Making Native American Pemmican

Pemmican is a food that was developed by North American Indians, the word coming from the Cree word pimîhkân, which itself is derived from the word pimî, “fat, grease” which refers to the fat that was added to the lean meat from large game, such as buffalo, elk, or moose, in order to keep it together in a cake. The meat that went into the pemmican was sliced and dried in the sun or in the smoke of a fire, then ground into powder using rocks. Often dried fruit such as berries were added to the mixture. The mixture then could provide most, if not all, of the foods and nutrients one needs to survive on long hunting expeditions or just as a mainstay food through the long winters. It was easy to carry, tucked an a leather pouch. Later it was eaten by European explorers to the New World. It was even eaten by the Arctic explorer Vihljamur Stefansson.

We have been studying Native American groups this fall and so we decided that it might be interesting to try our hand at making and eating pemmican, and I will share the recipe with you, so you can try it as well. We found that it was pretty tasty!

We debated a bit on which recipe to try, and ended up settling on a recipe that uses already prepared jerky as the meat ingredient. We did this mainly because we did not want to spend a lot of time on this activity and we had already made our own dried meat before when we studied pirates, so we did not have to duplicate that step this time. 

This recipe calls for suet. You can find food grade suet, called Recipe Ready lard in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.

Pemmican

1/2 lb Jerky 

1 Tab. Brown sugar 

1 oz (2 Tab.) Raisins 

2 oz (4 Tab.) Cranberries 

2 1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) Suet 

Run the dry jerky through a food grinder a few times (we used a blender). In a loaf pan add the cranberries, raisins and brown sugar. When the mixture is well blended, melt the suet and stir it in. Let the suet cool and harden. You can then form it into balls and enjoy!

source: Recipe Source

Food and Culture: Lesson 2: Native Americans

 Lesson 2: Native Americans

Pick two regional areas of traditional Native American cuisine to research. 
Recipe Source and Recipe Goldmine are good sources for such recipes. 

Iroquois Soup and Bannocks

A Traditional Northeastern Indian Meal

Iroquois Soup

Bannocks

Indian Pudding

Strawberry Juice

A Traditional Southeastern Indian Meal

Huckleberry Honey Cake

Brunswick Stew

Corn Pone

Huckleberry Honey Cake

Honey Water

A Traditional Great Plains Indian Meal

Pemmican

Stuffed Pumpkin

Broiled Jerusalem Artichokes

Wojapu

Peppermint Tea

A Traditional Southwestern Indian Meal

Green Chili Stew

Blue Corn Bread

Navajo Peach Crisp

A Northwest Coast Indian Meal

Salmon

Elk Stew with Acorn Dumplings

Steamed Fiddlehead Ferns

Whipped Raspberry (soup)

• Describe the similarities and differences between the two in terms of types of foods used and preparation of those foods. For these regions, you might consider making a menu of some of these dishes and or preparing and sampling them. If you choose to do this, please leave a comment with a link to a post on this for others to see.
• Research Native Americans that live/lived near where you live. Have they influenced the foods that you eat today? If so, what dishes can you trace back to an American Indian dish?
• In Native American culture, what is considered the cause of illness?
• Research and describe the uses of corn for the traditional Native American.
• What is the contemporary American Indian's diet and how has it been influenced by their history? Does this sub-culture of America have a lot of any particular illnesses that could be influenced by their diet? (diabetes, for example)

Middle School American History : Revolutionary War

Research about George Washington's role in the war. Write a persuasive article about why George Washington was the Right leader for the Americans.

Continue to add dates and events to the timeline.

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. The Americans wanted the world to know why they were breaking away from England. Read the Declaration of Independence and write a summary of the important points of the document.

Write about the significance of July 4th.

Write about the concept of Self-government as opposed to the Monarchy of England and other European countries.

Research about the writing and debating of the Declaration of Independence.

Look at a copy of the Declaration of Independence.  Divide it into its four parts: The Preamble,  A Declaration of Rights,  A Bill of Indictment,  and A Statement of Independence. Write a couple of sentences stating the purpose of each part.

Write the Declaration of Rights in your own words.

