Unit 11 – The Civil War
Action Plan:
1. Introduce the Independent Study idea to students and answer any questions they
may have. Use this time to gather information on student reaction to the idea.
2. Create a Unit Pre-assessment that covers all Unit Standards for Unit 11: The
Civil War
3. Create the Independent Study Project for the Unit, including movie study, book
study, web-quest, and research-based components.
4. Give all students the pre-assessment for the Unit. Any student who earns a 90%
or above will be presented with the opportunity of Independent Study.
5. Teacher, student and parent will sign a contract containing clear objectives,
requirements, rubric and student’s choice of project. Included in requirements
will be options for grading (presentation, portfolio, research paper, etc).
6. Student will use class time to complete the Independent Study equivalent to the
length of the Unit.
7. Student will complete their project, including additional requirements throughout
the study (KWL Chart, Reflection Log, Final product), and turn everything in by
the due date.
Unit 11 – The Civil War
Independent Study Project – The Civil War
Congratulations! You are being presented with the opportunity to complete an independent
study project that focuses on one or more topics from the Civil War. An independent study
project allows further research outside of the classroom with loose guidance from the instructor
for an agreed upon amount of credits. This project grade will be in place of your Unit 11
Assessment grade. This project also excuses you from daily activities and assignments in
class.
Requirements:
1. Since you qualified for this project, you will be given class time to complete it. Though,
you will need to continue working on this outside of class as well!
2. You will choose a “Journey” to take from the options below. Guidelines for the “Journey”
are also listed below.
3. You, your parents, and I will sign an Independent Study Contract outlining the
requirements, expectations, your choice of project, due date and points possible. This
contract is due __________________.
4. You will choose how to present your final product.
Research Opportunities/Projects:
JOURNEY #1 – Movie or Book Study
Step 1: Choose either a movie or book from the list below.
Step 2: Complete a KWL about your choice of topic.
Step 3: As you are taking this journey, you will complete a Reflection Log to keep track of
what you are doing from beginning to end. You must have no less
than 5 entries.
Step 4: After completing your chosen option, you will then choose one specific topic (person,
place, thing, etc) from the movie or book to dive further in depth
with. You will research this specific topic and create a Graphic
Organizer to gather your information.
Step 5: You will create a final product to present your findings to me – this can be in a number
of different ways:
a. Research Paper (MLA Format)
b. Prezi Presentation
c. Webquest
d. News Report
e. Create Your Own!
Movie Study:
 Gettysburg – The bloodiest battle fought on American soil comes to the
screen in a powerful production “about strategies, calculations, mistakes and
heroism that turned the tide of the Civil War...”
 Civil War Journal (History Channel) – Takes you beyond the battlefields into
the personal stories behind one of history’s greatest and bloodiest conflicts.
 Civil War Legends: Abraham Lincoln – This documentary reveals the man
behind the myth and the complex personality of our 16th President. It visits
many of the major landmarks of Lincoln’s life, including the White House,
Gettysburg, and Ford’s Theater.
Unit 11 – The Civil War
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Underground Railroad (History Channel) – A story not of a railway, but of a
loosely organized network of runaway slaves, freed blacks, and anti-slavery
whites, all willing to risk their lives in the name of liberty.
America: The Story of Us – Division/Civil War -- Commerce and industry
thrive across the new nation, now one of the wealthiest on Earth. The Erie
Canal brings big risk and bigger reward. In the South, cotton is king but
slavery fuels a growing divide. Violence flares across the territories and
abolitionists make a stand for freedom. The election of Lincoln is a harbinger
of war.
Glory – Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer
company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the
Confederates.
Ken Burns: Civil War – A comprehensive survey of the American Civil War
The American Presidents – Abraham Lincoln
The Conspirator -- Mary Surratt is the lone female charged as a coconspirator in the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln. As the whole nation
turns against her, she is forced to rely on her reluctant lawyer to uncover the
truth and save her life.
Book Study:
 Young Adult Fiction:
o The Bolich Library has a whole resource list on their website for Civil War
in Young Adult Fiction under the “bibliographies” section.
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Adult Fiction:
o Killer Angels
o Gods & Generals
o Gone with the Wind
JOURNEY #2 – Web Quest:
Step 1: Complete the web quest listed below.
Step 2: Complete a KWL about the Civil War.
Step 3: As you are taking this journey, you will complete a Reflection Log to keep track of
what you are doing from beginning to end. You must have no less
than 5 entries.
Step 4: As you are completing the web quest, you will create a Graphic Organizer to gather
your information.
