Perspective: History
Benchmark: Compose simple narratives of events from the history of the state of Michigan and the United States.

Anticipatory Set:

Teacher states objectives of the lesson in the following manner.

During the next hour, you will:

• discuss how and when the Civil War began
• identify who was leading each side, where exactly each side was located, where the first battle took place, and the outcome of the battle.
• engage in a "tug-of-war activity

Mode of Instruction: Small Group Discussion
 

Procedure: 1: Ask students, "Why did the Civil War begin?"  Have students discuss and answer question.  2: Ask students, "In what year did this take place?" Have students answer. Discuss answer if students do not reach a correct answer. 3: Divide students into two groups, North and South. Have students on the North side pick one person to be Brigadier General, Irvin McDowell (leader of the North).  Have students on the South side choose two people to be Brigadier General Pierre G.T. Beauregard, and Joseph E.Johnston (leaders of the South). 4: Explain to students how each side was structured and led. 5: Ask students, "Where the North side located, and where the South side existed?"  Discuss with students where exactly each side was located. Show students on map. 6: Distribute maps to students; have them color the states blue that the North represented and color the states red that the South represented. 7: Ask students, "Where was the first battle?"  Discuss with students where and when this took place. 8: Have students mark on their maps where the battle took place.

Hands On Activity: Reenactment (History Alive! Strategy) Students will march to the battle field (middle of the class, or hallway, where ever there is the most room).  Explain to students that we are going to have a tug-of-war in place of the battle. Let students have the battle and determine a winner. Have students return to their seats.  Have students reflect upon the tug of war and ask, "How  did you feel  during the tug-of-war activity?" Discuss the actual outcome of the battle.

Closure:  Ask students:

• Who do you think will win the next battle?
• Who do you think is going to win the war?
• What will the outcome be If the South wins the war?

What will the outcome be If the North wins the war?