Civil War Webquest

Soldiers’ Lives in the Civil War Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Daily Life Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] A WebQuest for 8th Grade U.S. History Designed by Kayla Steele [email_address] Based on a template from The WebQuest Page Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing

Introduction Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Daily Life Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] As the Civil War breaks out across the United States, thousands of Americans rushed to join the Union and Confederate armies. They drilled, marched, fought, and died hundreds of miles away from home and family. As the war dragged on, both the Union and the Confederacy began drafting young men to become soldiers. Over three million American men and boys ultimately served in the Civil War, sharing many of the same experiences that profoundly shaped American culture. Your job in these next few classes will be to explore some of these experiences.

The Task Student Page Introduction Task Process -- Daily Life Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] You’ve enlisted in the army! But soldier life isn’t as exciting as you thought it would be. You’ve experienced a few battles and managed to avoid serious injury. You spend most of your time marching, drilling, and setting up and taking down your campsites. You need to find a way to have fun, so you decide to write a letter to your family back home telling them about your new life as a soldier. Title Using the sources provided, you will research what the life of a Civil War soldier was like. Using this knowledge, you will then write a letter to a family member or a friend back home. You will need to include enough information about your daily life to paint a convincing picture for your audience back home. You’ll also want to tell them about one of the major battles you’ve seen. Your final letter should be two pages long; you should talk about your daily life in one page, and about the battle you’ve experienced in another page.

The Process -- Daily Life Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Daily Life Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] First, you should read some examples of letters written by Civil War soldiers to get an idea of what they were like. You can find some examples here . (Transcripts are provided.) What kind of language do they use? What do they talk about? Next, you’ll want to decide who you are. Are you a Union or Confederate soldier? Where are you from? How old are you? (You can find a map of the U.S. during the civil war here and some information about the ages of Civil War soldiers here .) Although there were only a few, some women served as soldiers in the Civil War. Are you male or female? (Note: if you decide to be a female soldier, you’ll want to include some information in your letter about how your experience might be different than your male peers. You can find information about women soldiers here .) What year is it ? What season is it? Keep this information in mind while you read about soldiers’ lives. There are many great sources online about the Civil War for you to investigate. You can start by looking at this essay about soldiers’ lives during the Civil War. You can also explore this website for more information about daily life. You don’t need to read every article, but there are many great articles that provide good details for you to use. You might want to check out the “Civil War Potpourri,” “Letters About the War,” “Civil War Medicine” and “The Civil War Armies” sections especially. You can also look at some of the “Other Civil War Sites” if you’d like more information. You can also look at pictures of the Civil War. You can find pictures of soldiers and battlefields. What do soldiers’ uniforms look like? What are some details you can see that you can write about? You may also want to listen to some of the music of the Civil War . What were the songs about? What did they sound like? Why might these songs be popular among soldiers? Process continues… Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing

The Process -- Battles Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Battles Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] Now that you know a bit more about what daily life was like for a soldier, you can start investigating some of the battles you might have participated in. Pick one of the following battles to research. (Remember what year you’re writing from. Don’t pick a battle that hasn’t happened yet.) Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12-14, 1861) First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) Battle of Shiloh (April 6, 1862) Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) Some more detail about Gettysburg here Battle of Chickamauga (September 19, 1863) Battle of Chattanooga (November 23-25, 1863) Battle of Pilot Knob (September 22, 1864) Sherman’s March to the Sea (November 16-December 21, 1864) You can also look at some of the previous sites for information. The Home of the Civil War has official records for each battle as well as some descriptions, and you can search the Selected Civil War Photographs for pictures of your battle site. Some information to consider when researching your battle: where did it happen? How many soldiers were on each side? What time of the year was it? How many people died and were wounded? Which side won? What happened as a result of the battle? What types of weapons were used? (The Battle of Gettysburg website has a good section on weaponry.) Who was in command? What was the landscape like? Process continues… Process -- Letter Writing Process -- Daily Life

