Three important classroom lessons in this unit will include: student summarizing of the scope, sequence, cause and effect of conscription in the confederacy and union during the Civil War, student cooperative research on conscription in United States history in which issues of fairness, discrimination, righteousness/unrighteousness, popularity/unpopularity, and legality, are discussed, and a culminating activity in which each student must write a persuasive essay commenting on the arguments for and against military conscription or national service.
Lesson One: Conscription in the Civil War
The length of the lesson will be three forty five minute periods. One or two nights of homework as needed will be assigned to keep the lesson on pace.
Essential question: What’s wrong with conscription in the Civil War for each side?
Objectives: Students will describe orally and in writing the advantages and shortcomings of conscription during the Civil War. Students will complete readings from multiple perspectives on conscription in the Civil War. They will complete reading comprehension/formative assessment questions, a reflective journal, graphic organizers and classroom discussion. The class will be divided in two groups- the Confederacy and the Union. Confederate students will examine the factors that caused and affected conscription in the Confederacy. Union students will examine factors that caused and affected conscription in the Union. All students will have graphic organizers to summarize the major causes and effects of conscription in the Confederacy and in the Union. Students will pair-share their results with a member of the opposing group in order to complete their assignments.
Materials required will include two packets of multiple text material- one for the confederacy and one for the union. Each packet will have primary and secondary readings, illustrations, and/or photographs that relate to conscription in either the union or confederacy. Materials include text of the conscription acts, political cartoons, editorial writings, and letters from soldiers.
Procedure: Students will be issued reading packets with multiple texts, reading comprehension questions and cause and effect graphic organizers. The students and I will complete a sample activity from the packet for practice. Students will be given time in class to begin the readings. Some of the readings and comprehension questions may be assigned for homework. Students will complete the causes and effects organizer for their assigned group (Confederate or Union). Students will pair share in their own group to verify responses.
Students will then pair share with one or two members of the other group. Graphic organizers will be completed based upon these pair share experiences.
Next, as a class, the results will be shared and discussed. Members of each group will be called upon to discuss particular aspects of the reading packets and graphic organizers.
Questioning will include asking for students to compare and contrast the effectiveness and shortcomings of conscription for both the Union and Confederacy.
Students will be assessed according to a rubric that addresses steps of each task and the quality of work completed for each task. Part of the grading for this lesson will include giving students the opportunity to self assess according to the rubric.
Lesson Two: Conscription in World War I, World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam
The Length of Lesson will be two forty five minute class periods and one or two nights of homework to keep the assignment on pace.
Objectives: Students will research and report on the advantages and limitations of conscription in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Students will discuss and reflect on the advantages and limitations of conscription in each of the four conflicts
Procedure: Students will be assigned to one of the four topic conflicts in United States history. Students will use the library media center to research conscription in each of these conflicts. Students will complete the assignment according to a rubric. Students will record the results of their work on poster board. Upon completion these poster boards will be displayed in the classroom and serve as the basis for discussion about conscription. Students will write reflectively in their journals to summarize what they learned about conscription in United States’ history from each of the conflicts.
Assessment: Students will be assessed according to a rubric that addresses steps of each task and the quality of work completed for each task. Part of the grading for this lesson will include giving students the opportunity to self assess according to the rubric.
Lesson Three: The Prescription for Conscription: What is to be done? A Persuasive letter to Congress that outlining a plan for military conscription and/or national service or opposes it.
The length of the lesson will be two forty five minute periods and one ninety minute block period.
Objective: Students will examine the arguments for and against conscription for the military and/or national service. Students will write a persuasive essay to Congress outlines their opinion on the matter.
Procedure: Students will discuss their opinions on conscription based upon the historical examples studied up to this point. Students will be given an article in support of conscription and an article against future conscription. Students will also be given an article in support of national service and an article opposing national service. Two articles will be read and discussed on day one. On day two the next two articles will be read and discussed. On day three students will compose their persuasive letter.
Assessment: Students will be assessed according to a rubric that addresses steps of each task and the quality of work completed for each task. Part of the grading for this lesson will include giving students the opportunity to self assess according to the rubric.