Field Trip: The original document is preserved in a special case in the National Archives building in Washington DC.

Who was on the committee assigned to write the Declaration?  Who actually wrote most of it? How many delegates signed it?  Why is John Hancock 's signature larger and first? Why didn't George Washington sign it?

Research the Liberty Bell.

Middle School American History : Madison and The War of 1812

Research about the War of 1812. Find out how messages were sent in those days. Draw a diagram showing how the British announcement might have traveled across the ocean.

Read the Star-Spangled Banner and write a paragraph about what it meant at the time

Research about  James Madison and add him to your timeline and the dates he was president. What was Monroe ' s experience with government before becoming president? Why were his years in office called "The Era of Good Feeling "? What was interesting about the number of votes he received in his second term? What land acquisitions were made during his terms in office?  What was the Missouri Compromise?  What is the Monroe Doctrine?  How does it affect our foreign policy today?

Research about James Monroe the fifth president.

Write the War of 1812 and the dates it lasted on the timeline. Research this war. Why did Madison ask  Congress to declare war against the British? What happened two days before the war was declared and why did it not stop the war? Did everyone in America want another war? Which regions wanted war the most? Why? Where was most of the war fought? Who were the War Hawks? Why didn't some Americans want to fight? What were the chief battles and who won them? What happened on August 24, 1814 in Washington, DC?  When did the Treaty of Ghent take place?  What was settled? Were the initial causes of the war settled? Why was the Battle of New Orleans unnecessary?

Middle School American History : Pioneers

Pick out a fictional book about pioneers. Keep a reading journal of the events in each chapter. When finished,  summarize the story using what you have written for reference.

Make a travel poster. Imagine you are selling covered wagons and want to attract the attention of pioneers. Or, imagine you are selling land out west and want to convince people to move out west.

Research the following pioneers and pioneer trails:
Daniel Boone
Oregon Trail
Santa Fe Trail (mark the dates of these two famous trails on the timeline and make a map of each one)
Lewis and Clark Expedition

Write about the pioneers.  Why did they settle in a new land? What were their occupations? What foods did they grow and eat?  What was their life expectancy? What were their houses like? What clothing did they wear?  How did they travel? What dangers were there? What was their entertainment? What did they read? How were the children educated? How did they govern themselves?  How large were their communities? How close were neighbors? How much slower was travel then? What were the modes of transportation? What were the roads like then? How did weather affect travel?  How did travelers cross rivers?

Picture Study : The Oregon Trail by Albert Bierstadt.

Research and write about men and women associated with the Pioneer movement: Daniel Boone
John Fremont
Mike Fink
Jim Bridger
Kit Carson
Davy Crockett
Johnny Appleseed
Noah Webster
Mary Jemison
Jedediah Smith

Middle School American History : The Constitution

Make a chart in your notebook with the following headings: Name, State, Contribution to the Constitution. Research the Constitution and add the following men to the chart:
Benjamin Franklin
Elbridge Grey
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison,  Jr
George Mason
Gouverneur Morris
Robert Morris
Rodgers Sherman

Add any other men you would like from your research.

Read the first three Articles of the Constitution.  Write about the functions of the three branches of government. Identify some of the individuals who currently serve in each branch of government.

Some states refused to sign the Constitution unless some individual rights were spelled out and attached. The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. Write about why the Bill of Rights was so important to the early Americans after their experience with Britain. Are they important to you? Prioritize the first 10 amendments. Can you eliminate any that are not important? Read the rest of the Amendments. Group the amendments in the following categories:
gives you the right to do something,
give you the right to have something,
gives you rights when you are accused of something, gives you the right to be something, or make up one of your own categories. Write about ways that you hear, such as on the news, about the Constitution at work today.  Listen for evidence that the branches of government are carrying out the ideals and laws of the Constitution. Write about what evidence there is that the constitution is still a powerful document. Write about the actions of the first leader of the executive branch of the government. The cabinet is part of the executive branch. Read about the current cabinet. What are the positions and who is currently filling them?

