Understanding by Design Unit Template

Title of Unit

Civil War

Grade Level

5th grade

Content Area

Social Studies
[includes English.
Music. Art and
Math]

Time Frame

10 days

Developed By

Amanda Rake

Brief Overview
(Summary of Unit)

The Civil War unit that I have created has a variety of other content
areas mixed in to ensure all students are engaged and learning.
Although, the time frame of this unit is short is allows for students to
get their toes wet in the Civil War. They will understand the
differences of the north and south by looking at posters, pictures and
listening to music. They will look at the different soil and water
resources and discuss how water and soil are important for crops.
They will be able to graph the percentages of water and fresh water
as well as graph the number of battles from the Civil War. Students
will hear music from the North, South and from Slavery. They will
analyze their feelings and connect the music to the pictures, posters,
stamps and anything else that they may come across. By the end of
the unit we will have a timeline made from each group that will act
as a tool to study from.

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Key Content and Literacy Standards: Established Goals

Identify key events, causes, and effects of a major period in U.S. history (i.e. Western Expansion,
Jacksonian Period, and Civil War) {MADISON METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT}
B.8.2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the
past and the present in United States and world history
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3[Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more
individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific
information in the text.]
NCSS. IDI. 5.4.G [analyze a particular event to identify reasons individuals might respond to it in
different way]
B.8.3. Perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with appropriate expression [music WI]
G.8.1. Know that visual images are important tools for thinking and communicating [art WI]
Represent and interpret data
5-ESS2-2 Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in various reservoirs
to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.

Understandings

Essential Questions

- There were political, geographic and economic

differences between the North and South

- Many factors lead up the Civil War

- War affects many people in different ways/

understand different points of view and perspectives

- The events, battles, and political stands that were

made during the Civil War. President Lincolns
actions during this war and fallout from those
actions.

How can we explain the feelings of slaves

living in the pre-Civil War Era?
[Periodization] (Empathy)
Do different areas have different views?
[example; your house]
What causes disagreements?
How does personal freedom affect us today?

- Why does racism still exist?

- What was life like as a soldier?
- What were the advantages and disadvantages
each side had fighting the war?
-

What were the fugitive laws?

What was life like after the War?
What laws were passed to end slavery?
How did the emancipation Proclamation
change the war?

Knowledge: Students will know

-

The different characteristics of the north and

the south based on their views, people,
groups.
How the Emancipation Proclamation,
Gettysburg Address shaped the United States
The relationship between John Wilkes Booth
and President Lincoln

Skills: Students will be able to do

-

Write from a different Point of View

Use technology to do research
Explain and analyze both cause and effect as
well as relationships
Students will identify and analyze the main
ideas of the debate over slavery,
abolitionism, states rights, and explain how
they resulted in major political compromises.
Form opinions and support them with
evidence

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Key Evidence of learning: What will students be able to do and understand?
Formative
Assessments

Summative

- Anecdotal Notes of students as they interact/explore/turn and

talk
- Exit Slips
- Graphic Organizer [house of north and south]

Final Project; Creating a Resume of a person they will become

or make up that plays a huge role in the Civil War. They will use
3

Assessments

all of what they have learned about the Civil War. They will
have to site where they got their information from by what
lesson it was from.

What criteria will you use to determine proficiency/essential understanding?

- The students and I will be making in class criteria sheets that contain all of what
students should know by the end of the unit plan.