James Madison University – College of Education
Social Studies Lesson Plan Format
Name: Heather L Gay
Subject/Class: USI
Date:7/20/2011
Grade Level: 6
Topic: Civil War Leaders
NCSS Theme #5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Subthemes: # 5k: that when two or more groups with differing norms and beliefs interact,
accommodation or conflict may occur; #5process : identify and analyze the impact of tensions
between and among individuals, groups, and institutions; # 5product: discussing real-world
problems and the implications of solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions
Essential Questions/Big Ideas:
Big Ideas: Leadership
Essential Questions: 1. Who are considered leaders of the Civil War?
2. What were these leaders known for?
3. How did Lincoln’s view of the nature of the Union differ from Lee?
SOLs/Standards addressed: SOL USI 9d: The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes,
major events, and effects of the Civil War by describing the roles of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson
Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Frederick Douglass in
events leading to and during the war.
Assessment alignment chart: How will you know they know the objectives listed above?
Objective
U 1: SWBAT understand that
there were leaders that came
about during the war
U 2: SWBAT understand that
Lincoln and Lee had different
views of the Union
K 1: SWBAT know the
importance of the leaders that
surfaced during the Civil War
D 1: SWBAT identify the key
leaders in the Civil War and
their importance
D 2: SWBAT participate in a
“Who Am I?” game in order to
review the key leaders
V 1: SWBAT value the
importance of key leaders
during the Civil War and the
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Assessment
Formative: class discussion and textbook
reading
Formative: textbook reading
Formative: labeling leaders and listing
their important information
Formative: participation in “Who Am
I?” game
Formative: discussion, reading, and
SMARTBoard notebook lesson
role they played
Background Content Outline:
I.
Civil War Leaders
A. Union
1. Abraham Lincoln
i. President of the United States
ii. Opposed the spread of slavery
iii. Issued the Emancipation Proclamation
iv. Determined to preserve the Union-by force if necessary
v. Believed the US was one nation, not a collection of independent states
vi. Wrote the Gettysburg Address
2. Ulysses S. Grant
i. Was general of the Union army that defeated Lee
3. Frederick Douglass
i. Was a former enslaved African American who escaped to the North and
became an abolitionist
B. Confederacy
1. Robert E. Lee
i. Was leader of the Army of Northern VA
ii. Was offered command of the Union forces at the beginning of the war
but chose not to fight against VA
iii. Opposed secession, but did not believe the Union should be held together
by force
iv. Urged Southerners to accept defeat at the end of the war and reunite as
Americans when some wanted to fight on
2. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
i. Was a skilled Confederate general from VA
3. Jefferson Davis
i. Was president of the Confederate States of America
DEAN CHART (not needed for this lesson)
Instructional Plan:
Preassessment/
Hook
2 minutes
What the Teacher Will Do
Have an image of Abraham Lincoln up on the
SMARTBoard using Tagxedo (CTA).
Ask students: Who is this person and why is he
important to the Civil War?
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
What the Students Will Do
Students should be able to
answer Abraham Lincoln and he
was President of the United
States, wrote the Gettysburg
Address, issued the
Emancipation Proclamation, etc.
Discussion
2 minutes
Reading
from book
8 minutes
Group
activity
25 minutes
Ask students if they think he was the only important
leader during the Civil War. If not, can they name
anyone that they remember from Virginia Studies?
Students should answer that he
is not the only person.
Some students may be able to
remember people like
“Stonewall” Jackson, Ulysses
Grant or Robert E. Lee
Have students open their book to pages 150-151
about the “Men Who Led.” Call on students to read
aloud, asking and discussing questions. (How did
Lincoln view the individual states? How did
“Stonewall” Jackson contribute to the Confederacy?
How did Davis and Lee differ in the way they
wanted to deal the South’s troubles? Etc.)
Pull up notebook in SMARTBoard that has all the
Union leaders pictured and named on them (3
column chart). Using the information listed at the
bottom of the notebook, students have to remember
what they read earlier and drag the information into
the correct column of the Union leader.
Students will read aloud and
answer questions while reading.
When all information is put into a column, have a
student press the check button to see if the
information is under the correct leader. If not, work
together until all columns are correct.
Once the columns are correct, pass out Reproducible
139: The Men Who Led, and have students copy
information from SMARTBoard to their copy in
front of them.
Group
activity #2
10 minutes
Do the exact same thing with the Confederate
leaders page in Notebook. When all is said and
done, students should have all information for ALL
Civil War leaders written in their worksheet.
Once students put their Civil War leaders worksheet
in their notebook, divide students into groups of 6.
After they are in their groups, go around to each
student and put an index card on their back (with
scotch tape). Students, within their group, have to
ask each other yes or no questions about who they
are. (The first group to guess all of their leaders will
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Students will participate by
going up to the SMARTBoard
and dragging information into
the correct column (for both
Union and Confederate leaders).
Students will write down the
information from the
SMARTBoard onto their own
Civil War leaders worksheet.
Students will be divided into
groups of 6 and play a “Who
Am I?” game.
get a small prize, but don’t tell them that when you
start.)
Closure
3 minutes
Exit slip: Name one leader during the Civil War that
we discussed today and why they were important.
Students will complete exit
ticket.
Study time
Give students the last 10 minutes of class to begin
studying for a quiz on their vocabulary they have
received over the last 4 lessons and the issues that
led to the Civil War and the states that seceded from
the Union and the Free States (from lessons 1-2).
Students may work with a
partner to quiz each other and
study.
Materials Needed for the Lesson: lesson plan; SmartBoard and notebook of Civil War leaders;
history book; Tagxedo image of Abraham Lincoln; reproducible 139 (The Men Who Led) for
students; notecards of Civil War leaders for “Who Am I?” game; exit ticket
Bibliography/Resources Used:
Arnold, L. & Linton, B. (2010). Our America to 1865. Weston, CT.: Five Ponds Press.
Arnold, L. & Linton, B. (2010). Our America to 1865:Reproducibles and Assessments. Weston, CT.:
Five Ponds Press.
http://www.tagxedo.com
Adaption/Differentiation:
ELL/struggling
readers
Reading of the book is read aloud to help these students follow along
one-on-one assistance by teacher if needed
arrangement of groups are varied (low and high in same group)
ADHD
Various learning styles during the lesson
Main group activity allows for movement (not just sitting)
Gifted
These students are paired with lower students in groups to help them
Explanation of Instructional Strategies Used:
Pre-assessment and hook are used to engage students in recalling information about Abraham Lincoln.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10
Discussion gets children engaged and relating what they have read to what they are studying.
Group activities allow for hands-on activity on SMARTBoard and allow students to be up, moving
around, and discussing information about the day’s lesson.
Closure allows for writing and recollection.
Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and Math Education
modified by Dr. Cude & Dr. Stern 8/10