CEP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Stephanie Gutierrez Date: March 3,

2017

School: Rocky Mountain High School Grade Level: 11th grade Content
Area: US History

Title: Reconstruction Convention Lesson #:_5_ of _5_

Lesson Idea/Topic and I am going to teach Reconstruction. Reconstruction is

Rational/Relevance: important to understand because it shaped American
What are you going to Society following the Civil War. During Reconstruction,
teach and why is this the healing of the nation was to be enacted and the
lesson of importance to United States had to figure out what to do with the
your students? How is it Freedmen. During this time, Jim Crow was also
relevant to students of heightened. This atmosphere formed and shaped
this age and background? American Society, as well as the policy enacted during
Why are you teaching Reconstruction, has had a lasting impact on American
this lesson now (what History. Reconstruction is extremely relevant today since
came before/what will the decisions made in Reconstruction have rippled into
come after)? What current events. I am teaching this lesson now because it
teaching chronologically follows the Civil War and connects us to
methods/strategies will the next unit. During this unit, we will be using a
you use and why? seminar method to role play an ahistorical
Reconstruction Convention. This convention will have
students use primary sources to shape arguments and
will give them a first-hand experience of what it was like
to try and create a plan for Reconstruction. I will also
guide a discussion after the simulation to debrief and
discuss what happened in each simulation.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from
the standard)
High school history standard:
1.1. The historical method of inquiry to ask questions, evaluate primary and secondary sources,
critically analyze and interpret data, and develop interpretations defended by evidence from a
variety of primary and secondary sources
1.2. Analyze the key concepts of continuity and change, cause and effect, complexity, unity, and
diversity over time
1.3. The significance of ideas as powerful forces throughout history

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

-Reconstruction was a pivotal moment in history that had a lasting impact on American History.
-The many differing and opposing opinions of the people in charge of Reconstruction made it
difficult to enact and difficult to create a program for Reconstruction that benefitted everybody.
-Many issues we faced throughout history, and to this day, stem from the Reconstruction of the
United States

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction,
select applicable questions from standard)

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

-In what ways did Reconstruction shape American society of the Reconstruction period, as well as
throughout history following Reconstruction?
-What obstacles did the nation face when deciding on the Reconstruction of the United States?
-What were the differing agendas for the Reconstruction of the United States?
-What was the legacy of Reconstruction?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets) AND (Success Criteria)

I can: Analyze the issues of Reconstruction through multiple perspectives.

This means: I will actively participate in the Reconstruction Convention to create a plan for
Reconstruction that best serves my characters interest using the primary sources I was assigned
to support my arguments.

List of Assessments: (Note whether the assessment is formative or summative)

Formative Assessments
-Ticket to participate (Character write up) Pre-Assessment
-Class discussion during the Reconstruction Convention
-Class discussion following the Reconstruction (verbal feedback)

Summative Assessments
-Essay assignment comparing the events of their Reconstruction Convention to the actual events
of Reconstruction.

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CEP Lesson Plan Form
Name and Purpose of Lesson
Should be a creative title - Think of the
purpose as the mini-rationale
Approx. Time and Materials
How long do you expect the activity to
last and what materials will you need?
Anticipatory Set
The hook to grab students attention. To
put students into a receptive frame of
mind.
To focus student attention on the
lesson.
To create an organizing framework
for the ideas, principles, or
information that is to follow
(advanced organizers)
An anticipatory set is used any time a
different activity or new concept is to be
introduced.
How do you intend to engage your
students in thinking during the
Anticipatory Set?
Why are you using it at this point in
your lesson?
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
Planned Lesson Activities
The name of my lesson is Reconstruction Convention. The purpose of
this lesson is to teach students the complications of planning the
Reconstruction of the United States following the Civil War. There were
complications due to differing opinions on a myriad of issues (the
situation of freedmen, race relations, voting laws now that slaves were
free, justice, and reconciliation). This convention will help them
empathize with the hard decisions America was forced to make.
The lesson will use up all 90 minutes of the class time. For this activity I
need to create a PowerPoint with the four issues the students will be
deciding on, the expectations of students during the simulation, and the
rules of the simulation. I will also need the desks arranged in a way for
the convention as well as a tally sheet I can use for keeping track of
points. Students will need their character write-ups to participate.
As students walk into class, I will be helping them find and navigate
antebellum attire if they wish to wear some. This will get the students
excited for what we are doing today, and they will get to see what other
students are dressed up as. This will help get my students be ready to
start the convention. I will also have the students find their seats (or
find their partners and their seats if there are two students that are the
same character.
The strategy I intend to use is: A visual lead in
I am using this strategy here because: This will surprise students and
will help get my students interested in what we are doing since some
will also be coming in costume.
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Procedures Teacher Actions Student Actions

(Include a play-by-play account of what
students and teacher will do from the
minute they arrive to the minute they
leave your classroom. Indicate the length
of each segment of the lesson in minutes.
Indicate whether each is:
-teacher input
-modeling
-questioning strategies
-guided/unguided:-whole-class practice,
group practice, individual practice, check
for understanding, other
-Wait around and greet students as
they come in and answer any
questions they have before the
convention.
-Greet and address students and
check for their tickets for
participation and discuss with
them the expectations of the
simulation (5 minutes)
-I will instruct students will go
around and introduce themselves
-Students will begin their
simulation as I facilitate the
conversation and keep time to
make sure there is enough time. I
will also facilitate the voting
process.
-Time each issue for 12 minutes of
discussion
-After each discussion, there will
be 5 minutes allotted to vote on
the issue. I will write down the
results
-This will be repeated 4 times
-Reel students in and have
students share out what happened
in their simulation. This will be the
lesson closure/debrief.
-Find their seats as they walk into
class.
-Students will have their entrance
tickets ready to show me if they
are not turned in on google
classroom
(10 minutes)
-Students will go around and
introduce themselves
-Will begin their simulation and will
decide on four parts of the
Reconstruction plan. They will
actively engage and try to
persuade others to vote in their
favor.
-Discuss each issue for 12 minutes
-Vote on the issue
-This will be repeated 4 times
-Share out what happened in each
simulation and ask any questions
regarding the exam that this will
be a part of.

