Curriculum Document
Mary Meyers-Wenninger
Title
Historical Fiction and The Civil War
Primary Academic Area
Language Arts & United States History
Interdisciplinary Connections
United States History (Social Studies)-Language Arts-Music
Grade Level
*8th grade
Big Ideas/Key Concepts/Key Questions
This curriculum unit is the study of the Civil War through historical fiction. Irene Hunt
writes the novel that I will be using and the title is Across Five Aprils. I feel that the novel, Across
Five Aprils really gives students a realistic and interesting approach to the Civil War. Students
can relate to the main character Eb who is about the same age as eighth graders. Throughout the
novel many important concepts such as: slavery, deserters, economics, secession, and daily life
are just to name a few are covered in a unique way and are presented in a story. Students are able
to understand these important concepts and relate them to what is going on in the story.
During this unit students will be able to explain why the Civil War took place and the
effects it had on society in 1865 and today. Students will be able to interpret why people lived
the way they did and why it made such an impact on family and how society was. The different
characters in the novel represent the different views that people had during the Civil War
depending on where they lived and what their role was. Students will be able to understand the
different points of views and why these people felt so strong about particular issues and other did
not. Overall students will be able to understand these complicated concepts because they will be
able to relate how they live their lives and how people of the Civil War had to live theirs.
This topic addresses the faucets of planning and designing learning environments and
experiences and teaching, learning and the curriculum. This unit provides many opportunities for
students to learn about technology and enhance the technology skills that they already have.
Students will be using a variety of software, such as Inspiration, Power Point, Microsoft Word &
Excel, and a variety of Internet sources. Using these programs and sources will further their
knowledge in the area of technology. The one goal of mine is that what the students learn from
this unit I am sure that they will carry these technology skills that they have learned to all of their
other classes.
Approximate Duration
This unit will take approximately one month-classes meet once a day for a 75-minute block of time.
Goals and Standards
 Educational Technology Goals (NETS-S)
Goal 1: Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a
variety of sources.
Goal 2: Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers,
experts, and other audiences.
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Goal 3: Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and
ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
Academic Area Goals
Social Studies
Students in Wisconsin will learn about the history of Wisconsin, the United States, and
the world, examining change and continuity over time in order to develop historical
perspective, explain historical relationships, and analyze issues that affect the present
and the future.
Language Arts
Students in Wisconsin will read and respond to a wide range of writing to build an
understanding of written materials, of themselves, and of others.
Students in Wisconsin will write clearly and effectively to share information and
knowledge, to influence and persuade, to create and entertain.
Music
Students in Wisconsin will analyze and describe music.
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Understanding Goals for Primary Academic Area
Social Studies
. Examine the cause and effect relationship of significant events on people, politics, and
international relations.
. Identify the causes of the Revolutionary and Civil War.
Identify the consequences of the Revolutionary and Civil War.
Language Arts
Read to acquire information.
Plan, revise, edit, and publish clear and effective writing.
Music
Identify simple music forms upon listing to a given example.
Objectives
The student will be able to:
Employ cause and effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have an
influenced the past and the present in United States and world history.
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The Student will be able to: Describe the relationships between and among significant
events, such as the causes and consequences of wars in United States and world
history.
The Students will be able to:
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Activate background knowledge and define vocabulary
Begin to identify a purpose for reading narrative and expository texts.
Identify and use various text structures cause/effect, compare/contrast,
fact/opinion, problem/solution, and sequencing.
Interact with the text by questioning, connecting, predicting, clarifying,
inferring, drawing conclusion, and evaluating.
Summarize and paraphrase orally or in writing.
Complete oral and written activities using narrative and expository text,
utilizing inferencing and the prediction of outcomes.
Interpret key vocabulary connected to concepts/story elements.
The student will be able to:
• Identify literary elements of each genre such as theme, tone, point of view,
and plot of a narrative, characters, setting.
• Identify and state the purpose of a literary work.
• Identify and provide examples of devices; i.e. figurative language, etc.
• Demonstrate understanding of literary devices through oral and written
activities.
