Civil War Soldiers of the Civil War

Goals & Objectives

Students will understand the differences between the lives of Union and Confederate
soldiers.
Students will be able to create a graphic organizer of the differences between the Union
and Confederate soldiers lives.

California State Content Standards

8.10.5 Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee)
and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and regiments.

Common Core Literacy Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior
knowledge or opinions.

Driving Historical Question

What were the lives of the Union and Confederate soldiers like?

Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) Time: 2 mins

KWL: Students will activate their prior knowledge about the soldier of the Civil War.
Students will fill out the K and W at this time.

Vocabulary (Content Language Development) Time: throughout entire lesson

Vocabulary will be addressed throughout the day. Key terms are integrated into the
reading and will be used in the graphic organizer that students will create. Some of the
terms students have already gone over when they completed their vocabulary sheet so
some of these words will be review.

Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) Time: 36 mins

I will print out the reading from https://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/who-fought.
Students will actively read the passage and take notes for their graphic organizer. A first
read will be done by themselves.
Students will then get in groups of 4, they may choose their own group members. Students
will then reread the passage together and add to their notes. See Student Engagement
Section for a description of the graphic organizer activity.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) Time: done at same time
as content delivery reading.
After students have read the passage two times, they will work in their groups to fill in the
graphic organizer. Students will use a blank Venn Diagram and fill in at least 5 facts in each
part of the bubbles. One side will be for Union soldiers and the other for Confederate
soldiers with a similarities section in the middle. Each group will create one graphic
organizer and decorate it.

Lesson Closure Time: 2 mins

Students will complete the KWL by filling in the L section. Students will then share with
their group what they learned.

Assessments (Formative & Summative)

Formative: the graphic organizer will serve as a way for me to see how well students
understood the lesson and how well they are progressing. The organizer will also show me
if any additional support is needed and see who needs extra help.

Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
In order to assist ELs, they will be working in groups that they choose themselves, ensuring
that they are working with people that they are comfortable with. They will be reading the
passage twice; once on their own in an attempt to understand it, and then again in their
groups where they will have someone to help them if needed.
Striving readers will have the opportunity to read through the passage more than once and
be able to add as many pieces to the Venn Diagram as they want. They will also be
encouraged to write a short summary of their groups graphic organizer.

Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)

Butcher paper for a Venn Diagram
Reading from https://www.civilwar.org/learn/articles/who-fought.
Pencils/Pens
Markers/Colored Pencils/Crayons