Lesson Topic: Flexbook

Length of lesson:60 minutes

Patrick

Grade level: 11th-12th

Teacher Name: Mr. Steven and

Stage 1 Desired Results

Content Standard(s): 19. Regional tensions around economic development, slavery,
territorial expansion and governance resulted in a civil war and a period of Reconstruction
that led to the abolition of slavery, a more powerful federal government, a renewed push into
indigenous nations territory, and continuing conflict over racial relations. (Civil War and
Reconstruction: 18501877)
9.4.4.19.2 Describe the recurring antebellum debates over slavery and state's rights, popular
sovereignty, and political compromise; analyze how the American political system broke
down in the 1850s and culminated in southern Secession, the establishment of the
Confederate States of America, and the Union response. (Civil War and Reconstruction:
18501877)
9.4.4.19.3 Describe the course of the Civil War, identifying key political and military leaders,
issues, events and turning points on battlefields and home fronts, in South, North and West.
(Civil War and Reconstruction: 18501877)
9.4.4.19.4 Describe significant individuals, groups and institutions involved in the struggle for
rights for African-Americans; analyze the stages and processes by which enslaved AfricanAmericans were freed and emancipation was achieved during the war. (Civil War and
Reconstruction: 1850 1877)
9.4.4.19.5 Describe how the political policies, innovations and technology of the Civil War era
had a lasting impact on United States society. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 18501877)
9.4.4.19.6 Outline the federal policies of war-time and postwar United States; explain the
impact of these policies on Southern politics, society, the economy, race relations and gender
roles. (Civil War and Reconstruction: 18501877)
9.4.4.19.7 Describe the content, context, and consequences of the 13th, 14th and 15th
amendments; evaluate the successes and failures of the Reconstruction, including the
election of 1876, in relation to freedom and equality across the nation. (Civil War and
Reconstruction: 18501877)

Understanding (s)/goals
Students will understand:
-How to answer critical questions
through primary document
investigation.
-varying viewpoints from the Civil War
era usually not covered in depth.

Essential Question(s)
-Was the Civil War only caused by slavery?
-Did the Civil War only affect slaves and
those who were fighting in it?
-Was Reconstruction a success?
-With all of the loss and death in the Civil
War, would you say that the American Civil

-Historic Inquiry sometimes can cause

conflicting opinions.
-Today we are seeing impacts from
the Civil War/Reconstruction era.

War was justifiable?

-Compare and contrast some of the
Louisiana Black Codes with the 14th
Amendment. Even with the 14th
Amendment in place, why were Black
Americans still oppressed with these
discriminant laws?
-To this day, historians argue as to whether
John Brown was an American hero or a
terrorist. After looking through the
information above, formulate your own
opinion in which category John Brown
falls.

Student objectives (outcomes):

Students will be able to: answer critical questions about the Civil War with the
use of Primary Sources.
-debate and justify their answers with primary or secondary documents
documents.
-Present information on a subject to their peers
Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Summative Assessment(s)
Formative Assessment(s)
-Socratic Debate and Presentation on -Worksheet
Critical Thinking questions in the
Flexbook.
-Discussion

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Materials & resources
-Flexbook (computer lab)
-Worksheet
Assumptions of knowledge & context
-This will be before the exam. The students will have the background
knowledge from Chapter 4: The Union in Peril. This assignment is meant to be
more of a review and critically look at areas not covered in the book.

Learning activities/Lesson procedures

Introduction
Tell the students that they are going to be working with Primary sources today
in order to look deeper at the Civil War. This will be at the end of the Unit.
Explain to students that they will be discussing critical thinking questions that
could show up on the Unit exam
Research Time
Have the kids take out their laptops or bring them to the computer lab to gain
access to the flexbooks. You will number off the students (1-6). After each
student is numbered off, they will be assigned a Critical Thinking question
from the flexbook they will have to answer. The students will be provided a
worksheet and they must answer the question and use the information on the
flexbook as justification for their answers.
Socratic Seminar
After the research time, bring the students back together. At this point,
explain to the students that they need to make groups for each Critical
Thinking question (6 groups). Once students are in groups with students who
have the same question, explain that they are going to have a socratic
seminar in their groups. Go over the procedures of a socratic seminar and
walk around to each group when they are making their seminars rules. Let
the students begin their socratic seminar for each critical thinking question.
As they are debating, explain to the students that they will have to present
how their seminar went to the class. Write on the board: What was your
question? Background information. How did the seminar go? Did you all agree
on the same answer at first (if not, explain the varying opinions)? After
hearing your peers opinons, did yours change? Etc.
Presentation
Have each group present their question with background information (ask
clarifying questions) as well as how their seminar went. Encourage other
students to take notes on each group. Allow other groups to add in
comments or questions relating to the subject. [questions on John Brown
being a hero or traitor & Lincoln ordering the execution of 38 Native
Americans might spark some controversy]
Conclusion
These Seminars and presentations have shown us that history is not always
black or white. Sometimes, you can be messy and you have to take a very
deep look in order to not generalize the past or leave important perspectives
out. History is always written by the victors as Winston Churchill said. Tell
the students to review the flexbook and the information provides because
some of the critical thinking questions will make its way onto the Unit Exam.
The official review day will be later that week.