8th Grade: Lesson 2

Target Unit Essential Question(s): (taken from unit framework)
EU 1EQ2: How did various groups of people in the North, South, and West react to Lincoln’s political beliefs?

Lesson Essential Question: How did various groups of people in the North, South, and West react to Lincoln’s political beliefs?

Estimated duration of lesson: 1-2 days

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-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)

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

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-08-5.2.4

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

Targeted Lesson Essential Question(s): What were the sectional differences (Political, Cultural, Geographic and Economic) between the North, South and West that influenced Lincoln’s political beliefs?

Students Will Know……

Students will be able to…..

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

Compare the class structure of the North, South and West
Evaluate the influence of the Abolitionist Movement on various segments of society
Explain the role of education and religion played in pre-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

Lesson Summary

Brief overview of the lesson

This lesson highlights how pre-war sectional differences (political, economic, geographic, and social) influenced the beliefs and attitudes of Abraham Lincoln. It offers insights into some of Lincoln’s opinions about various segments of the pre-war population. It also serves as an excellent review of the causes of the Civil War and provides a transition to how these various subsections of the population reacted to the election of Lincoln in 1860. Students will read short synopses regarding the various subsections of the American population and examine graphics that illustrate each section. Students will complete an informational matrix. Suggestions for differentiation are offered toward the end of the lesson plan.

Lesson length: 1 to 2 days

Previous instruction

Students should be finished with their study of Manifest Destiny and the Westward Movement. More importantly, it would be best if students have already studied the basic components of Sectionalism. Students should be able to describe the important differences between the North, the South, and the West. Naturally, students should already be familiar with the various slavery issues.

Instructional Set/Bell Ringer

Write on the board the following statement:

“The election of Abraham Lincoln as president caused the Civil War”

Direct students to list 3 reasons that they think the statement is either true or false.

Allow students to share argumentative points from sides.

Transition

Transition the lesson for analysis of Lincoln through the eyes of various groups by asking the following questions: “How do you think various groups at the time felt about Lincoln? What groups might have had a positive feeling from Lincoln’s election? What groups would have had a negative feeling of him at this time?” (Positive: slaves, abolitionists, northerners, western farmers, etc. Negative: Slave owners, southern farmers, etc.)

Review Lincoln’s beliefs and the beliefs of his political parties.

Inform students that they are going to look at how Lincoln felt about these groups as well as the way the groups looked at him and his political party.

Divide the class in half. One half will read the placard, Lincoln’s Heroes and his own Self-Confidence (Resource A.1.1 and A.1.2) and the other will read The New Republican Party placard (Resource A.2.1 and A.2.2).
Teacher Note: There are two versions of the placards based on reading level.

Pair students with different placards from each side of the classroom so that they can share information gained from each placard.

Guide students through a discussion of knowledge they have gained about Lincoln, his beliefs, his characteristics, and his political party.

Teacher Note: In addition to the readings, the teacher may consider having students view a quick biography of Abraham Lincoln from a set of notes from board, power point, or a short video (e.g., United Streaming). Refer to the resource section for a listing of websites and United Streaming clips.

Lesson Assessment

Formative: Through reading different perspectives of various segments of America in 1860, students will share the various groups’ reactions to the election of Abraham Lincoln.

Summative/Formative: Students will complete a matrix as well as role play certain characters of a particular group.

Learning Experience

The purpose of the lesson is to have students understand that Lincoln was aware of and affected by the various subsections of American society. Students will also understand that those segments of pre-Civil War Americans had reactions to Lincoln.

Preparation

Copy the “Sectional Differences and Abraham Lincoln” matrix for each student. (Refer to Resource B.)
Make multiple copies of the seven informational “placards.” (The number of copies made depends on the lesson delivery format selected by the teacher. An alternate set of placards may be used for students with lower reading abilities. Refer to Resources C.1.1 to C.7.2. Teacher Note: Even numbered resources are written to a lower reading level.

Place the placards into plastic sheet protectors, for extended use.

Distribute the “Sectional Differences and Abraham Lincoln” matrix. Review the matrix and model/explain to students the type of notes they should place into the 18 boxes. Each student receives one placard and the teacher explains the procedure for acquiring a new placard when finished. (Students will pass their placard forward on a signal given by the teacher, or students may work at their own pace and return their original placard to some central location when finished.)

Monitor students, especially at the beginning of their work, to answer questions, redirect off-task behaviors, clarify note taking techniques, assist with lower level readers, etc.

Suggestions for Differentiation

Cooperative Dyads: Place students into cooperative dyads; have students collect notes by playing “Boss/Secretary.” Person 1 (the boss) reads a placard and tells Person 2 (the secretary) what to write into the appropriate box. Switch roles after each placard.

Cooperative Dyads using Different Leveled Reading: Use both sets of placards. Have the strongest readers collect information from the regular placards. Give the alternate placards (with modified reading level) to readers who have difficulty reading and comprehending. (Suggestion: copy each set of placards onto different color paper for easy recognition.)

Place students into cooperative dyads to read each placard and collect notes as described above.

Jigsaw: Place students into cooperative “jigsaw” triads; have each student collect notes from only three placards and then share that information with their other two group mates. Person 1 collects information from the first two placards, person 2 collects information from the next two placards, and person 3 collects information from the last three placards. All #1s can work together to collect their information, all #2s can work together to collect their information, and all #3s can work together to collect their information. Then everyone returns to their original group to share what they have learned.

Teacher Guided: For situations that call for more teacher-directed instruction (e.g. ELL classes, Special Education resource or collaboration classes, classes with behavior management issues, etc.), each placard could be projected onto a screen and read aloud (by the teacher or a voice-recognition program such as PDF Aloud or Read, Write, Gold) while students take notes as directed by the teacher. Likewise, it might be prudent to reduce the number of placards used from 7 to 4.

To focus on vocabulary development, have students list and define words they do not know on a separate piece of paper. Be sure to have dictionaries available.

Lesson Wrap Up

Students will share out perspectives of Lincoln by various segments of Americans by reviewing the matrix.

Project the placard picture upon a screen and have the students stand before it in first-person character and explain the attitudes of a particular subsection of the population.