Middle School American History : Revolutionary War

Research about famous Americans who were associated with the events of the war:
Ethan Allen
John Paul Jones
Paul Revere
Crispus Atticus
Benedict Arnold
George Washington
Marquis de Lafayette
Friedrich von Steuben

Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on October 19th 1781. The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3rd 1783. Add these dates to the timeline. Research about the Treaty of Paris.  What was gained by the War? What was lost?  Draw a map of the 13 original states.  What were the borders set by the Treaty of Paris?

Research  about the government immediately following the war. Write about the money and laws. Why didn't it work? The poorly organized government led to the creation of the Constitution.  The Constitutional Convention met in 1787 to write this document that still organizes our government today.

There is a picture that hangs in the US Capitol of the signing of the Constitution. If possible look at a copy of that picture. Identify some of the delegates.

Read "Shh! We're writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz.

Read the Preamble to the Constitution. In the Preamble, there is 6 reasons explaining why the Constitution was written. Write the 6 reasons for it the Constitution in your own words.

Read about the three branches of government set up in the Constitution. Why did the founding fathers feel that the three branches were necessary? What is meant by separation of powers and checks and balances? Complete a chart of the three branches of government. Include the titles of the leaders and their duties.

Research about the Constitutional Convention.
What famous delegates attended the Convention?
Which state did not attend and why?
Where did the Convention meet?
Who was elected president of the Convention?
Who became known as the " Father of the Constitution"? Why?
What kind of representation did the larger states think there should be in Congress?
How did the smaller states feel about this? How was the problem solved?
Who copied the Constitution in good English order?
Why didn't James Madison sign the Constitution?
When was the Constitution adopted by the Convention? Add this date to your timeline.
Which state was the first to ratify it?
How many states had to ratify it? Which state officially made the Constitution valid? How long did it take to ratify it?

Middle Schoo American History : Revolutionary War, part 1

Research and discuss the events of the Revolutionary War. Where were battles fought who was involved? What was the outcome?

Add dates and events to the timeline.

Draw a picture of Valley Forge.

Field Trip: Visit Valley Forge.

Can you empathize with a colonist who sought Independence? Think about the concept of independence and why people hold it so dear.

How accurate were muskets?  Research about Revolutionary War weapons and compare them to Modern weapons.

Research battle sites and find out how many soldiers were on each side and which side was better equipped and trained.
Lexington
Concord
Saratoga
Valley Forge
Trenton
Philadelphia
Yorktown
Ticonderoga
Bunker Hill
Charleston

Write about the hardships the Americans at this time endured.

Research why the French and Spanish were willing to help the American cause.

Middle School American History : Revolutionary War, part 2

Many events in the mid 1700's caused the colonists to resent the power of the British. Research about the Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Choose one of the acts by the British and write about the events leading up to it and following it.

Continue to add dates and events to the timeline.

Research the Intolerable Acts. Think about cause and effect in the struggle between the British and the Americans and write a cause and effect statement about the Intolerable Acts.

Research the significance of Paul Revere's Ride.

Research the events of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Find Lexington and Concord on a current map of Massachusetts.

Have your student read a biography of Paul Revere and list some facts about him (in chronological order.)

Read "Paul Revere's Ride" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Make a two column chart in your history notebook. Label the first column "Early Settlers /Colonists" and label the second column "Believers of in Freedom. List the names of the people studied so far in the correct columns.  Be sure to include:
John Adams
Patrick Henry
Samuel Adams
George Washington
John Hancock
Thomas Paine

Middle School American History : George Washington

• Write an outline on George Washington. Fill in the outline by adding details under each of the following headings:
• Early Life
• Soldier -Statesman
• President

• Write the dates of Washington's presidency on the timeline.

• Research the early history of the Nation's permanent capital,  Washington, DC . Who chose the site?  Why was it selected?  On what river was it located? Why was it not a part of any state? Research the planning of the capital and the people involved?  When was it completed?  Who was the first president to live in it?

• Plan a field trip to the city of Washington DC. Find the major buildings and landmarks such as the White House, the Capitol building, the Supreme Court building, the National Mall, and so on. Drawn pictures of the three monuments to President Jefferson, Washington and Lincoln. Plan a day or a week in the city. Make an itinerary of visits. Write a summary of each visit explain why it is a significant place. Washing DC was a well-planned city. Read about the history of the city and of the physical layout. Washington DC is not part of any state. Many residents think it should be considered a state on its own. Read about the local government of Washington DC.

