Introduction

This unit is a multidisciplinary unit about the American Civil War and the events and issues that led up to it in the time period of 1850 - 1865. It is intended to be a culminating activity to be used with a study of the Civil War.  Students may use their textbook, library resources, and any other material they can find, as well as the Internet.  The final form of the newspaper can be done on broadsheet for classroom display, word processed on the computer, or done as a web page.

Content Area and Grade Level

Civil War Herald is anchored in the traditional subjects of  history, English, and involves science to a lesser extent. Mathematics could also be included. The unit is designed for middle school grade levels, but can easily be extended to high school students.

Curriculum Standards Addressed
 

Implementation Overview

To reflect both sides of the issues in the Civil War, half of the class should represent the Southern point of view and half the Northern. There are six student roles for each newspaper, but the size of the student groups can be adapted according to the size of the class.   Internet access at home should be one criteria for establishing the student groups.  To maximize class time and to insure authentic assessment, the requirements and format of this activity should be discussed at the beginning of the Civil War unit.  This would be an appropriate time to include student input in the development of the rubric. Class time devoted to this activity depends upon how each individual teacher decides to structure the unit.

Things to think about before the start of this activity:

• View movie clips from Discovery Education's United Streaming http://www.unitedstreaming.com videos about the Civil War. United Streaming is a subscription service, but is well worth it in my opinion. Remember, learning increases if students both see video with a purpose and read with a purpose.
• Contact school library media specialist to schedule library research time and to enlist help in locating resources.
• Send assignment alerts to local libraries.
• Schedule computer lab time or plan times for computer use for each group.
• Survey students to find out home internet access and computer skills to aid in forming equitable groups.
• Decide on the final format of the paper, such as large broadsheet, web page, or something.
• For other ideas see Research Competencies Students Need in a Technical World

Students are encouraged to begin with the information available in their textbook and expand to material in the school and local libraries as well as on the student server to view the downloaded United Streaming videos.  Then use the Internet. This activity lends itself well to team teaching but can be done by an individual teacher.

Some of the movies titles that clips may be downloaded from United Streaming http://www.unitedstreaming.com/ videos are:

• American Civil War, The: The Causes of War. United Learning. 1996
• American History: Abolishing Slavery in America. Discovery Channel School. 2005.
• American Civil War, The: The War Years: Part 1: 1861-1862 and Part 2: 1863-1865. United Learning. 1996.
• Civil War. 100% Educational Videos. 2003.
• Dear America: When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864. Scholastic. 1998
• American History: The Civil War: A Nation Divided. Discovery Channel School. 2005
• America's Era of Expansion and Reform, 1817-1860: America Under Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan, 1853-1860: The Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Utopian Movements, the Dred Scott Decision, and the Election of Lincoln. United Learning. 2003.
• Underground Railroad, The: Escape From Slavery. United Learning. 1998.
• Making the Thirteen Colonies: The Southern Colonies. United Learning. 2003.
• American Industrial Revolution, The. United Learning. 1997.
   

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

Students will need to have basic research skills. Students will need to know how to:

• access information in a library and on the Internet.
• access and view downloaded movie clips.
• take notes.
• cite sources in correct format.

Students will need the skills necessary to work cooperatively in groups.

Students will need a background knowledge of the geography and issues in the U.S. in the years preceding the civil war.

Teachers will need to have a comfort level with computers and the Internet or have someone assisting them who does.

Teaching Hints

Materials to Download (especially for teachers) from The Matthew Brady Bunch: Civil War Newspapers  by Amy Donnelly and Elizabeth Ridgway include

• How to Write a Newspaper Article -- Guidelines
• Newspaper Article Peer Editing Form
• Newspaper Article Teacher Evaluation Form

Students can look at the issue of slavery and what living conditions were like for some at the time in Black History Links.

Can your students identify the geographical location of the states involved?

Could your students work with another class in another part of the country as a research source or as an audience for their products?

During the unit, frequently check on student progress. In preparation for the unit, copy the questions for each newspaper assignment into a word processor (for educational classroom use only - see the copyright restrictions below) and make a worksheet out of the questions.  Print out a student handout for each student with the newspaper assignments and the questions. The handout can be used by students to take notes and list their sources so they can defend their choices as they move along. I think this is an important part of the learning process. The handout will also allow you to evaluate their progress by noting the quantity and quality of their notes. Check the handout at least once a week to verify progress.  The coaching you do is important during this time.

