Historical fiction: Using literature to learn about the Civil War
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=779
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies
In this lesson, the teacher reads aloud a section of Connie Porter’s Meet Addy, a book from The American Girls Collection® that tells the story of a young girl who escapes from slavery during the Civil War. The picture book includes many slave pictures and artifacts of the time and describes the slave culture, how it began, what the laws were concerning slaves, the various slave conditions, and the Underground Railroad. After explaining the characteristics of historical fiction and engaging students in a brainstorming exercise to create a list of facts about the Civil War, the teacher challenges students to summarize the story using the information they have learned. Students make inferences and predict what might happen to Addy in the remaining books in the series. Extensions of this lesson challenge students to read more Addy books individually and to create an illustrated summary of the major events for their classmates. This text also provides opportunities for class discussion about discrimination and the Civil Rights Movement.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.01: Use metacognitive strategies to comprehend text (e.g., reread, read ahead, ask for help, adjust reading speed, question, paraphrase, retell).
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
- setting a purpose.
- previewing the text.
- making predictions.
- asking questions.
- locating information for specific purposes.
- making connections.
- using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
- nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
- poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.05: Draw conclusions, make generalizations, and gather support by referencing the text.
- Objective 2.06: Summarize main idea(s) from written or spoken texts using succinct language.
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.02: Identify and discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, concepts and ideas within and across selections and support them by referencing the text.
- Objective 3.02: Identify and discuss similarities and differences in events, characters, concepts and ideas within and across selections and support them by referencing the text.
Grade 4
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.01: Use metacognitive strategies to comprehend text and to clarify meaning of vocabulary (e.g., reread the text, consult other sources, ask for help, paraphrase, question).
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
- setting a purpose using prior knowledge and text information.
- making predictions.
- formulating questions.
- locating relevant information.
- making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (legends, novels, folklore, science fiction).
- nonfiction (autobiographies, informational books, diaries, journals).
- poetry (concrete, haiku).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.05: Make inferences, draw conclusions, make generalizations, and support by referencing the text.
- Objective 2.06: Summarize major points from fiction and nonfiction text(s) to clarify and retain information and ideas.
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.02: Analyze characters, events, and plots from different selections and cite supporting evidence
Grade 5
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.01: Use metacognitive strategies independently and flexibly to monitor comprehension and extend vocabulary (e.g., skim, scan, question).
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
- making predictions.
- formulating questions.
- supporting answers from textual information, previous experience, and/or other sources.
- drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
- seeking additional information.
- making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, such as:
- fiction (tall tales, myths).
- nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine articles, schedules).
- poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
- drama (plays and skits).
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 5
- Goal 4: The learner will trace key developments in United States history and describe their impact on the land and people of the nation and its neighboring countries.
- Objective 4.05: Describe the impact of wars and conflicts on United States citizens, including but not limited to, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, and the twenty-first century war on terrorism.
- Objective 4.06: Evaluate the effectiveness of civil rights and social movements throughout United States history that reflect the struggle for equality and constitutional rights for all citizens.