• When the president is elected, he chooses advisers, call the cabinet. Research about the cabinet and list the department. List the current head of each department in the cabinet.

• Research some of Washington DC highlights, such as the Museums, monuments and some buildings. Use a map of Washington to locate these places.

• Study the interior of the White House. Discuss the purpose of the different rooms. Discuss the influence of the different presidents and their wives.

Halloween Week History: The History of Halloween and Turnip Jack O' Lanterns

“Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling,

When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!

When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,

Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!” 

-John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Pumpkin" (1850)

Pumpkin carving is thought to come from the British Isles, where turnips, mangelwurzel or beets were used.

Turnip lanterns, sometimes with faces carved into them, were made on the Gaelic festival of Samhain (31 October–1 November) in the 19th century in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Samhain was a time when fairies and spirits were said to be active.

The purpose of these lanterns may have been to light one's way while outside on Samhain night or to protect oneself and one's home from the spirits and otherworldly beings,

Comparison of a small pumpkin (back) and a carved turnip (foreground).

 although I can't imagine too much light being produced by a turnip with a candle.

Immigrants from Britain and Ireland brought the tradition to North America. There, the pumpkin replaced the turnip as pumpkins were more readily available, bigger, and easier to carve, which Sam can attest to this being a fact.

In keeping with this tradition, Sam decided to carve a turnip this year instead of a pumpkin.

Some tips in case you ever decide to try it. 

Begin with the largest turnip you can find.

Start by slicing a little off the bottom to make it sit evenly, and slice a bit off the top to make a surface to begin digging out.

Use a melon baller or a heavy ice cream scoop to dig out the center of the turnip.

You don't have much surface to make a face with, so keep that in mind when you decide on the design you will make.

Sam's Owl lantern made from a turnip, 2012

Source: Wikipedia

This post was originally posted October 31, 2012

Curriculum and Roleplay: The American Civil War: A History Curriculum for Middle and High School

I would like to introduce to you my latest Role-Play Curriculum for Middle and High School students, The American Civil War. It is a six week curriculum, one lesson for each year of the Civil War, plus one for the coming of the war. This series includes writing, research, hands-on projects and even a bit of math and a field trip suggestion or two. I will be linking each week's lessons to this post for your convenience. More specifically, there are suggestions on:

• Readings
• Timeline
• Role-Playing
• Researching and Writing Telegrams
• Maps
• Researching and Writing a Newspaper Article
• Hands-On Projects
• Writing Outlines

Here are a few examples of the writing activities and expectations for the unit.:

Journal Writing

• Each entry should be between 3/4 to a full page.
• Each entry should be dated parallel to the events of the week. For example, if you are studying the year 1860, then your entry should be dated sometime in 1860 and the events in the entry should be seasonally appropriate to the month you have picked.
• You should write two entries a week, one from the field identity, and one from the home identity.
• Fill your entries with the things learned about -the events, people and life from the Civil War era. Your writing should always be historically accurate. Each entry should include at least 4 historical facts learned during the week. Highlight the facts with a highlighter pen.
• Try to write as you might write to a relative today but do not use modern slang or references to inventions and conveniences not yet in use or people not yet born. The tone should be conversational.
• Stay in character when you write, referencing the reactions to the events taking place through the character's eyes.

Telegrams

Each week you will be researching information about the events of the war and condensing them into a brief and interesting telegram to include in your notebook.

This program is designed for students from Middle School level to High School grades. You will, therefore need to establish for yourself the level which meets the standard for your student(s) grade level(s). The highest level work is complete and has details. The writing should reflect analysis and decision making. Research assignments should be graded on both content and writing skills. They all need to have two resources. Everything should reflect the students' mastery of the material covered.

Students will need a blank notebook to record information. I ask my students to keep wide margins on the left side of their notebook pages and double space their writing so that they can go back and add questions,  comments and reflections in the margins.