The Process -- Letter Writing Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Letter Writing Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] Now that you’re an expert on daily life and on the battle you participated in, you’re prepared to write a letter back home. First, think about to whom you’re writing your letter. Your parents? A sibling? Your wife? A sweetheart? Your best friend? How would the contents of your letter change according to your audience? Your final letter should be two pages; one page should be explaining your daily life and another page should be about the battle you saw. You should include enough detail about daily life and your battle to paint a convincing picture to your reader back home, but your letter should not simply be a list of facts. Your letter should tell a story and you should talk about the events as if you’re actually experiencing them. What emotions are you feeling? What do you hope for? What do you wish to change? Process -- Battles Process -- Daily Life

Evaluation Student Page Title Introduction Task Process -- Daily Life Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] Writer uses no sources, or there is significant misinterpretation of information. Writer uses few sources from one or two different sites, or the writer often misinterprets and misapplies information. Writer uses many sources, but mostly from one type, or there are a few misinterpretations. Writer clearly uses multiple sources of many types, including articles, pictures, maps, and presentations. Writer interprets sources correctly. Sources Writer makes little to no effort to tell a story or create a character. There are few identifying details, and the letter consists mostly of facts. There are significant flaws in the letter's story. The writer attempts to create a character, but there are often inconsistencies. Writer tells an interesting story, but some details are missing. With a few exceptions, the writer stays in-character. Writer tells an interesting story, using creative imagery and convincing detail. The letter is clearly written from the perspective of a Civil War soldier. Creativity Writer makes more than 4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes 3-4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes 1-2 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes no errors in capitalization and punctuation. Capitalization and Punctuation The letter contains less than 5 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains 5-9 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains 10-14 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains at least 15 accurate facts about the topic. Content Accuracy 1 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 3 (Good) 4 (Excellent) CATEGORY

Conclusion Student Page Title Introduction Task Credits [ Teacher Page ] The Civil War was a turning point in United States history. Not only did it profoundly impact the lives of the people who experienced it, but it also changed the trajectory of the development of the United States’ culture and institutions. By exploring the lives of soldiers you’ve learned how important and life-changing these four years in history have been. Process -- Daily Life Process -- Battles Process -- Letter Writing Evaluation Conclusion

Credits & References Student Page Title Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Credits [ Teacher Page ] Title page picture from American Civil War Introduction page picture from Pictures of the Civil War Task page picture from Old Pictures Map of U.S. Christie family letters Home of the American Civil War Women Soldiers of the Civil War What was Life as a Soldier like in 1863? Selected Civil War Photographs, 1861-1865 Music of the Civil War The Battle of Fort Sumter First Battle of Bull Run Battle of Shiloh Battle of Antietam Battle of Gettysburg The First Minnesota Battle of Chickamauga Chattanooga The History of the Battle of Pilot Knob Sherman’s March Conclusion page picture from Britannica Online Encyclopedia The WebQuest Page The WebQuest Slideshare Group

Soldiers’ Lives in the Civil War (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion Credits Teacher Page A WebQuest for 8th Grade U.S. History Designed by Kayla Steele [email_address] Based on a template from The WebQuest Page