• Recognize aspects of literacy texts that are related to personal experience and
other texts.
The student will be able to:
• Use a variety of methods for organizing information: outline, graphic
organizers, formal note taking.
• Implement prereading strategies; i.e. examine bold face, pictures, titles, and
skim.
• Generate questions about the selection to guide reading.
• Demonstrate understanding of information by analyzing, paraphrasing and
summarizing.
• Use reading strategies: questioning, connecting, clarifying, and evaluating to
assist in acquiring information.
• Recognize and use expository text structures (cause/effect, problem/solution,
sequencing, compare/contrast, etc.)
The student will be able to:
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Write a composition, after classroom instruction, in the narrative, informative
(newspaper) persuasive, descriptive, letter writing, poetry, research, and/or
imaginative style.
Engage in impromptu and demand writing.
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Produce multiple drafts including finished pieces that demonstrate the capacity
to generate, focus, and organize ideas.
Plan for the intended audience and the purpose of the writing.
Use revision strategies; i.e. peer editing, rubrics, self-awareness, and
feedback from teachers.
Demonstrate well-developed, well-organized, clearly written responses in
effective language and a voice appropriate for audience and purpose.
Use word processing to publish a piece of writing.
The Student will be able to:
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Identify melody and harmony.
Identify theme and variation form.
Lesson Materials and Resources
• Across Five Aprils Novel by Irene Hunt (One copy for each student)
• Teachers source book-Literature Connections Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
• Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt Teacher Guide for Novel Units
• Journals one for each student
• Social Studies Text
• Guest Speaker on the Civil War if possible
• Computer access one computer for each student
• Internet Access
• Inspiration Software
• Game presenter Software
• Word processing software
• Access to an LCD Projector-to be used in the classroom and in the computer lab
• Library access for research
• Librarian-will assist with research on the Internet and using library resources
• CD Player
• TV/Vcr
• Journal for each student
• Study Guide packets with Vocabulary included
• Variety of graphic organizers such as: Story maps, timelines, character maps, cause
& effect, venn diagram, reading log, and vocabulary cards.
• Overhead projector
• Transparencies
• Movie edited version of Glory
Technology Tools and Materials
Web sites that will be used for this unit are:
http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/
http://www.civilwarpoetry.org/
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http://americancivilwar.com/
http://www.kcusd.org/~slorenzo/webquests/cwlang/cwlang.html
http://www.civilwarletters.com/home.html
http://homepage.floodcity.net/users/mastdog/states.html
http://sunsite.utk.edu/civil-war/warweb.html
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/
http://www.historybuff.com/library/refgather.html
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html
http://www.bookrags.com/notes/afa/CHR.htm
http://www.quia.com/hm/197876.html
http://www.knsbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listacrossfma.html
http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/huntcrossfma.html
Search engines that will be used include:
Google
Ask Jeeves
Dogpile
Yahoo
Computer for each student
Internet access
Inspiration Software
Word processing software
PowerPoint software
LCD Projector
Overhead projector
CD Player
TV/VCR set up
Game Presenter software
Background Information
This unit will be taught at the end of students eighth grade year. It is expected that the
students will know many of the skills needed for this unit before it is taught. Students
during this unit are going to be able to pull many skills from language arts and social
studies learned throughout the year and apply these skills to this unit. Students will be
able to compare/contrast and use cause and effect concepts using a variety of graphic
organizers that they have used already. Students can use effective reading strategies to
achieve their purpose in reading the novel. Students will have studied many wars and be
able to apply that information to the Civil War. Students can effectively use rubrics and
do what they are expected from that assignment. Students can use a computer and
software such as: Microsoft Word, Inspiration, Power point, and the Internet will ease.
Unit Procedures
The following information is a brief introduction of how students will be reading the
novel.
The introductory lesson introduces students to some background to the novel through
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a discussion with a guest speaker on the Civil War if possible. If this is not possible the
teacher will give background information to the students and discuss major concepts of
the book. Students will then be given materials they will be using during the unit. At the
end of this introductory lesson students will begin the pre-reading work for the first
reading assignment. Students will be given a copy of the novel Across Five Aprils by
Irene Hunt, a study guide packet that contains questions for each chapter read, and a
vocabulary packet for each chapter read.