Schedule some "Talk Time" away from books and computers for each team. I do this at least one period a week. They need to communicate with each other about what they know and need to know periodically. In fact, if they use KWL charts for note taking, this is a good opportunity to use it.  The editor should make sure things are getting done right and small conflicts are dealt with. This project can be used for team building skills.

Don't be surprised if your students ask for more time, especially the students who tend to do the best work for you. This is a project that allows for differentiation in a classroom, with your brighter students learning up to their potential. In fact, I would suggest that you make one group out of your top students in each class and let them intellectually challenge each other; the results may astound you. Another grouping recommendation is to put an equal number of students with internet access at home in each group.

Teachers in self contained classrooms might make this WebQuest a station to rotate students through.

Before students actually begin this unit, preview the work with them using a projection device.

The presentations will take a while, in fact a lot longer than you think.  That's OK, but expect it.

Ask your students to cite their sources for information. This is the only way you can tell if they got the information from a reliable source or just made it up. This is a good time to teach or review how to cite a bibliography.

A good question to tie the Civil War into the study of the Constitution is to ask "Is secession allowed by the Constitution? Why or why not?"

Evaluation

The handout should include a set of rubrics (such as the ones listed below).  The rubrics should be jointly developed by you and the students -"What makes a good newspaper article?" In this way they may buy into the activity more and have a better understanding of the goals. and of what is expected of them.  Also, under the rubrics, there is a group self assessment sheet. I used it once a week and found out who was not pulling their weight with the team. Have a panel of students (use different students for each presentation) help you evaluate each team and their product during their presentation. They may be harder on other students than you would be. It is strongly recommended that a group grade be given only when necessary, but then individual grades be given for everything else. Everyone must be responsible for his/her own role and part in making the products! That way, one person will not bring down a group's grade, nor will one person doing a wonderful job will not mean another person doing little or nothing will receive that credit.

Some evaluations you may wish to look at are:

Culminating Product Assessment for the Civil War Herald Webquest
 

Group Self Assessment for the Civil War Herald Webquest

Possible Variations

For variations of this unit, see The Matthew Brady Bunch: Civil War Newspapers  by Amy Donnelly and Elizabeth Ridgway

This WebQuest was adapted with permission from Civil War Gazette by Jim Evans.

To develop your own rubrics, use RUBISTAR from www4teachers. Teachers can easily build customizable rubrics for or with your students for a wide variety of project types. Please check this out!

We appreciate suggestions for this unit made by Dr. Jamie McKenzie, editor of  From Now On  The Educational Technology Journal.

Conclusion

This unit is important because it involves students in activities that challenge them, have them make sound theories, do quality research, do analysis, make judgments and then create an interesting product to communicate their results. Technology is as tools in making these exciting learning experiences even deeper, richer and more motivating. Students are not acting as vessels to be filled with knowledge, but as active participants in learning the causes and effects of that event which helped shape the United States, the American Civil War.
 

Last updated 2/15/06

Copyright © 1999-2006 Lana Brozik, Kathleen Kaup, and Richard Levine

This site is for non-profit, educational use only. If you have any comments, questions or resources you would like to see added to this page, contact Richard Levine at (email: comments@coollessons.org), Cool Lessons Educational Technology Consulting or  Lana Brozik, Eastview Middle School, Bartlett IL.

Some of the ideas in the Teaching Ideas section came from the work of Debbie John, Marilou Haworth, Greg Ziegler, Jenni Underhill, Edwina Wallace, Patricia Salwach and other wonderfully talented teachers at Tefft Middle School,  Streamwood, IL.

For a source of many other WebQuests for all grades and subjects see COOL TEACHING LESSONS AND UNITS

This WebQuest was developed July 19-23, 1999 for School District U-46 as part of the requirements of a Illinois State Board of Education Goals 2000 District Wide Planning Grant to "integrate technology with engaged learning and instruction".

This page is based on a template designed by Dr. Bernie Dodge, San Diego State University from The WebQuest Page  and compiled from work done by Dr. Bernie Dodge, Tom Marsh of Ozline.com and Education Service Center, Region 20, San Antonio, TX .
Reprinted with permission