Goals and Objectives
Students will comprehend the meaning behind the Gettysburg Address.
Students will identify shared ideals that Americans became more aware of from Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg.
Students will understand the views and lives of leaders and generals on both sides of the war.
Students will identify shared ideals that Americans became more aware of from Lincoln’s speech at Gettysburg.
Students will understand the views and lives of leaders and generals on both sides of the war.
California State Content Standards
8.10.4 Discuss Abraham Lincoln's presidency and his significant writings and speeches and their relationship to the Declaration of Independence, such as his "House Divided" speech (1858), Gettysburg Address (1863), Emancipation Proclamation (1863), and inaugural addresses (1861 and 1865).
8.10.5 Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee) and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and regiments.
8.10.5 Study the views and lives of leaders (e.g., Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee) and soldiers on both sides of the war, including those of black soldiers and regiments.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and 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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9 integrates information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9 integrates information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Driving Historical Question
How can diverse perspectives impact events in history?
What type of figure was Abraham Lincoln?
What type of figure was Abraham Lincoln?
Lesson Introduction ‖ Time: 10
I will begin this lesson with a two-minute video of the infamous Gettysburg Address. The video will include actors and famous news anchors from today, that students will be able to connect to and want to listen to as they read the words spoken by Abraham Lincoln. They will write out bullet points to the questions that will be posted on the Promethean board at the front of class. Questions for them to consider will be, “what parts stood out to you?” “what reason do you think this speech was given?” and “how do you think it made people feel when they heard this for the first time?”. This will then lead into a brief class discussion with students sharing their answers from the questions to consider. This video will then lead into our inquiry lesson for the day because they will each be given different primary source documents to analyze in groups. One of the documents will consist of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
Vocabulary ‖ Time: Throughout Lesson
Students will receive a list of new vocabulary terms for this lesson. They will then be required to highlight words from the primary source documents and define them.
· Conceive
· Consecrate
· Devotion
· Perish
· Vain
· Proposition
· Conceive
· Consecrate
· Devotion
· Perish
· Vain
· Proposition
Content Delivery ‖ Time: 40
Students will spend the majority of the class period working together and analyzing multiple primary source documents. Students will have already learned about the Battle of Gettysburg so they will have a fair amount of knowledge in this content area. The class will be split into six groups of five students. Three groups will sit on the right side of the room and the other three groups will sit on the left side of the room. Each group will receive a different primary source document to analyze among themselves. In order for students to understand how to correctly analyze primary sources, we will do the first one together. I will demonstrate how to analyze the Gettysburg Address and guide student understanding of the activity. After students read their source, they will have a discussion with each other to help them answer the questions on the handouts provided to them. After ten minutes they will pass their primary source document to the group next to them. Since there are six groups I will have three different primary source documents and they will trade among the groups next to them. That way, each group will have a different document every ten minutes. It will also allow students to see how there might be multiple perspectives surrounding just one primary source document because the three groups on the left may have written something different about the Gettysburg Address than the groups on the right.
· Primary source #1: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
· Primary source #2: Letter from General Robert E. Lee to his wife
· Primary source #3: Newspaper article
Students will then use the handouts provided to begin analyzing the different documents and comparing and contrasting what it means today, and what they think these documents may have meant in the 1800s.
· Primary source #1: Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
· Primary source #2: Letter from General Robert E. Lee to his wife
· Primary source #3: Newspaper article
Students will then use the handouts provided to begin analyzing the different documents and comparing and contrasting what it means today, and what they think these documents may have meant in the 1800s.
Student Engagement‖ Time: 45
Students will be engaged from the minute they enter the classroom because their first activity requires them to watch a short video and consider a couple questions. They will then share their answers with the class and listen to what other students may have pointed out as well. Students will be actively engaged in their groups when going over their primary source documents. They are given a strict timeline of ten minutes each, so they will remain on task in order to get through the documents. Students will be forced to critically analyze the primary sources that are provided to them in order to answer the questions posed. They will also need to think about what these sources may have meant to people during the war and how it could be interpreted differently today. They will be able to discuss their ideas together and come to conclusions for each document.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5
I will close the lesson by having students take part in an individual quick-write activity. They will take the last five minutes of class to write a couple sentences on which primary source document stood out to them the most and what importance it may have had.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative: The hook activity in the beginning of class will serve as a formative assessment for this lesson. Students will show me what they have retained from prior lesson content, as well as areas of their prior knowledge that they can relate to this lesson.
Additionally, the class handouts and written analysis of the primary sources from the students during their group work will serve as another formative assessment. This will allow me to assess how well they were able to analyze the sources and understand the importance of each. It will also help me see if students are able to appreciate the importance of primary sources and how they can be relevant to study even today.
Summative: Not applicable for this lesson.
Additionally, the class handouts and written analysis of the primary sources from the students during their group work will serve as another formative assessment. This will allow me to assess how well they were able to analyze the sources and understand the importance of each. It will also help me see if students are able to appreciate the importance of primary sources and how they can be relevant to study even today.
Summative: Not applicable for this lesson.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The visual and audio recording of the Gettysburg Address at the beginning of class will be a great resource for English learners, Striving Readers, and students with special needs. They will be able to both visualize and listen to the speech to get a better understanding, which will help them once we get into the analysis part of class. The group work during the body of the lesson will help English Learners and striving readers as well because they will be placed in groups so they can help one another with the text. They can also listen to their other group members read aloud while they follow along with the text. The use of visual on the handouts will also help guide them through the inquiry sections of the lesson, which can be difficult.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Glencoe, The American Journey (2012)
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/gettysburg-address-lesson-plan/the-gettysburg-address-lesson.html
New York Times Archives
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/gettysburg-address-lesson-plan/the-gettysburg-address-lesson.html
New York Times Archives