The reading assignments are approximately thirty pages each; some are a little shorter
while others are a little longer. Students will have about 15 minutes for pre-reading
assignments to do prior to each reading assignment. This pre-reading assignment
involves reviewing study guide questions for the assignment and doing some vocabulary
work for 8 to 10 vocabulary words they will encounter in their reading. Students will be
reading mostly during class time and they will be given three different opportunities to
read, read on their own, read with a partner, or read with the teacher. Students must
choose which way best will fit their needs for reading the novel.
The study guide questions are fact-based questions; students can find answers to
these questions right in the text. These questions come in two formats; short answer or
multiple choices.
The vocabulary work is intended to enrich student’s vocabulary as well as to aid in the
student’s understanding of the book. Prior to each reading assignment given students
will complete a two-part worksheet for approximately 8 to 10 words for the upcoming
reading assignment. One part is determining the meaning of the words, and part two is
understanding the word through context clues. Besides using the vocabulary packets
vocabulary words will be placed in the form of a Jeopardy game where students can
practice their knowledge of the words before reading the chapter assigned. Students will
also make up their own vocabulary games using PowerPoint and using the Game Show
Presenter Program.
Reading Assignment sheet will be filled in by each student as they read a section.
During the unit each student will keep a journal of the different writing prompts that are
given during units and they will be shared in class for discussion.
Note: Below is the layout of the unit. For each week students will complete vocabulary
worksheets, study guide questions, journals, and assigned readings. I will not get into
detail for each of these because they are self explanatory. I will get into specific lessons
that will be taught besides the basic vocabulary, study guide questions and assigned
readings.
Week one: Vocabulary and study guide questions to be accomplished in chapters 1 to
4. Also, see the calendar for a clear look at the entire unit.
Lesson one: Students will be going to the library or the computer lab to do some
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research on the Civil War. Students will use the following web site to complete the Civil
War Hunt that I created using Filamentality.
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listacrossfma.html Here students will get familiar
with the events of the Civil War by going to the Internet resources to answer questions
about the Civil War. This is a great introductory lesson for the Civil War.
Then students will be using the following Trackstar numbers to get familiar with the Civil
War: #44474, #238026. # 288155, #260246. These Trackstars provides information
such as pictures, famous leaders, maps, and general information about the Civil War.
The Trackstars are found at
http://trackstar.4teachers.org/trackstar/ts/startSearchByKeyword.do
These are two great activites to get students interest and introducing the book Across
Five Aprils.
Lesson Two: Students will complete a Civil War Map-During this activity students will be
given a blank map of the United States and by using the web site Maps101.com they will
be able to color the states that are Union and color the states that are Confederate.
Students will be able to use this map for future reference when reading the novel.
Students will also locate the following on their map: Tennessee River, Cumberland
River, Mississippi River, Olney Tow, Newton Town, and Hildago Town.
Week two: Vocabulary and study guide questions to be accomplish in chapters 5 to 9.
Lesson one: Historical Fiction and the Civil War. This lesson begins with a PowerPoint
introduction into the lesson. This lesson will have to be completed in the computer lab or
library.
In this lesson students’ will analyze the characters from the novel Across Five Aprils
by Irene Hunt by using the software program Inspiration. They will first discover each
character and what significant role they play in the story. Then with using Inspiration,
students will be able to link relationships and get a better understanding of how the
characters fall into place.
Getting Started:
As an entire class introduce the lesson by putting together a list of all of the
characters in the novel. You may want to list them in order of importance and identify
with a brief description of each. Students will copy this down for their own reference.
The class will then need to proceed to the computer lab or in house lab where
students can access the program Inspiration.
Procedure 1:
Students will be assigned a computer and then they are to open the program
inspiration on their screen. Students will see one bubble that says “main idea” in it. This
part of the lesson should be done on an individual basis if there are enough computers
for each child.