Week 1: The Coming of the War

Week 2: 1861

Week 3: 1862

Week 4: 1863

Week 5: 1864

Week 6: 1865

Civil War Presentations Projects For Middle and High School
Civil War Projects

Sources:

• Renaissance, Peter Cakebread and Ken Walton 
• Civil War Interact Simulations, A Simulation of Civilian and Soldier Life During the American Civil War,  Terry Handy and Bill Lacey, grades 5-11
• Abraham Lincoln's World, Genevieve Foster
• Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

Civil War, Part 4: 1863

Readings

Part IV: When Abraham Lincoln was a Lawyer from Illinois

Kingfisher, pgs 346-353

Monday: Timeline

1848-1861
Franz Josef
First World's Fair
Napoleon III
Richard Wagner
Mark Twain
Nana Sahib
Florence Nightingale
Oil Well
Jenny Lind
Stephen Foster
Japan and Perry
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Victor Emmanuel II
Woodrow Wilson
Wilhelm
Theodore Roosevelt
Hans Christian Andersen
Stephen Douglas
Jefferson Davis
Willie and Tad Lincoln

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

President issues proclamation to free slaves.
Lincoln signs first Draft Law.
Lee wins Pyrrhic victory at Chancellorsville.
Gettysburg is crucial to victory; Lee retreats.
Mississippi fortress of Vicksburg falls to Grant.
Draft riots erupt in New York City.
Confederates win savage battle at Chickamauga.
President issues Thanksgiving Proclamation.
Lincoln delivers address at Gettysburg.
Union forces win Chattanooga.

Field Trip

Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center is open 8 am - 6 pm April - October and Park Roads are open 6 am - 10 pm and Soldiers' National Cemetery is open Dawn - Dusk.
From November - March, the Museum & Visitor Center is open 9 am - 5 pm, the Park Roads are open 6 am - 7 pm and the Soldiers' National Cemetery is open Dawn - Dusk.

Entry to the park and visitor center is FREE OF CHARGE
There is a fee for the film "A New Birth of Freedom" at the Museum and Visitor Center, and there are additional fees for Licensed Battlefield Guides and the David Willis house.

Hands-On Activity

Reenactment of Pickett's Charge

If you have enough people, you can reenact this will actors, if not, your student can use plastic soldiers and either take pictures or a video. There is a beginning monologue, but the rest of the action should be described by the student. He should write his script in advance.

Narrator: It is July 3, 1863. For about two hours Southern gunners have sent a firestorm of artillery shells against the Union at a point called The Angle. These guns, however, have not fallen silent. Union Commander George Meade thinks the imminent attack will be a frontal assault on The Angle. He and his men are ready. The stillness is ominous. 

1. Confederate troops start moving forward. (If using actors, start the Confederates 175-200 yards away and have them move at a rate of about 1 yard every second.)
2. All Rebs release their best rendition of the Rebel yell and yell it several times over the course of the battle.
3. Two or three Rebel soldiers are hit and fall to the ground dead; one Union man falls dead.
4. Two or three more Rebs are hit and fall to the ground dead. One is carrying the colors. Another Red picks up the flag and moves forward.
5. A Confederate officer with his sword drawn says, "Home, boys, home. Remember home is over beyond those hills." Two Union boys fall dead.
6. One or two more Rebs fall, one is shot in the chest, another receives a fatal head wound.
7. All Union troops chant several times, "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!"
8. One Union officer yells, "Glory to God! Glory to God! See the Vermonters go at it!"
9. One Union officer yells, "See 'em! See 'em!"
10. One Union officer yells, "Fire! Fire! Another says, "Come on, boys. Give them the cold steel! Who will follow me? One Union soldier falls dead.
11. The remaining Rebel army turns around and retreats quickly to the woods where they began.
12. General Pickett puts his hands to his forehead and shakes his head in disgust and grief.
13. All Union troops cheer enthusiastically for several seconds to several minutes.
14. General Lee flits back and forth, telling his troops as they return to the woods, "It's all my fault...all my fault."

Culture

Wednesday: Poetry

Research and read poetry composed during the Civil War. (Walt Whitman 's O Captain, My Captain is an example.) Can you write a poem with a Civil War theme?

Thursday: Delivering a Speech

The Gettysburg Address

Have your student deliver this speech, hopefully in costume.

