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Lesson United States History Topic: Slavery/ John Brown Unit: The Civil War Grade Level: 8^th Grade Introduction: The lesson will fit into a unit on the Civil War. The students will have briefly discussed slavery in the previous days but this lesson will examine slavery more in depth. The class will also briefly review any previous study about slavery. The website Digital History (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/) has several links and explorations to aid in teaching the topic of slavery. The website focuses on United States history and has extensive collections for the topics of slavery and the Civil War. The site works well into a unit on both topics. The students will listen to a song about John Brown through a link on the website. The students will also work on an exploration about John Brown and analyze slavery through the primary sources the website provides. The primary sources are useful for different types of learners, which aids in a differentiated classroom setting Standard(s): Content Standard #2: Students will use historical thinking skills to develop an understanding of the major historical periods, issues and trends in United States history, world history, and Connecticut and local history 2.7-8.1: Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of major events and trends of United States history NSS-USH. 5-12.5 Era 5: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) Understands the causes of the Civil War Key Question for the lesson: What was slavery like in the South prior to the Civil War? How did John Brown contribute to the outbreak of the Civil War? Instructional Objective(s): Students will be able to: · Listen to a read-aloud · Listen to song “John Brown’s Body” · Work in cooperative groups · Examine John Brown and his relationship to slavery and the Civil War · Analysis multiple primary source documents · Answer relevant questions · Present their findings to the class Materials, Media, Resources: · Laptops for each student · SmartBoard (for presenting to the class) · Incidents of a Slave Girl book · Class notebooks · SOAPSTone worksheet · Exit Slip · Homework question worksheet Assessment of Prior Knowledge: Students will be listening to an excerpt of Incidents of a Slave Girl. Students will be asked what they know about slavery in the South. Students will discuss what they already know about John Brown. LESSON PROCEDURE Development of lesson: The lesson will take two possibly three days (45 minute classes) for the students to properly analyze the primary sources. The students should be able to start analyzing the online primary sources on the first day. The second day the students the will continue to analyze the sources. The third day will be the presentations to the class and whole class wrap up of the activity. Initiation with students Explanation of Objectives: Students will be able to share their good news. Students will listen to the teacher read aloud a section of Incidents of a Slave Girl. Students will be able to discuss their thoughts on the section. Student will listen to the song John Brown’s body from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/brown/sfeature/song.html (link from Digital History). Students will discuss what they think the song is saying. Students will be divided into four cooperative groups. Students will go to the website Digital History. Students will go to the Exploration link and click on John Brown Hero or Terrorist? Students will be able to examine the John Brown in his own words section. Each group will be assigned an activity to explore. The students will be able to read and analyze the primary sources provided in the activities. Students will be able to read and discuss the sources in their cooperative groups. The students will be able to answer the provided questions on their assigned activity. The students will be able to present their activity using the SmartBoard to their classmates. The entire class will be able to discuss their opinions on John Brown and if he is considered a hero or a terrorist. The students will be able to debate if John Brown pushed the country further towards the Civil War. Development of lesson Bellwork (Good News) Explanation of Objectives Students will listen to the read-aloud from Incidents of a Slave Girl Students will listen to the song “John Brown’s Body” from: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/brown/sfeature/song.html Students will be divided into four cooperative groups and assigned an activity on the website (students will assign themselves roles: recorder, presenter, reader, etc.) Students will navigate to the Digital History website Students will examine their assigned activity within the exploration Students will read and analyze their primary sources Students will complete one SOAPSTone worksheet per group Students will answer the provided questions Students will discuss in their groups the information Students will present their findings to the class The class will discuss their thoughts and opinions on John Brown Students will hand in their written responses and SOAPSTone worksheets Students will complete an exit slip Assessment Strategies: Presentation, in class discussions, SOAPStone analysis worksheet, exit slips Closure: Exit Slip: Was John Brown a Hero or a Terrorist? Homework: Two open-ended opinion questions about John Brown and his influence.
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© Abbey Sacco | Last revised 06/09/09 | asacco@sjc.edu Image from: www.executedtoday.com