Once each student has reached the desired screen have the students type a name of a
character into that bubble that says Main Idea. Such as: Jethro Creighton, Shadrach
Yale, Jenny Creighton, Ross Milton, and Bill Creighton etc…
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Students will continue to make bubbles all over their screen with the names of the
characters. Students’ must click on create at the top on the gray tool. Also students will
need to delete the link that will appear. To do this you need to double click on the arrow
(link) so that it has a box around it then you press the delete button.
Another way is to type a letter on the keyboard and a bubble will automatically appear.
Then you don’t have to worry about deleting the links.
Procedure 2:
Students will now begin to make an attribute web for each character on their
Inspiration page. Begin with one character such as Jethro Creighton and begin to link
bubbles to him. Such as his description, characteristics, acts, and feels. Students will
need to click on the bubble that says for example Jethro Creighton to begin with. Then
they will click on create-this will create a bubble that automatically links back to the
bubble that says Jethro Creighton. In this bubble, students will begin to describe Jethro’s
characteristics, his description, how he acts, and how he feels. Students may arrange
this however they may like so that it is organized and that it makes sense to them.
Students can even use the spell function at the top to check their spelling. Students will
continue this process with each character.
Procedure 3: At this point, students will click on the outline button at the top on the gray
tool bar. This will automatically put the information from the web into an outline form.
This outline will be handed in to the teacher.
Procedure 4: The next step and final step is to create links to characters that are related
in some way. For instance Jethro is the son of Matt-so their bubble will be linked.
Students will then click on a bubble, grab with the mouse a red diamond shape and then
drag it to the bubble that links the two together. This process will be completed by linking
each character.
Before moving on to the next character link, click on the line that is linking the two
characters and this will give you a text box. In that text box you can type how that
character is related to the other character.
Procedure 5: Students are to turn this diagram into an outline like they did before. They
are to go to the gray tool bat at the top and click on outline. The diagram will turn into an
outline and students can print this to turn into the teacher and or keep for their records.
Lesson Two: Students will use the compare/contrast worksheet to establish the
differences between the Union States and the Confederate States. Students will use the
maps and information in their social studies text to complete this worksheet. Then
students will use the compare/contrast rubric to write a three paragraph essay
comparing the differences and the similarities of the Union States and the Confederate
States
Week three: Vocabulary and study guide questions to be accomplished in chapters 10
to 12. During this lesson students will also be going to the computer lab or library.
Lesson one: Songs and War. Students will listen to two of the most famous Civil War
songs, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Dixie”. Explain that other wars also have
songs associated with them and they will be working in groups to investigate them.
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Students will be divided into groups and they will be given a song associated with a
particular time period. Each group will be responsible for finding a song associated with
that time period. Students must get the words and the music to the song and find out
something about the composer and composition and why it became emblematic of the
time period. Each group will present their findings; they may display a sheet of music on
poster board, or show videos of old film where the music may have been used. As a
conclusion students can discuss why wars tend to have songs written for them or
associated with them. For instance how does the spirit of some relate to the martial
spirit, or other feelings people have about war.
Week four: Additional readings on pages 216 to 252 will pick and chose from the
additional reading sections depending on the time frame. Week four will also include
review for the unit test and the unit test will be given. Students will also need to go to the
computer lab or library.
During week four we will be doing a lot of reviewing for the final test. Review games
will include Jeopardy questions using PowerPoint application, studyguide questions on
quiz star where students can go on their own to practice for the unit test, and oral
practice In class.
Students will go to the following website to test their knowledge in the characters from
the novel. This web site give students up to three hints before failing to answer the
question incorrectly. The scores can be sent to the teachers e-mail address if one
chooses to do this. The web site is:
http://www.quia.com/hm/197876.html
Students will also be going to the web site
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/fiveaprils/quiz/html to answer questions about the novel
Across Five Aprils.
End of the Unit: To end the unit students will take the unit test and then watch the
edited version of the movie Glory. This movie will pull everything together for students
and what they have learned about the Civil War and the novel together as a good
closure to the unit.
