The Civil War: A Collaborative Approach Across Three Middle Schools Using Georgia Performance Standards Madison County Middle School Richard B. Russell Middle School Oglethorpe County Middle School 8th Grade Social Studies

Madison County Middle School Comer, GA David Kendrick 8th Grade Georgia Studies

Richard B. Russell Middle School Winder, GA Nicole Baker 8th Grade Georgia Studies 8th Grade Reading/Language Arts

Oglethorpe County Middle School Crawford, GA Janet High 8th Grade Georgia Studies

Where did the idea begin? Teaching American History Grant Dr. Kathy Wright Northeast Georgia RESA Regional Educational Service Agency

Where did the idea begin? End of the Year Requirement Collaborative Lesson Plans Each Teacher brings in different aspects of expertise

Collaboration Team’s 3rd Unit Together Previous Units: American Revolution The Gilded Age/Immigration

Where does the Connections Department fit into the plan? Connections seemed to be left out Very important to the success of our project Team felt these classes could create different viewpoints than those of the Social Studies class

Connections Meets Social Studies Each member of the team agreed to take the idea to the Connections leader at their respective schools All three principals approved the proposal

Why the Civil War? So many different areas can be covered by the different Connections classes Students seem to perk up for this unit every year Project provided enrichment of the 8th Grade Social Studies Standards

Tying the Standards Together Social Studies is on the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) Some Connections still use Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) How do we tie the two together?

Communication and Flexibility are the Key Exchange of notes and ideas began to occur Frequent discussions between content specialists (Social Studies) and the Connections teachers Each department submitted a proposal to the Social Studies department Rubrics for assessment of standards developed by each individual teacher

The Social Studies Standard SS8H6 The student will explain the significance of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia

The Social Studies Standard SS8H6a - The Causes Explain the importance of key issues and events that led to the Civil War; include slavery, states’ rights, nullification, Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850 and the Georgia Platform, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Dred Scott case, election of 1860, the debate over secession in Georgia, and the role of Alexander Stephens

The Social Studies Standard SS8H6b - The Civil War State the importance of key events of the Civil War; include Antietam, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, the Union blockade of Georgia’a coast, Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, Sherman’s March to the Sea, and Andersonville

The Social Studies Standard SS8H6c - Reconstruction Analyze the impact of Reconstruction on Georgia and other southern states, emphasizing Freedman’s Bureau; sharecropping and tenant farming; Reconstruction plans; 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution; Henry McNeal Turner and black legislators, and the Ku Klux Klan

The Social Studies Standard SS8E1 - Common Economic Standard Give examples of the kinds of goods and services produced in Georgia in differet historical periods

The Social Studies Standard SS8E2a Describe how Georgians have engaged in trade in different historical time periods

Computer Literacy/ Business Education Used SS8H6c (Reconstruction) and SS8E1 (Economics) Topic: Tenant farming and Sharecropping Discussed the “technology” used during the time period

Academic Support Used SS8H6 and SS8E1 Created a PowerPoint as a graphic organizer Story Map Quilts

Art Used SS8H6b and SS8E1 Students constructed drums Drums were used as a tool for communication 3D Representation of a Civil War style drum with a strap

Physical Education (P.E.) Used SS8E2a - Free Trade Developed a “card picking” system Cards had Activities/Services on them Either do the activity/service or trade with another student to get their card

Chorus Used SS8H6 - The Civil War Various Songs were learned and performed from the the Civil War era. Acquired the songs from a Civil War Songbook

Enrichment Reading Used SS8H6b Shared slides of Sweetwater Creek Told stories from Civil War Constructed a Plot Diagram

Technology SS8H6b and SS8E1 Students developed a 5 minute presentation PP topic should address one of several topics Instructor provided several aspects of the Civil War

Technology Topics included, but not limited to: Various Delivery Systems Battle Strategies Movement of troops, food, weapons

READ 180 Used SS8H6b - The Key Events of the War Plot Diagram over a story about Sweetwater Creek Used readings provided by Northeast Georgia RESA’s Social Studies specialist, Dr. Kathy Wright

Agriscience SS8E1 and SS8E2 Described and attempted to implement processes that produced goods/services over periods of time

Family and Consumer Science (FACS) Used SS8H6 and SS8E1 Introduced Civil War recipes Tasting evaluation conducted by the students

Health Used SS8H6b Students got to learn about medicines and treatment of wounds in the Civil War

Band Used SS8H6b - The Civil War Mirrored lesson by Chorus Chose music that was from the Civil War time period Performed a mini-concert using their music

Final Results Students are learning about the Civil War in 2-3 classes each day Benchmark given in December Highest scores in school per subject area Students mastered the standards

Final Results Standards were taught and reinforced Students were able to learn across the curriculum Each teacher could build on knowledge gained by the students