Introduction (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page This lesson was developed as a class assignment for Colorado State’s School of Education. This lesson is designed to engage students with history. It introduces students to a variety of primary historical sources and show them how to evaluate and synthesize primary and secondary sources about the U.S. Civil War. This lesson asks students to look at number of primary sources such as letters, pictures, and music from the Civil War era and to analyze those sources for clues about what daily life was like for a Civil War soldier. In addition, this lesson asks students to use their knowledge from the web, textbooks, and class lectures to analyze one Civil War battle. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Learners (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page This lesson is based primarily in eighth grade U.S. history, but it also includes reading and writing. This lesson can also be adapted to fit grades 9-10 as well, and with a few changes in focus could also be used in a reading and writing class. Students must already have a basic understanding of the Civil War before this lesson. Students should be familiar with the causes of the war, the general chronology, and its effects on American history. Students should also already be somewhat familiar with how to analyze primary sources and determine their relevancy to the question at hand. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Curriculum Standards (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page History Standards 2.1: Students know how to formulate questions and hypotheses regarding what happened in the past to obtain and analyze historical data to answer questions and test hypotheses Formulating historical questions based on examination of primary* and secondary* sources including documents, eyewitness accounts, letters and diaries, artifacts, real or simulated historical sites, charts, graphs, diagrams, and written texts Determining if the information gathered is sufficient to answer historical questions 2.2: Students know how to interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information Interpreting the data in historical maps, photographs, art works, and other artifacts Examining data for point of view, historical context, bias, distortion, or propaganda Reading and Writing Standards 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences Writing stories, letters, and reports with greater detail and supporting material Applying skills in analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and explanation to their writing and speaking This lesson encourages critical thinking skills that analyze point of view… It also encourages creative production by encouraging students to create a story and characters with their letters. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

The Process (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page This activity can take place over several class periods. The first period should be devoted to researching and exploring the primary and secondary sources about soldiers’ daily lives, and students can research their battles during the second class period. The teacher can devote a third day to this activity if they wish by having students write or workshop their letters in class, but students can also write their letters as homework. The teacher may decide whether they wish the student to write and submit a rough draft of their letter or not. Students can complete this activity individually or in groups. First, students should read some examples of letters written by Civil War soldiers to get an idea of what they were like. They can find some examples here . (Transcripts are provided.) Next, students should create their character. Are they a Union or Confederate soldier? Where are they from? How old are they? (They can find a map of the U.S. during the civil war here and some information about the ages of Civil War soldiers here .) Although there were only a few, some women served as soldiers in the Civil War. Will the student be a male or female? (Note: if they decide to be a female soldier, they’ll want to include some information in their letter about how their experience might be different than their male peers. They can find information about women soldiers here .) What year is it ? What season is it? Make sure students have a firm grasp on their characters before proceeding. Students can start their research by looking at this essay about soldiers’ lives during the Civil War. The teacher may wish to create a reading guide or put students in reading groups or pairs to ensure they identify important information. Students can also explore this website for more information about daily life. Students may get confused about what articles are relevant to the topic or they may not read enough articles, so the teacher should be monitoring the students’ progress through the sites. Process continues… Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

The Process II (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page Students can also look at pictures of the Civil War. Students can look at pictures of soldiers to learn about their uniforms, pictures of their dining halls and tents, and pictures of various battlefields to find specific information for their letters. The teacher should be engaging the students about what details they notice and find important and guiding them through primary source analysis as students explore this site. Students may also listen to some of the music of the Civil War . The teacher should also be engaging students as they explore this site, asking questions to probe their level of comprehension and guide students to a deeper level of analysis. Now that they know a bit more about what daily life was like for a soldier, students can start investigating some of the battles they might have participated in. Pick one of the following battles to research. (Remember what year you’re writing from. Don’t pick a battle that hasn’t happened yet. This may cause some confusion, so the teacher should clarify this point at the beginning of class.) Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12-14, 1861) First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861) Battle of Shiloh (April 6, 1862) Battle of Antietam (September 17, 1862) Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863) Some more detail about Gettysburg here Battle of Chickamauga (September 19, 1863) Battle of Chattanooga (November 23-25, 1863) Battle of Pilot Knob (September 22, 1864) Sherman’s March to the Sea (November 16-December 21, 1864) Process continues… Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

