8th Grade Unit

Teacher(s) Lincoln Bicentennial Teacher Network

Subject(s)/Course(s):Social Studies
Grade/Level:8th
Unit Topic/Focus: Abraham Lincoln: Leadership
Integration with other content areas (if applicable): Language Arts
Estimated time for implementation: 12-14 days

Unit Organizer/Big Idea:

How do crises shape leaders?

Enduring Understanding(s):

Enduring Understanding (EU) #1: Students will understand that geography, culture, and economics have a significant impact on historical perspectives and events.

Enduring Understanding (EU) #2: Students will understand that U.S. History (prior to Reconstruction) has been impacted by significant individuals and groups.

Essential Questions (EQ) (3-5 questions that guide lesson planning/focus):

EU 1-EQ 1: How did the sectional differences (cultural, geographic, and economic) between the North, South and West influence the election of 1860?

EU 1-EQ 2: How did various groups of people in the North, South, and West react to Lincoln’s political beliefs?

EU 2-EQ 1: How did the events following the election of 1860 force the newly elected Lincoln to demonstrate his leadership abilities in a time of crisis?

EU 2-EQ 2: How did Lincoln use his leadership skills to unify a divided nation?

Standards (see Combined Curriculum Documents and others):

Academic Expectations:

2.16 Students observe, analyze, and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and among groups.

2.17 Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many diverse ethnic and cultural groups of our nation and world.

2.19 Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.

2.20 Students understand, analyze, and interpret historical events, conditions, trends, and issues to develop historical perspective.

Program of Studies: Understandings

Program of Studies: Skills and Concepts

Related Core Content for Assessment

SS-8-CS-U-3

Students will understand that interactions among individuals and groups assume various forms (e.g., compromise, cooperation, conflict, competition) and are influenced by culture.

SS-8-CS-S-3

Students will explain how communications between groups were influenced by cultural differences; explain how interactions influenced conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) among individuals and groups in the United States prior to Reconstruction

SS-8-CS-S-4

Students will describe conflicts between individuals or groups and explain how compromise and cooperation were possible choices to resolve conflict among individuals and groups in the United States prior to Reconstruction

SS-08-2.3.1

Students will explain how conflict and competition (e.g., political, economic, religious, ethnic) occurred among individuals and groups in the United States prior to Reconstruction.

DOK 2

SS-08-2.3.2

Students will explain how compromise and cooperation were possible choices to resolve conflict among individuals and groups in the United States prior to Reconstruction.

DOK 2

SS-8-G-U-3

Students will understand that regions help us to see Earth as an integrated system of places and features organized by such principles as landform types, political units, economic patterns and cultural groups.

SS-8-G-S-3

Students will investigate interactions among human activities and the physical environment in the United States prior to Reconstruction:

c analyze cause-effect relationships between and among natural resources and political, social, and economic development

SS-08-4.4.4

Students will compare and contrast different perspectives (viewpoints) that people have about how to use land (e.g., farming, industrial, residential, recreational) in the United States prior to Reconstruction.

SS-8-HP-U-2

Students will understand that U.S. History can be analyzed by examining significant eras (Exploration as it relates to the settlement of America, The Great Convergence, Colonization and Settlement, Revolution and the New Nation, Expansion and Reform, Civil War) to develop chronological understanding and recognize cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation.

SS-8-HP-U-1

Students will understand that history is an account of human activities that is interpretive in nature, and a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources, data, artifacts) are needed to analyze and understand historical events.

SS-8-HP-U-3

Students will understand that U.S. History (prior to Reconstruction) has been impacted by significant individuals and groups.

SS-8-HP-U-4

Students will understand that geography, culture and economics have a significant impact on historical perspectives and events.

SS-8-HP-S-1

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the interpretative nature of history using a variety of tools and resources (e.g., primary and secondary sources, Internet, timelines, maps):

a investigate, describe and analyze significant historical events and conditions in the U.S prior to Reconstruction, drawing inferences about perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group)

b examine multiple cause-effect relationships that have shaped history (e.g., showing how a series of events are connected)

SS-8-HP-S-2

Students will investigate, using primary and secondary sources (e.g., biographies, films, magazines, Internet resources, textbooks, artifacts) to answer questions about, locate examples of, or interpret factual and fictional accounts of major historical events and people:

a analyze how exploration and the settlement of America caused diverse cultures to interact in various forms (e.g., compromise, cooperation, conflict, competition); explain how governments expanded their territories and the impact this had on the United States prior to Reconstruction

e compare the political, social, economic and cultural differences (e.g., slavery, tariffs, industrialism vs. agrarianism, federal vs. states' rights) between and among regions of the U.S. and explain how these differences contributed to the American Civil War

SS-08-5.1.1

Students will use a variety of tools (e.g., primary and secondary sources) to describe and explain historical events and conditions and to analyze the perspectives of different individuals and groups (e.g., gender, race, region, ethnic group, age, economic status, religion, political group) in U.S. history prior to Reconstruction.

DOK 3

SS-08-5.1.2

Students will explain how history is a series of connected events shaped by multiple cause-and-effect relationships and give examples of those relationships.

DOK 3

SS-08-5.2.4

Students will describe the political, social, economic and cultural differences (e.g., slavery, tariffs, industrialism vs. agrarianism, federal vs. states' rights) among sections of the U.S. and explain how these differences resulted in the American Civil War.

DOK 3

Students Will Know (SWK) and Students Will be Able To…(SWBAT):

· Identified content within the unit of what students will know and be able to do by the end of the unit.