Step 5: You will create a final product to present your findings to me – this can be in a number
of different ways:
a. Research Paper (MLA Format)
b. Prezi Presentation
c. Webquest
d. News Report
e. Create Your Own!
Webquest:
 http://www.barrow.k12.ga.us/hes/classrooms/html/civil_war_webquest.html
o You will take on 4 different roles to complete: Reporter,
Historian, Illustrator, Editor.
Unit 11 – The Civil War
JOURNEY #3 – Field Trip:
Step 1: Choose a place to visit from the list below.
Step 2: Complete a KWL about your choice of topic.
Step 3: As you are taking this journey, you will complete a Reflection Log to keep track of
what you are doing from beginning to end. You must have no less
than 5 entries.
Step 4: After visiting, you will then choose one specific topic (person, place, thing, etc) from the
field trip you found interesting to dive further in depth with. You
will research this specific topic and create a Graphic Organizer to
gather your information.
Step 5: You will create a final product to present your findings to me – this can be in a number
of different ways:
a. Research Paper (MLA Format)
b. Prezi Presentation
c. Webquest
d. News Report
e. Create Your Own!
Trips: Visit http://www.ohiocivilwar150.org/ to see all the options!!
 As Ohio celebrates the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War, there are so
many events throughout the state you can attend.
 To fulfill the requirements for the assignment, you must attend an event that takes
place during the Independent Study (in the month of May).
JOURNEY #4 – RESEARCH TOPIC
Step 1: Choose a topic from the list below, or one you know of, to research.
Step 2: Complete a KWL about your choice of topic.
Step 3: As you are taking this journey, you will complete a Reflection Log to keep track of
what you are doing from beginning to end. You must include no
less than 5 entries.
Step 4: While researching this specific topic you will create a Graphic Organizer to gather your
information.
Step 5: You will create a final product to present your findings to me – this can be in a number
of different ways:
 Research Paper (APA Format)
 Prezi Presentation
 Webquest
 News Report
 Create Your Own!
Research Options (not limited to the following):
 Abraham Lincoln
 Union or Confederate Generals
 Civil War Battles
 New technology of the Civil War
 Ironclads
 Lincoln’s Assassination
Unit 11 – The Civil War
Independent Study Contract
Congratulations! You are being presented with the opportunity to complete an independent
study project that focuses on one or more topics from the Civil War. An independent study
project allows further research outside of school with loose guidance from the instructor for an
agreed upon amount of credits. Please read the following requirements carefully and sign at the
bottom.
1. This project will be in place of your Unit 10 Assessment grade.
2. This project excuses you from daily activities and assignments in class.
3. You will be required to spend class time researching and fulfilling the requirements for
this Independent Study. Time outside of class should also be used wisely to complete
the project.
4. The entire project will be due _______________________________.
5. If class time is abused (i.e. you are out of your assigned area, not using time for
research, fooling around, etc), you will forfeit this opportunity and be required to make up
ALL assignments missed from class and take the Unit 10 Assessment as well.
Please complete the following:
The research journey I choose is: ______________________________________________
My goals for this Independent Study will be:
Personal Goal: __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Academic Goal: _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
As the teacher, I will be responsible for giving guidance when needed and providing resources
for the Independent Study Project.
Signature: ______________________________________
As the student, I will be responsible for completing my Independent Study Project during class
time, as well as outside of school if needed. I will also be responsible for my behavior outside of
the classroom during my research time.
Signature: ______________________________________
As the parent, I agree with the topic chosen by my son/daughter and will allow them to
participate in this Independent Study Project.
Signature: ______________________________________
Unit 11 – The Civil War
Name:________________________
KWL Chart and Discussion Questions
What is your topic?
Why did you choose this topic?
How does this topic relate to the Civil War?
Please fill in the chart below: (**you will not complete the learn column until after the
project is finished.)
What do I know about this
What do I want to know
What did I learn about this
topic?
about this topic?
topic?
Unit 11 – The Civil War
Reflection Log
This log can be completed in many different ways. You can fill out this sheet each time,
use a traditional log (journal entry), video or audio log – it’s up to you! The minimum
requirements are below and must be included in each log entry.
Date:_______________
What took place? Readings, research, hands on?
What have you learned so far?
Why is this significant to your topic? Why is this significant to the Civil War?
What questions do you still have?
What is next?
Unit 11 – The Civil War
Graphic Organizers
Circle the type of graphic organizer you will use:
List/Chart
Venn Diagram
T-chart
Web
Flow Chart
Graphic Organizer:
Concept Wheel (5 W’s)
Outlines
Create Your Own! – There are so many out
there!