Assessments
I have listed many of the assessment that I will be using for this unit in the
Reproducible Materials for the lessons and activities. I will be using a reading
assessment checklist as I get the chance to listen to each child while they read
sometime during the unit. The study guides will be a great assessment tools for
evaluation content knowledge and the vocabulary worksheets will do the same. I have
may rubrics developed for each lesson. Students will know exactly of what I expect of
them to get the grade that they want to earn for each project that I give them. The overall
big assessment will be the unit test. It will be a variety of multiple choice, true/false, short
answer, essay, matching questions about main concepts from the novel. Teacher
observations will be a big part of this unit and see how the students work together and
get involved with their reading and work that is assigned.
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Accommodations/Modifications
This unit can be adapted to meet the needs of all learners. I am going to actually
team-teach this unit with a special education teacher. We will have about ten students
with all different needs one of my class periods. We will make modifications such as
sharing lower level books on the Civil War, picture books work very well with these
children. The readings in the novel will be much less as well as the study guide
questions and the vocabulary. When I do lengthy lessons such as the lesson using the
program inspiration, I would have these students do only the main characters of the story
instead of all of the characters in the story. This is just one example of how I could make
modifications for this unit.
I will be working with the special education teacher to develop these modifications to
meet the needs of these students. I think that it is important to first learn about the
learner before I decide what modifications need to be made.
Reproducible Materials
1. Across Five Aprils Book by Irene Hunt ( a copy for each student)
2. Study Guide Questions (one packet for each student for all the chapters)
3. Vocabulary packets. (one for each chapter)
4. Reading Assignment sheet
5. Calendar of reading assignments and due dates
6. Journal Prompts w/ On Demand Writing Rubric
7. List of Internet resources
8. Reading Log
9. Word search
10. Chapter Quizzes
11. Unit Test
12. Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer
13. Compare/Contrast Writing Rubric
14. Calendar of unit
Explorations and Extensions
Other readings by Irene Hunt are:
• Trail of Apple Blossoms-A portrait of Jonathan Chapman, “Johnny Appleseed,”
who explains his philosophy about the war, bigotry, injustice, and love for all living
things.
• Claws of a Young Century-Seventeen-year-old Ellen’s optimistic dream of a
bright new century on New Year’s Eve, 1899, seems a far cry from the reality of
her next twenty years fighting the battles fro women’s suffrage.
• The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane-A story about a boy who joins the
Union army ands finds out in his first battle that courage is made of different stuff
than he had ever imagined.
• Lincoln: A photobiography by Russell Freedman is a biography laced with
photographs and prints of Lincoln’s life.
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The Spirit of the Sixties by Paul Glass is a history of the Civil War in song.
Walt Whitman’s Civil War. Ed. by Walt Whitman includes writings on the war
that include his eyewitness accounts of Civil War Battlefield’s, hospitals, and the
streets of Washington, D.C.
• Videocassette-Across Five Aprils by the learning corporation of America, 1990.
Runs 67 minutes. This video is based upon the book by Irene Hunt Across Five
Aprils.
• Videocassette-The Civil War, by PBS Video 1990. The by-now classic Ken Burns
documentary of the Civil War told through interviewers, documents photographs,
letters, and diary entries. 9 cassettes, 689 minutes.
• Audiocassette-The Red Badge of Courage. Recorded Books, 1981. A sound
recording of the full test of Stephen Crane’s novel, as read by Frank Muller. 3
cassettes, 270 minutes.
Lesson Development Resources
Collins, Mary B. (1999). Across Five Aprils. Berlin, MA:Teacher’s Pet Publications.
Hunt, Irene.(1997). Literature Connections Source Book: Across Five Aprils.
Evanston,IL:McDougal Littell.
Stuckey, Sterling & Kerrigan, Linda. (2005). Call to Freedom. Austin, TX: Holt, Reinhart
and Winston.
Troy, Anne & Green, Phyllis. (1989). Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt:Teacher Guide for
novel units.
Palatine, IL:Novel Units
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Reflections
I will be teaching this unit in April of 2007.
Contact Information
Mary Meyers-Wenninger
Urban Middle School
[email protected]
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