Martha Meloy

Internet in the Classroom

Web 2.0 Instructional Resources – Assignment #1

Grade Level: 3-5

Subject Area: Social Studies
Focused Topic: Civil War
Georgia Performance Standard: Description: SS5H1 The student will explain the
causes, major events, and consequences of the civil war.
• Identify major battles and campaigns: Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, the Atlanta
Campaign, Sherman’s March to the Sea, and Appomattox Court House
• Describe the roles of Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant
• Discuss how the issues of states' rights and slavery increased tensions between the
North and South.
• Describe the effects of war on the North and South.

Web 2.0 Tool: Video

I have chosen to use videos and digital stories from Teacher Tube, You Tube and
Brain Pop to use on my Web 2.0 instructional resource list. For the purposes of making a
real, authentic connection to the happenings of the Civil War, I feel that using video is the
best format. Seeing videos that focus on the time period will allow my students to
connect to the Civil War, the people of the time period, relate to the different artifacts
from the war, and investigate the impacts of the battles that occurred many years ago.

1. Digital Story Overview of the Civil War

This video is a digital story of the Civil War. It uses many different images from the
war including battle sites, soldiers, Civil War campsites, and even a hospital site. The
narration during the video is a reading of the Gettysburg Address. I chose this video
to give an overview of the Civil War.
Length: 2:45
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=54236&title=Digital_Storytell
ing_Civil_War_in_America

2. Digital Story Focusing on the Battle of Gettysburg

This video is a digital story of the Civil War that focuses on the Battle of Gettysburg.
It is narrated with vivid details spanning over the three days of fighting. Details in
the narration including the time of day, temperature, and overall aspects of the setting
that add to the authenticity of the horrible battle that occurred on three hot summer
days July 1 –3, 1863. It gives details to the generals involved, casualties at the end of
the three days, and the geographical landmarks associated with the Battle of
Gettysburg.
Length 12:08
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=91058
3. Civil War Minutes Part 3 - Faces of General Robert E. Lee
This video focuses on General Robert E. Lee. It also gives details of the invention of
the camera around the Civil War time period, which brought faces to life for the first
time. It explains how there wasn’t a photo of Robert E. Lee except one that was
taken before the war. To help show the powerful war hero he was, the plain civilian
photo was retouched. The new retouched photo showed General Lee wearing a war
coat, which could be used in the newspapers to show the war hero. Lee didn’t like his
picture taken so pirating was common with the very few images of him. Pirating is
where a photographer takes a picture of another picture and then sells the photo. This
video even goes into detail of how a few images were smuggled to England through
the Union Blockade (ships) so a statue could be created of the general. It ends with
special photo images Lee agreed to have taken the day after he surrendered at
Appomattox Courthouse. These images became famous war pictures of General
Robert E. Lee even though they were taken the day after the war ended.
Length: 8:09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UQJKUYBx1A

4. Abraham Lincoln Reads the Gettysburg Address (renactment)

This video is a reenactment of Abraham Lincoln reading the words of the Gettysburg
Address. Before reciting the Address, he gives details about his thoughts preparing
the speech, the advice he got about needing to give a short speech due to the fact he
was speaking after Edward Everett, who was the main speaker. He also explains how
he wasn’t feeling well the night before the speech and had a high fever. Details of the
dedication of the cemetery including the date November 19th and weather are added
to give authenticity.
Length 5:35
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=19524&title=Abraham_Linco
ln_Reads_The_Gettysburg_Address

5. 1857, 12pound, Bronze Napoleon Muzzle loading Cannon

This video explains very specific properties of the most famous Civil War cannon, the
Napoleon. It includes details of the 7 men it took to shoot the cannon and the jobs
they each did to get it ready for firing. Other details include the 12 pound projectile it
fires, the 1600-yard range the projectile fires in, and how to load it. This video has a
great closing statement about studying history and investigating individuals to bring
history to life. Don’t forget to watch it until the very end. This video has some
overlay audio problems but it was too good in substance to pass on.
Length 4:26
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=10632&title=Civil_War_Can
non

6. Civil War Soldier’s Uniform and Accessories

The next three videos explain the uniforms of a Civil War Soldier and the many
accessories that they were issued. They are very detailed and cover many of the
important aspects of the Civil War soldier.
 Video # 1 The first video focuses on the ammunition belt that was worn and the
importance of weather proofing items stored in the belt to make sure their rifle
muskets would fire. The compartments of the pouch stored things like gunpowder,
musket caps, and cleaning supplies.
Length 4:58
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=79788&title=Civil_War_Unif
orm___Belt

