Lesson Plan Summary
Long Road to Gettysburg by Jim Murphy
Essential Question: How did people communicate during the Civil
War?
Prepared by Robin Ferrell, Librarian
Mitchell Elementary School
Tulsa Public Schools
Oklahoma C3 Standards for Social Studies:
Grade 5
Content Standard 3.3: Commemorate Celebrate Freedom Week by recognizing the
sacrifices and contributions to American freedom by veterans and by reciting the social
contract selection from the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness. – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Grade 8:
Content Standard 5.4C: Identify and summarize the consequences of the major turning
points of the Civil War including the Battle of Gettysburg as inspiration for the
Gettysburg Address and how Lincoln’s speech clarified the Union’s motivations for
winning the war,
Common Core State Standards
Visual Arts:
 Creative Responses to texts
 Analyze artwork for significant elements
Reading:
 Analyze texts for main idea and detail, cause/effect relationships, predictions,
and conclusions.
 Analyze relationships between characters, setting, and plot.
 Identify figurative language devices.
 Recognize common prefixes and suffices.
 Interpret headings and other text features to increase information.
Writing:
 Comprehension and collaboration
 Presentation skills
 Respectful audience behavior
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Social Studies
 Explain causes of the Civil War
 Identify key leaders and events of the Civil War
 Identify effects of the Civil War on our nation
Materials Needed:
 Copies of Long Road to Gettysburg by Jim Murphy
 Gardner photograph Abraham Lincoln, February 5. 1865 found in Picturing
America Collection or online at
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/civwar/item/cwp2008000004/PP/
 LOC photograph of President Barack Obama at
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/prese
ntations/inaug/inaug.html
 Computer connections with online connections to access the Library of Congress
 Chart paper with a T-chart and Venn diagram
Procedures:
1. Introduce the Civil War by giving students a few minutes in small groups to
brainstorm an answer to the following question: “How can you communicate to a
friend or family member today? What would you do?” Write answers on one
side of the T-chart on the chart paper under the heading: “Communication
Today.”
2. Then change the question: “How would you communicate to a friend or family
member if you lived during the Civil War in 1860 – 1865? What would you do?”
Record answers on the other side of the T-chart under the heading:
“Communication During the Civil War.”
3. Show students the photograph of Abraham Lincoln. Compare this to the present
day picture of the current U.S. President, web addresses listed above in
materials. Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two photographs.
4. Here are some suggested activities to use while reading certain chapters of the
book Long Road to Gettysburg by Jim Murphy:
A. After reading chapters 1& 2 have students number off in class 1s or
2s. Students who are number one will write a descriptive letter from Lt.
John Dooley of the Confederate States Army in chapter one, and
students who are number two will write a descriptive letter from
Corporal Thomas Galway of the United States Army. Each letter is to
his parents about the long march in each respective chapter
mentioning key leaders and the effects. Students will “write arguments
to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.” p.42
CCSS.
B. After reading chapters 3, 4, & 5 select the other side of the war and
“write a narrative to develop real or imagined experiences using
effective technique, relevant descriptive details and well- structured
event sequences in explaining any one day of the battle.” p. 43 CCSS.
C. After reading The Gettysburg Address on page 105 of The Long Road
to Gettysburg, “gather relevant information from multiple print and
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digital sources using search terms effectively; assess the credibility
and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.” P. 44 CCSS.
Select a lesson plan from the Library of Congress addressing the Civil
War. Lessons are found at
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/#topic160
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