Students will know…

Students will be able to do…

EU 1-EQ 1:

Basic physical geographic features of the North and South in 1860
Natural resources of the North and South in 1860.
Basic human geography of the North and South in 1860
Products and productivity of the North and South in 1860
Trading relationships between sections in 1860
Labor forces of the North and South in 1860
Transportation systems in 1860
Platform of the new Republican party
Platform of the new Democratic party
How the Democratic party split over the issue of slavery
Influence of Henry Clay and Whig Party

EU 1-EQ 1:

Describe land forms, waterways, vegetation and climate of the North and South in 1860
Analyze resources and land uses of the North and South in the 1860
Explain how human technology altered geographic regions in the 1800s
Using economic data, compare the productivity of the North and South in 1860
Explain various interstate trading relationships in 1860
Compare the transportation systems of the North and South in 1860
Compare the four political parties of the 1860 election
Analyze the 1860 election results
Analyze political causes of the Civil War that are related to slavery

Students Will Know……

Students will be able to…..

EU 1-EQ 2:

The sectional differences between the North, South, and West, including

the socio-economic (“class”) structure of the North, South and West
the influence of the Abolitionist Movement on the Americans prior to the Civil War
the influence of education and religion on the Americans prior to the Civil War
political influences and political parties of Antebellum America
the opinions of Lincoln held by various segments of pre-war American society

EU 2-EQ 1:

South Carolina’s (southern states) opinions of state rights.
South Carolina’s secession convention
States who seceded from the United States
States that remained in the union
The formation of the Confederate States of America
Biography of Jefferson Davis
Biography of Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln’s personal feelings and opinions on slavery
How Lincoln used the strength of the presidency to address southern secession with emphasis on his inaugural speech and the attack on Ft. Sumter.

EU 2-EQ 2:

Lincoln’s personality and leadership characteristics
Lincoln’s Personal Values and Leadership style
Lincoln’s goal during his presidency: Preserving the Union

EU 1-EQ 2:

Compare the class structure of the North, South and West in the 1860s
Evaluate the influence of the Abolitionist Movement on various segments of society
Explain the role of education and religion played in pre-Civil War America
Describe the impact of political parties on various segments of society
Analyze the opinions of Lincoln held by various segments of pre-war American society and describe Lincoln’s opinions of the various socio-economic segments of Antebellum America

EU 2-EQ 1:

Explain the theory of states’ rights
Explain the theory of federalism
Identify the 7 states of the deep south, the 4 of the upper south, the border states and the states that remained loyal to the United States
Compare the structure of the United States to that of the Confederate States of America
Using primary sources, describe Lincoln’s feelings/opinions on slavery and secession
Analyze Lincoln’s first and second inaugural addresses to determine his approach to maintaining the union
Explain how Lincoln used his leadership skills to manage the war, manage the government and reach out to the South.

EU 2-EQ 2:

Analyze Lincoln’s leadership skills/ characteristics
Analyze primary sources that reflect Lincoln’s leadership styles
- Letters
- Decisions
- Speeches
Compare and Contrast President Lincoln’s strong leadership abilities to another leader in our country’s history or in present day

Culminating Activity/Assessment:

Background knowledge:

Abraham Lincoln was known for his presidential rhetoric. He wrote and spoke in a rhythm that awed his audience. Beyond his speeches, letters to the public and annual messages to Congress, Lincoln illustrated his rhetoric skills through poetry. Students will be creating a Poem for Two Voices as a summative assessment to the lessons within the unit.

Poem for Two Voices:

A “Poem for Two Voices” allows students to take a perspective of a person from another time or place and encourages active debates of opposing viewpoints. This strategy is an effective follow-up to the analysis of primary sources expressing two opposing viewpoints. Students can quote to rephrase the primary sources analyzed in the unit into their own words throughout the poem. Not only does this strategy allow students to creatively write about the historical events/facts studied, but it allows for a performance event as well. Students can recite the poem in pairs to the class.

Task:

Introduce students to the strategy of “Poems for Two Voices” by showing them a sample or assigning them one to read aloud as a class. Provide students samples of Poems for Two Voices from different contexts. Sample 1 Sample 2
Assign students into pairs. Each member is to represent one of the two opposing viewpoints. One viewpoint will be that of Abraham Lincoln and the other of an opposing viewpoint. Some examples of people/groups with varying viewpoints are as follows: plantation owners, slaves from south or Border States, soldiers, women, abolitionists, states’ rights activists, free African Americans, etc. Together, the pair will create a “Poem for Two Voices.”
Instruct students to write statements from their historical figures perspectives AND find commonalities for statements that could be made by both perspectives. Provide students with templates to Plan and Draft their poems.
Have students recite their poems to the class. The class should fill in a peer review sheet for the pair of students reciting poems.

Rubric: Students will be scored on the following criteria: two recognizable voices, opposing views on an issue, accurate historical content, and format of the poem.

Two-Voice Poem Rubric

Criteria	Exemplary	Developing	Weak/Missing
Voice	The poem has two well developed, clearly recognizable voices.	The poem has two voices but the voices are not clearly recognizable.	The poem does not have two voices.
Opposing views on an Issue	The poem shows an accurate, well developed issue from the historical timeframe of Lincoln’s leadership.	The poem does not clearly show an issue from the historical timeframe of Lincoln’s leadership.	The poem does not address an issue from the historical timeframe of Lincoln’s leadership.
Accurate historical content	The poem contains accurate historical content.	The poem lacks historical content or does not have accurate content.	The poem has little to no historical content.
Format	The poem effectively uses two-voice format, having some lines said separately, others together.	The poem does use the proper two-voice format, but does not have lines that are separate and together.	The poem is not in a proper two-voice format.