LESSON PLAN #5
 
 

Title:  JOURNALS OF THE CIVIL WAR

Grade Level:  9 - 12

Subject(s): Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology, Art, Library Skills.

Learner Outcome: MMI/MMO students will improve their writing skills through the use journal writings from people involved in the Civil War effort. They will emulate and then produce original journal writings of their own concerning their own daily lives.

Time Frame: Two days @ 90 min/class period.

Materials: Recollections of the Civil War, Teacher prepared journal example templates for practice use, example journals.

Technology Tools/Courseware:   Library Media Center Internet, word processor.

Teacher Notes: Prior to the start of this lesson, review of phrases, writing complete sentences, and uses of journals in an individuals life need to be conducted and practiced. Journal writing concerning each persons daily life should be practiced several times so that sentence structure can be improved. Brainstorming what it would be like to have lived during the civil war as a person of color as well as a white individual should be completed so that it's clear that we are attempting to understand more than one perspective and trying to write for either race. Attempt to pair a one good writer with a poor writer if at all possible. Writing aids to fit individual needs will need to be provided. The student who places information on the marker board also needs to be able to write legibly so that information that can be read.

Procedures:  Day 1  (Using simultaneous groups in portions where applicable.)

• Brainstorm and list at your seat with your partner the similarities and differences between the two cultures in history.
• Share lists and discuss with the entire group on the marker board.
• Using Library Media Center, visit Civil War sites to read and print out journals from the past.
• Read orally to determine Civil War slang for all to understand and comprehend.
• Homework assignment - develop a journal idea that you can expand in class on day two.

• Review printed journals for review.
• Review sentence writing and writing skills.
• In groups of two write a short journal entry on the word processor, save, and print.
• Change partners at the keyboard and repeat the above process.
• If time permits add photographs to the journal entry and hard copy.

    This activity could be used with the "regular" student body but the time lines may have to be altered.

Enrichment Activities:

    Students could make arrangements with grandparents/relatives to conduct an interview journal concerning their past experiences.

Evaluation/Assessments:

• Student self journal evaluation rubric.
• Teacher journal evaluation rubric.

Social Studies 9.30, 9.42, 10.60
This lesson plan corresponds to Language Arts IGOs 9-12 in the following categories:

• writing skills
• reading comprehension
• listening/speaking
• computer technology
• study skills

References:
Civil War
National Geographic Underground Railroad
Journal Example
Journals by Women in the Civil War
Civil War Timelines with Photos
Soldiers Diaries and Letters
 

Created By: Jane Meador, Linda Meadows, Betty Jo Williams at Summers County High School, Summers County, Hinton, West Virginia, 25951