Conner Cassens

Unit: American Civil War

Days: 1
Focus on this lesson: Discuss the major battles of the American Civil War and how they were
significant to the war and how they affected the political and social aspect of life following the
war. Students should be able to know and understand why and how certain battles occurred, as
well as the affect each battle had on the war and reconstruction.
Enduring Understanding: Knowing how battles and wars have an effect on not only the war,
but how they affect politics and social life following the battles.
Essential Questions:
1. What is a war in your terms?
2. How a war different then a conflict, battle, is struggle etc.?
3. How do battles and wars affect the political and social aspects of life?
Content Objectives: Students will learn how to identify certain battles of the civil war and their
characteristics. They will be also asked to understand and demonstrate the knowledge of how
wars and battles can affect political and social life, both during and after the war has ended.
Skill Objectives: Students will have the skill to identify the characteristics of certain Civil War
battles and understand their importance on American politics and social life, as well as their
importance in the war.
Standards: AZ State Standards, Strand 1: American History, Concept 6: Civil War and
Reconstruction, Grade 7, PO. 2: Determine the significance of the following events of the Civil
War:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

firing on Fort Sumter

major battles Bull Run, Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg
enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation
Shermans march
surrender at Appomattox

What I need to know as an instructor: I need have exceptional knowledge on the battles of the
Civil War and their affects and significance on the war. As well as knowledge of how the battles
and the war had an effect on political and social life in America during and following the Civil
War.

Assessment: Students will be quizzed on the battles and their importance by giving them
characteristics of each battle and having them analyze which battle it is. As well as having them
identify the social and political changes that occurred over the course of the Civil War.
Instructional Materials: I will be using a PowerPoint with pictures and notes for the students to
take about the American Civil War and their battles and how they were important in the war and
in American society.
Technology: I will use a PowerPoint presentation to portray information and pictures.
Inquiry: Students will use inquiry to identify the social and political aspects that changed during
the course of the civil war and how certain battles affected everyday American life, both
politically and socially.
Vocab: Words to know
1. War
2. Battle
3. Ulysses S Grant
4. Robert E. Lee
5. Abraham Lincoln
6. Emancipation Proclamation
7. Gettysburg Address
8. Appomattox Courthouse
9. Radical Reconstruction
10. Abolition
Lesson Outline: In This lesson I will be showing a PowerPoint depicting certain battles of the
Civil War and instructing my students on not only how important each battle was to the war, but
how the battles and the war affected political and social life in America.

Time

Activity

Students Task

Teachers Task

5 Minutes

Review of previous Lesson

Students will be asked

questions about the
prior lesson to refresh
their memory.

Teacher will ask

simple, but stimulating
questions to refresh the
students memory.

30 Minutes

Show students a
PowerPoint which features
the significance of certain
Civil War battles and their
importance in the war and
how they affected political
and social life both during
and after the Civil War.

Students will be asked

to take notes and
participate in the
lecture so they gain the
proper knowledge.

Lead the PowerPoint

and ask stimulating
questions that
challenges the students
to pay attention and
take notes.

15 Minutes

Students will be quizzed on

the material they just
learned. They will be given
characteristics of certain
battles and will be asked to
identify which
characteristic matches a
certain battle.

Students will be
quizzed on the lecture
that they just listened
to, to ensure that they
were paying attention
and took notes. They
will not be allowed to
use notes on the quiz.

Teacher will lead quiz

and give students
characteristics of
certain Civil War
battles so that they can
identify which battle
the characteristic
matches.