Gretchen's+Lesson+Plan+6

Lesson Plan: The Battle of Gettysburg

Overview of lesson: Students will analyze the map of the Battle of Gettysburg for geography and military tactics. They will focus in on the “fish hook” of the Battle.

Subject Area: 8th grade SS—The Civil War

Duration: about 30 minutes

Materials needed: · Map of the Battle of Gettysburg:    [] · KWL wkst · NARA map wkst  Prior knowledge: Students have read and completed a packet on the battles leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg. They understand the causes of the Civil War and how each side was doing up to this point in the war.

Lesson Procedures:  1. All students complete a KWL Chart on the Battle of Gettysburg  2. Students receive a copy of the map of the Battle of Gettysburg  3. All students complete the NARA wkst on maps. <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> 4. <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Class discussion: <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> a.  <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Which side had the strategic advantage and why? <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> b.  <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">What mistake almost cost the North the victory? <span style="color: black; font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">c. When the one general brought troops off the hill to attack the South <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> d.  <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">What role did the geography play in the battle? <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> e.  <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Why was the shape of the fishhook so beneficial to the North? <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> f.  <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">If the South was going to win, what did they need to be able to do? <span style="color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia; msobidifontfamily: Georgia; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Georgia; msolist: Ignore;"> 5. <span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt;">Students fill in the L part of the KWL chart

Closure: What role does geography play in battles? Why is the High Water Mark so significant?

Gretchen - I really like this idea for a lesson. My final project is on the battle of Gettysburg so this lesson is very applicable to me. I think by allowing students to view the maps that they will be able to better visualize what occured on the battlefield. To me, allowing the students to get that mental picture in their mind it huge. It almost allows the students to re-create the events in their mind. In my experience, this makes the lesson more applicable and enjoyable for the students. Good idea. - Doug

Hi Gretchen, I agree with Doug. Good use of a map to help students visually organize the information. I use maps a lot when teaching about battles too. I also like your questions for the class discussion. Emily