Tyler Powell

Standard
6-12.USH1.1.1.5 - Discuss the causes and effects of various compromises and conflicts in
American history, such as the American Revolution, Civil War and Reconstruction. 

Essential Question
To what extent does winning a battle effect the outcome of the entirety of a war? 

Probe for Background Knowledge

Class Discussion
What do you know about the Civil War?
Do you know of any key battles? 
Why do you think they were so important? 

Cue
Gettysburg Speech from Coach Boone - Remember the Titans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqdA1B3_Nc&t=124s

Guided Practice
Show powerpoint and discuss with the students what the battle of Gettysburg was, what
happened, and why it was important. Use Google Maps to show students what the battlefield
looks like now compared to what it may have looked like back in the Civil War times based on
pictures. 

Collaborative Learning
Divide students into groups based on the amount of key battles (excluding Gettysburg as that is
my example). 

Give them the opportunity in class to research the battle that they are assigned. Tell them they
are going to need to be able to present this information in class to ensure all students learn
about each battle. Their presentation should include the same information that the presentation
example that I just used had on it. Use google maps to find the battlefield of your battle. Show
the other students what it looks like now compared to what it looked like during the war. 

Give students a worksheet that shows the questions they should answer in their presentation to
ensure that all students receive the proper information. This will include when, where, why it is
important, and what effect did the battle have on the war as a whole. 

As students present, give students a worksheet that allows them to write down the information
that they learn from their peers. Writing it down reinforces the information as has always helped
me remember things. 

Formative Assessment: 
I created a plickers quiz game. This is much like kahoot but does not
require each student to have some sort of technology to answer questions.
The teacher is the only person that needs a smartphone or tablet which
allows them to scan the answers their students choose throughout the
classroom. Students use pieces of paper which are scanned by the teacher
with their phone.  Unfortunately the free one only allows five questions but
I would ideally have 10-12. These questions would be pulled from the
worksheet that the students filled out in order to make sure that sheet was
filled out and reinforce the material. Students would not be allowed to look
at the worksheet. 

Here is the link to the Plickers: 

https://www.plickers.com/seteditor/5fb34fc815302200135e05ed

If that does not work, here are the example questions I used: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X9_9-
Se8sdKuG0C9TPVkWeUDfvtlpxQqOifoWNlewMI/edit?usp=sharing

Reflection: 
I think with more added options, this tool of google maps and google earth could be outstanding
options for virtual trips. I really think this technology could be cool if it was used to go through
buildings and show different important history buildings or even just a walk through an important
battlefield. I think it could be a cool way for students to imagine being there. I think the biggest
pro is simply that you can go anywhere and look at anything on the Earth for basically free with
the help of the internet. There are millions of places that schools would never be able to send a
class to go see that are able to be seen outside of just a picture. A con I thought up happened in
class, as well as when I was home, the technology in classrooms are not superb and sometimes
have a really hard time loading the pages. This could eat away at very valuable class time while
we wait for these slower laptops, tablets, and computers to load up the page.