information cards
made for the game are
correct.
Attractiveness
Contrasting colors and
at least 3 original
graphics were used to
give the cards and
game board visual
appeal.
Cooperative work
The group worked well
together with all
members contributing
significant amounts of
quality work.
Creativity
The group put a lot of
thought into making
the game interesting
and fun to play as
shown by creative
questions, game pieces
and/or game board.
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3 Proficient
All students in the
group could easily
and correctly state
1-2 facts about the
topic used for the
game without
looking at the
game.
All but five of the
information cards
made for the game
are correct.
Contrasting colors
and at least 1
original graphic
were used to give
the cards and
game board visual
appeal.
The group
generally worked
well together with
all members
contributing some
quality work.
The group put
some thought into
making the game
interesting and fun
to play by using
textures, fancy
writing, and/or
interesting
characters.
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2 Developing
Most students in the
group could easily and
correctly state 1-2 facts
about the topic used
for the game without
looking at the game.
1 Not Developed
Several students in the
group could NOT
correctly state facts
about the topic used
for the game without
looking at the game.
All but ten of the
information cards
made for the game are
correct.
Contrasting colors and
"borrowed" graphics
were used to give the
cards and game board
visual appeal.
Several information
cards made for the
game are not accurate.
The group worked fairly
well together with all
members contributing
some work.
The group often did
not work well together
and the game
appeared to be the
work of only 1-2
students in the group.
Little thought was put
into making the game
interesting or fun.
The group tried to
make the game
interesting and fun, but
some of the things
made it harder to
understand/enjoy the
game.
Little or no color or
fewer than 3 graphics
were included.
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Project Photos-Civil War game
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Prior knowledge of cells and exposure of the elements to be
used for the creation of the game board.
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Rockdale Career Academy-career cluster and portfolio
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