The Process III (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page Students can also look at some of the previous sites for information. The Home of the Civil War has official records for each battle as well as some descriptions, and they can search the Selected Civil War Photographs for pictures of their battle site. Teachers can also point students to additional resources such as their textbooks or other books if they wish. Some information students should consider when researching their battle: where did it happen? How many soldiers were on each side? What time of the year was it? How many people died and were wounded? Which side won? What happened as a result of the battle? What types of weapons were used? (The Battle of Gettysburg website has a good section on weaponry.) Who was in command? What was the landscape like? Now that they’re experts on daily life and on a Civil War battle, students are prepared to write a letter back home. First, they should think about to whom you’re writing their letter. Your parents? A sibling? Your wife? A sweetheart? Your best friend? How would the contents of your letter change according to your audience? The teacher may want to discuss these questions with students before they write the letter. Their final letter should be two pages; one page should be explaining their daily life and another page should be about the battle their saw. They should include enough detail about daily life and their battle to paint a convincing picture to their reader back home, but the letter should not simply be a list of facts. Their letter should tell a story and should talk about the events as if the student was actually experiencing them. What emotions are they feeling? What do they hope for? What do they wish to change? The teacher may also wish to discuss these questions with students before they write their letters. If they wish, the teacher can brainstorm with students about answers to these questions during class. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Resources (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page Beyond the websites listed on the process and credits pages, there are some other resources teachers may need: Textbooks Books on the Civil War from the school library Speakers Headphones Pencils and pens for workshopping/peer editing of rough drafts History teachers may also want to connect with other teachers in the language arts department. This activity can easily relate to both classes, and teachers may wish to use this project across several types of classes. For example, students can research the topic in history class and then focus on writing and workshopping the letter in writing class. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Evaluation (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion Writer uses no sources, or there is significant misinterpretation of information. Writer uses few sources from one or two different sites, or the writer often misinterprets and misapplies information. Writer uses many sources, but mostly from one type, or there are a few misinterpretations. Writer clearly uses multiple sources of many types, including articles, pictures, maps, and presentations. Writer interprets sources correctly. Sources Writer makes little to no effort to tell a story or create a character. There are few identifying details, and the letter consists mostly of facts. There are significant flaws in the letter's story. The writer attempts to create a character, but there are often inconsistencies. Writer tells an interesting story, but some details are missing. With a few exceptions, the writer stays in-character. Writer tells an interesting story, using creative imagery and convincing detail. The letter is clearly written from the perspective of a Civil War soldier. Creativity Writer makes more than 4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes 3-4 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes 1-2 errors in capitalization and punctuation. Writer makes no errors in capitalization and punctuation. Capitalization and Punctuation The letter contains less than 5 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains 5-9 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains 10-14 accurate facts about the topic. The letter contains at least 15 accurate facts about the topic. Content Accuracy 1 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 3 (Good) 4 (Excellent) CATEGORY

Teacher Script (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page This webquest is not well-suited to students who can’t navigate and explore the websites provided. This webquest is primarily student-driven, and so a teacher script is not necessary. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Conclusion (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Credits Teacher Page This activity helps students engage with history and shows them that it is more than just a collection of disjointed facts and events. By exploring what Civil War life was like, students can develop a new appreciation for history and approach it from a different perspective. Introduction Learners Standards The Process The Process II The Process III Resources Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion

Credits & References (Teacher) [ Student Page ] Title Introduction Learners Standards Process Resources Credits Teacher Page Evaluation Teacher Script Conclusion Title page picture from American Civil War Introduction page picture from Pictures of the Civil War Task page picture from Old Pictures Map of U.S. Christie family letters Home of the American Civil War Women Soldiers of the Civil War What was Life as a Soldier like in 1863? Selected Civil War Photographs, 1861-1865 Music of the Civil War The Battle of Fort Sumter First Battle of Bull Run Battle of Shiloh Battle of Antietam Battle of Gettysburg The First Minnesota Battle of Chickamauga Chattanooga The History of the Battle of Pilot Knob Sherman’s March Conclusion page picture from Britannica Online Encyclopedia The WebQuest Page The WebQuest Slideshare Group Thanks to the creators of these websites for their templates and resources, as well as the Colorado State University School of Education.

Civil War Webquest

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