James Madison University – College of Education
Social Studies Lesson Plan Format
Name: Steven Jackson
Subject/Class: US History
Date: 7/11/2011
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
U 1: SWBAT …
Assessment (formative and
summative)
Formative
identify locations, physical
features, measure distance, and
Students will be following along as a
class filling out a map and worksheet
draw in troop positions on a
map; given a web based
presentation includes maps, a
historical narrative, and images
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
Flank
Pontoon
Artillery
D=define
The side of the
army
E=examples
Attacking flank
is attacking at the
side
flat bottom boats
that float on
water
Weapons in
combat
Used for bridges
Cannons
mortars
A=attributes
Tricky maneuver
and surprise
move and at the
weak point in
army
Temporary
Used to cross
rivers
Weapons that are
capable of
N=non-examples
Attacking at
front
canoe
Pistols
swords
Feign
Race
Telegraph
To move in one
direction and
then quickly
move in another
direction in an
attempt to trick
your opponent or
enemy.
A stream,
channel, or
current.
To make up
Fake
Imitate or copy
a coded message
sent a distance
through a wire or
series of wires
Wires on tall
poles that are
connect to
telegraph
machines
Strong current in
a river
throwing a large
amount of shot
Tricky, may be
seen as unfair
Truthful
Honest and open
Swift water,
contest
dangerous, looks
may look safe
but not so safe
Early Instant
Letter sent by a
Messages
carrier on a horse
Communications
speed progress of
war
Instructional Plan:
What the Teacher 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.
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-offredericksburg-lesson-plan/animated-map-activity.pdf
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/battle-offredericksburg-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/fredericksburganimated-map/
When prompted to make a choice choose Marye’s Heights first and then
choose Prospect Hill and Slaughter Pen Farm.
Teacher will wrap by posing questions that will be answered by students
What the Students
Will Do
Students will
respond to
questions.
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.
students write one
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?
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-offredericksburg-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-offredericksburg-lesson-plan/battle-of-fredericksburg.html
Adaption/Differentiation:
ELL/struggling
Students may be paired with a stronger student to aid in understanding
readers
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.