Between the Lines; Uncovering the Colors of The American Civil

War

By: Phylicia Johnson, Natasha Romanoff, Hithia Shibuya, Johana Talbot

Enduring Understanding

1. Racism and hatred is something that can affect people of all cultures, religions, believes, gender etc.

2. Inquiry should guide students understanding and research. Students may develop multiple perspectives

3. Allow self to draw own conclusions about others

Essential Questions1. In what ways did the

effects of racism impacted the Civil War?

2. Was the Civil War detrimental or beneficial?

3. To what extent was racism a “cause” of the Civil War

Unit Description and Objectives

• Exploring interrelations between the majority and minorities throughout the Civil War.

Unit overviewWEEK 1

• Teaching an understanding of the differences between Northern and Southern states.

• Day 1: A review of the concepts of race and racism and how they connect to the unit we are about to study

• Day 2: A focus on the South; why did they want the separation?

• Day 3: A focus on the North; why did they want to free the slaves?

• Day 4: A comparison of both.

• Day 5: Activity: role-playing. Consider perceptions from both angles (North and South)

WEEK 2• How the

trading system affected the relationship between the North and South.

• Day 1: How South attained power from the Slaves; with a focus on economy.

• Day 2: How the North responded to the gain of power in the South.

• Day 3& 4: Activity: Debate, trial, court case.

WEEK 3 What happened

during the Civil War, who contributed to it, and how they had an effect on the outcomes of the Civil War.

• Day 1: What Happened during the Civil War?

• Day 2: Who really contributed to the civil war?

• Day 3: What short of impact did that have on the civil war

• Day 4: Sergeant Major William Mccelsin

WEEK 4• After the Civil

War: Reconstruction

And Conclusion of the unit

• Day 1: What to do with the free slaves?

• Day 2 & 3: Time line

• Day 4: How did the Civil War affect America?

Extension activity• Students will explore different

important personalities of the civil war

The North and South: Comparing Two

Civilizations Students will use Venn Diagrams to analyze, and compare and contrast new information.

• Students will examine similarities and differences

Students will be assigned to write a paragraph comparing and contrasting characteristics of the North and South.

• They will not be assigned to incorporate each detail/fact they’ve listed, but to use main and appropriate facts to write a cohesive

paragraph.

The Roles of the North and South: Role Playing • self-connection• review/prior knowledge• group/ project work• presentation: Debate• wrap-up

Who contributed in the Civil War?

• Students will be able to identify and understand the different roles each minority played in the Civil War.• Students will learn how to research and find reliable sources through internet and library resources. 

Taking a Stand! “We, the colored soldiers, have

fairly won our rights by loyalty and bravery -- shall we obtain them? If we are refused now, we shall demand them.” Sergeant Major William McCelsin

Students will write to the Confederate and Revolutionary government in order to stand for what they belief is right!

Community Resources

Because working together is better!!!

Gettysburg Trip• Based on soldier’s journals,

historians, and veterans, actors and actress have had the opportunity to recreate events that occurred during the Civil War.

New York Historical Society • For this unit we will visit the

Society to enrich ourselves and own opinion through their educational programs such as the History of Slavery in New York from Emancipation through the Civil War and New York and the Civil War.

New York Public Library We plan to use the library as

a way to encourage students to be good researchers by teaching students: how to find books, how to know what kinds of book they’re looking for, about different genres, and so forth.

Tenement Museum • We would use this resource

in our unit in order to look at certain minority groups, how they lived during the Civil War and what impact they had on the Civil War. 

Parent Involvement• We believe that learning

stretches beyond the classroom.

• Parental involvement will be promoted at home and in classroom participation

• We look forward to working with parents in efforts to ensure the success of the unit.

5 components of social justice

CONTENT MASTERY/FACTUAL INFORMATION:• We will provide authentic experiences for students in the form of: field trips (museum, Gettysburg), holding a classroom debate, analyzing primary sources, encouraging students to constantly make connections (self to world, self to text, self to self). There will be ongoing assessment throughout this unit both formal and informal, in the forms of observation, tests, and written responses. We aim for students to learn the significance of broad and varied information acquisition through data collection, historical contextualization, and micro-macro levels of content analysis. This will lead to a student-centered classroom, with thinking that connects individuals/community to the larger society.

•

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (Systems of Oppression):

• Students will engage in critical analysis through student-driven discussions where issues of Perspective, Positioning, Power, and Possibility are addressed. For example, in a lesson within our unit, students learn about the different political actions between the North and the South. From that information, students will conclude on differences between the North and South, and how that sparked division between the two. In another lesson, students read text and analyze what it means to win their rights.

ACTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE:

• Students will learn that their knowledge is empowering, through making powerful connections to what they learn through this unit. Students will learn that they have the ability to share their knowledge with others, and that they have the power to change history- this provides hope and possibility.

PERSONAL REFLECTION: • We intend to implement a connection

at the end of each lesson/topic, in the form of self to self, self to text, and self to world connections. This will provide the opportunity for students to recognize the relationships of power, privilege, oppression, and the impact on individual/institutional/systemic levels. Our hopes are that this leads to the development of a socially just classroom environment.

MULTICULTURAL GROUP DYNAMICS: Our unit will grant students within the class

to share the involvement of their cultural ancestors who were involved in the Civil War. For example, a student identifying as Mexican can explore the involvement of trade between Mexico and the Confederate States in the Civil War. If a student initially discovers that their cultural ancestors were not involved in the Civil War, they will be encouraged to explore what those ancestors were doing during the time of the Civil War, and find any possible relation/connection. We aim to create and maintain a culturally relevant learning environment, that includes cross-cultural communication, social identities, and that celebrates diversity.

Thank You!!!!

Questions?????