How do you intend to engage your

students in thinking during the The strategy I intend to use is: Socratic Seminar and role playing
PROCEDURE? I am using this strategy here because: This allows students to actively
Why are you using it at this point in engage in the content since they are using primary sources to argue
your lesson? different solutions of Reconstruction. Students will have to use the
information from their assigned readings/sources to push their agenda
at the convention. This strategy will also allow students to experience

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CEP Lesson Plan Form
Closure
Those actions or statements by a teacher
that are designed to bring a lesson
presentation to an appropriate conclusion.
Used to help students bring things
together in their own minds, to make
sense out of what has just been taught.
Any Questions? No. OK, lets move on is
not closure. Closure is used:
To cue students to the fact that
they have arrived at an important
point in the lesson or the end of a
lesson.
To help organize student learning
To help form a coherent picture and to
consolidate.
How do you intend to engage your
students in thinking during
CLOSURE?
Why are you using it at this point in
your lesson?
Differentiation:
Differentiation should be
embedded throughout your
whole lesson!!
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
the frustration of having to compromise to the many differing opinions
people had. I am using this at this point because by this time of year
students will be comfortable speaking with their classmates and sharing
their ideas. There have already been a number of Socratic seminars in
this class, so the students have experience with speaking in front of
each other.
This portion of the lesson will be 10 minutes long. In this ten minutes
we will debrief on the convention and talk about what happened in both
groups. I will ask students what was difficult about the convention as
well as what worked well. I will also ask how many people were able to
achieve what their character desired without having to compromise. I
will also ask whose character is satisfied with the results of the
convention. Then we will address any questions students have about
the take home exam.
The strategy I intend to use is class discussion
I am using this strategy here because: discussion is a great way to
quickly gauge what students got out of the lesson. I will not be afraid to
cold call on students to see what they took away from the lesson. It also
gives any students that are really wanting to share something an
opportunity to.
This lesson is targeting students of all levels. The hardest part is to
come up with something that challenges them and is engaging to them
at the same time. To differentiate I used multiple strategies. Some
students will be very invested and interested in this activity. The
readings assigned were in depth and were numerous. These students
could challenge themselves by closely reading the assigned materials
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This is to make sure you have
met the needs of your students
on IEPS or 504
To modify: If the activity is too advanced
for a child, how will you modify it so that
they can be successful?
To extend: If the activity is too easy for a
child, how will you extend it to develop
their emerging skills?
Assessment Reflection: (data
analysis)
How will you know if students met the
learning targets? Write a description of
what you were looking for in each
assessment.
Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences
and doing any further preparation they desired. I gave the students the
option to dress in antebellum clothing to immerse fully into character. I
also gave the students the option to skim the readings. I addressed this
to the whole class, but any students that are slower at reading or not as
strong as others may take longer to read. I assigned them a week in
advance to help give students more time and allowed for work to be
done during class, but I understand that may still not be enough time
for every student. I gave the option to skim the readings to the entire
class for these students, that way they would not feel overwhelmed. If
the seminar is a difficult time for students to form an argument on the
spot they can piggy-back off of a comment another student has made
to help them discuss the content. Having to form and create policy will
be challenging and is a perfect opportunity for students close to
mastery of the content to extend their knowledge. I also have a student
with severe anxiety that does not like to speak in front of large groups,
even her classmates. Instead of letting her not receive points, I have
given her an alternate assignment where she can be a reporter that
does a write up of what was discussed in class and respond to the
events how her character would. In fourth period, Kaeda and Lauren will
be Harriet Tubman and discuss the rights of Freedmen as discussed with
LaRae.
I will know students have hit the learning targets because I will be
running the one of the conventions. Since I am facilitating I will easily
be able to formatively assess how students are grasping an
understanding of the predicament of Reconstruction. I will also hear
from them in the closure/debrief of the convention. This will allow me to
hear student feedback and experiences with the convention to see if
this was a worthwhile activity for the next time I teach my lesson. My
summative exam is the take-home essay students will write following
the convention as part of their midterm. They will compare what
happened in the convention to the historical events of Reconstruction.
This will allow me to see the connections students make between our
simulation and what they learned from reading the textbook. This will
also allow students gain experience writing historically. I can use these
exams as a pre-assessment to help me decide the next writing
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assignment for class.

The questions we, as a class will be discussing:

Issue A: Under what conditions should the South be allowed back into the Union? Who in the former Confederate States of America should be
pardoned?

Issue B: What political, economic, and social rights should Free Blacks and Freedmen Acquire?

Issue C: Who should control the process of Reconstruction-Congress or the President?

Issue D: Should Reconstruction be implemented on a national or state level?

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