Introduction

The purpose of this webquest is twofold.  First, I want to focus further attention on the Civil War than is explored in our textbook.  The text only discusses four battles, and that is with no more than a paragraph of detail for any one battle.  I want my students to have a better understanding of the gravity of the war.   Second, I want to give my students a research assignment.  We focus on the research process in our fifth grade curriculum, but each assignment leads to a traditional report.  My goal is for them to use all the skills they have learned but to produce a different, more creative product that will interest and motivate them

This lesson was developed as part of Integrating the Internet into the Curriculum Through WebQuests, a course at Rutgers University.

Learners

This lesson is anchored in fifth grade social studies standards and involves language arts and fine arts as well.  It was designed for fifth grade, but I believe that it could easily be extended to the middle and high school grades. 

Prior to the webquest, students should have an understanding of how different the economy and society of the North and South were prior to the start of the war.  The should also have an understanding of the conflicts and compromises between North and South that occurred prior to 1865.  Finally, they should have familiarity with the research process and writing factual summaries from several sources. 

Curriculum Standards

This webquest was designed to address these New Jersey social studies standards:

Process

Re:      Individual Assignment;

Each cub reporter will research two battles.  The eight battles are Ft. Sumter, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Shiloh, Fredericksburg, and Chattanooga.  The battles will be assigned to you by your editor. Heterogeneous groups based on ability.  Gettysburg and Ft. Sumter to weakest student.  Other battles will be assigned randomly.  You will write a summary for each battle. Each summary must be an organized, accurate description of what happened.  You may want to assign different battles to different groups. As extension after they all have shared the magazine issues they created, you might want to discuss the “ultimate issue”—deciding upon the top 5 battles from all the ones they researched. They would not have to actually create the issue, but they could discuss which battles they would choose, which cover design they would use—or maybe which design elements they would combine from all the finished products to make a really super issue. It would give them a chance to practice their consensus building skills.

Once you have been assigned your two battles, you will use the following websites to research them.  You may also use your textbook and Scholastic's Encyclopedia of the Civil War to learn about your battle and to assist you in writing your summaries.  Remember that you should use at least three resources to take notes before you begin writing.  I am planning on four periods for research and note taking.

You may use this planning sheet to help you take notes and write your summaries.  You may choose not to use a scaffold for summary writing, or you may want to add more to this one.  It is fairly straightforward.     Battle Planning Sheet (Open in Microsoft Word).

Internet Resources

Resources

• Fifth grade social studies textbook: America Will Be
  
• Trade book: Scholastic's Encyclopedia of the Civil War
  
• At least two computer lab periods with internet access for each student
  

I have planned a total of twelve class periods for the different stages of the project.  Knowing my students, I'm sure they will need one or two extra periods.  Therefore, I am planning two weeks to complete the webquest using social studies, language arts and computer lab periods.  One teacher can implement this webquest, however additional teachers or aids to work with classified, basic skills, or LEP students would be beneficial. 

Evaluation

Credits & References