Video #2 The second video focuses on the winter coat that the soldiers were issued
and how it was adaptable for weather factors like bitter cold wind. Other items
discussed are the tin dipper that was issued for meal time, the haversack and the
importance of weather proofing the haversack. Components of the haversack
including a tin plate that the soldiers had to keep up with and a combination utensil
that included a spoon, fork and knife in one contraption were discussed. The video
also talked about cleaning the issued items and how many times there was no water
available at camp to clean them so soldiers had to rub them in the dirt to get the food
off before putting them away to use again at a later time.
Length 4:13
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=79778&title=Civil_War_Unif
orm___Winter_Coat

Video #3 The third video explains the pants of the Civil War soldier including the
significance of the striping, which includes rank and branch of service. The shoes are
discussed in great detail explaining the canvas and leather combination as well as the
importance of the heel of the shoe. The heel of the shoe was very important since
soldiers had to march on different terrains repeatedly.
Length 3:50
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=79776&title=Civil_War_Unif
orm___Pants_Shoes_

7. Civil War Housewife (sewing kit for uniform)

This short video demonstrates the Housewife, which was a sewing kit made and given
to soldiers by their wives, mothers, girlfriends, or other family members. I chose this
video to show students how the soldiers of the Civil War were courageous and brave
in battle but also had to sew and repair uniforms as well. Each soldier was given two
uniforms a year and it was expected that they took care of them. If they had to be
reissued parts of their uniform and it wasn’t reissue time, money was taken out of
their paychecks to pay for them. So the Housewife was very useful to ensure they
could mend their own uniforms and it was also a reminder from home. Students will
see how responsible soldiers had to be with their belongings during the Civil War.
Length: 3:54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvsrKUPRKFs

8. The Underground Railroad

This digital story is very informative about the Underground Railroad. It describes in
great detail the secret network of abolitionists and free blacks that provided shelters
and guidance for the slaves trying to escape to freedom. It focuses on Harriet
 Tubman, who helped roughly 300 slaves and Levi Coffin, who saved over 5,000
slaves. Due to his vast involvement helping fugitive slaves, Levi Coffin’s home was
known as the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad. The video also
explains how the Underground Railroad got its name from a slave hunter who claims
a fugitive slave “must have gone on an underground road”. Further details are
explained about how names originated like Station Masters and Conductors, which
were used for the abolitionists helping the slaves to freedom. Slaves themselves were
referred to as freight or packages. Lastly, the video explains the significance of the
song the Drinking Gourd, in which the lyrics of the song were really directions for the
slaves on how to navigate to freedom in the North.
Length 8:06
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=19374

9. Brain Pop Movies on the Civil War

The following Civil War videos available from Brain Pop are very informative
overviews of the Civil War and the causes of the Civil War. The first video is free
but the second one you have to subscribe to the site to view. Most schools have a
subscription to Brain Pop. Topics include: Succession, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson
Davis, Emancipation Proclamation, Union, Confederacy, William Sherman, Fort
Sumter, Battle of Shiloh, Battle of Bull Run, Appomattox Courthouse
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freemovies/civilwar/
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/civilwarcauses/preview.weml

10. Rap of the Civil War

This video is extremely funny. It is a teacher dressed up to resemble the era of the
Civil War. It is very comical but the rap itself has good substance, which covers
topics of the Civil War. The topics are not covered in detail but it gives an accurate
overview/timeline of the Civil War. I know my 5th Graders will love this one. All of
the major topics discussed include: abolition, tariffs, Confederacy, Union, Fort
Sumter, Harriet Beacher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg,
Sherman’s March, Vicksburg, Appomattox Courthouse
Length: 2:56
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=31878&title=Civil_War_Rap

11. Fort Sumter and The Battle of Antietam

The next two videos have the same narrator speaking at the sites of two historic
places of the Civil War. The first video summarizes the starting of the Civil War
when Confederate troops attacked Union Troops at Fort Sumter outside of
Charleston, South Carolina. The second video shows scenes from the Battle of
Antietam, which occurred in Maryland and includes the Burnside Bridge where hours
of fighting occurred to keep the bridge from the Union soldiers. The video also
shows the actual site of the Bloody Lane, a sunken country road, where 5,000 troops
lost their lives in less than 4 hours of fighting. The audio portion of the video is
somewhat distracting by wind elements but the authenticity of seeing the actual sites
are worthwhile.
Length: 0:58
 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=75548&title=Fort_Sumter
Length: 1:01
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=74908&title=Battle_of_Antiet
am

12. Reenactment of Pickett’s Charge done by 8th grade students

This video is of 8th grade students reenacting the scene of the last day of fighting
during the Battle of Gettysburg on Cemetery Ridge July 3, 1863. It provides a
reference to the courage of the Confederate soldiers and it also provides a good
reference to the amount of lives the Confederate Army lost the third and final day of
fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. This is a very simple video without much
substance but it makes the two points mentioned very well.
View #1 Length 1:45
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=110317&title=Pickett_s_Char
ge_8th_Grade_Reenactment_2009
View #2 Length 2:14
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=40150&title=Picketts_Charge
_8th_Grade_Reenactment