Civil War, Part 3: 1862

Readings

PART III: When Abraham Lincoln Kept Store in Illinois

Kingfisher, pgs 340-345

Field Trip

Antietam /Sharpsburg

Monday: Timeline

1830-1848
Andrew Jackson
Chicago
William Lloyd Garrison
Charles Dickens
Postage Stamps
Black Hawk
Texas
Boers Great Trek
Oregon Trail
China, Hong Kong
Victoria
Louis Philippe
Clipper Ships
Rubber
Telegraph
Ether
Matches
Bathtubs
War with Mexico
Zachary Taylor
Winfield Scott
Gold
Steamships
Photography

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

Battle between ironclad ships ends in a draw.
Grant wins decisive battle at Shiloh.
Admiral Farragut captured New Orleans for Union.
Federal Homestead Law signed.
Stonewall's classic offensive highlights Shenandoah campaign.
McClellan loses Seven Days 'Battle;  Lee could seize momentum.
Confederates win Second Bull Run battle.
Sioux uprising put down in Minnesota.
Bloody Antietam gives Union victory.
Union disaster at Fredericksburg;  Burnside replaced.

Wednesday: Journal

Write a one page narrative describing a chance encounter your character had with someone  (or something ) famous during the Civil War. Perhaps you were at Ford's Theater, or  you ran into a congressman with a box lunch at the first Battle of Bull Run or perhaps you heard Lincoln deliver his Address...use your imagination. You will need to do some research before writing this entry.

Thursday: Projects

Begin Civil War Museum display. Research something that was in important person place or thing in the Civil War and construct a display as if it were to go in a museum. It could be a diorama, a video production or a visual presentation. Visit museums to research how information is presented in a professional manner. Observe how captions, titles, models, pictures and documents are used in the displays. Plan carefully. Your presentation should be both accurate and entertaining. Think about colors, borders, lettering, labels, and the use of audio or video components. Use bright and contrasting colors.Try to limit the written word on your display, while at the same time conveying all the key elements. Use many visuals such as pictures, props or maps. Your presentation must have:

• a neat and clear title
• borders and mats around pictures, captions and maps
• precise lettering
• lots of visuals. Try to keep the word limit to about 500 words. Use pictures, drawings, maps, timelines and props to convey the information.
• Integrate into your display audio or video components.

Civil War Culture

Friday: Music

Listen to recordings of songs people sang during the Civil War. (Dixie. The Bonnie Blue Flag, John Brown's Body, Marching Through Georgia,  Battle Hymn of the Republic, When Johnny Comes Marching Home). If you are musically inclined,  can you compose a Civil War song?

Hands-on History

Baseball

If you have a large enough group to play, baseball the way it was played then would be so much fun! Gloves, masks and other specialized equipment were not used. The ball was, instead a tightly wound ball of twine and bats were long pieces of wood.

Civil War, part 2: 1861

Reading

part II: When Abraham Lincoln was a Boy in Indiana

Kingfisher,  pgs 322-329

Monday: Timeline

1815-1830
Noah Webster
Monroe Doctrine
Simon Bolivar
Sequoia
John Adams
Harriet Beecher Stowe
John James Audubon
Washington Irving
Benito Juarez
Charles Dickens
Victoria
Charles Darwin
William  Gladstone
David Livingston
George Stephenson
Naosuke II
Garibaldi
Leopold
Lion Hong Zhang

Field Trip

Manassas /Bull Run National Battlefield, Virginia

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

Research and include at least 3 supporting details for these headlines in the form of a Telegram.
Seven Southern states secede from the Union.
Jefferson Davis is the new president of CSA.
Abe Lincoln inaugurated 16th president.
Rebels shell Fort Sumter!
President Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers.
Robert E.Lee turns down Union Command
First casualties of war are in Baltimore riots.
Richmond, Virginia becomes new CSA capital.
A hero's death helps Union to secure Alexandria.
Confederates feast on Union civilian lunches after victory at Bull Run.
First income tax in US history levied in North.
Wilson Creek battle extends war in the west.
McClellan is new army chief.

Wednesday: Research

Write an in-depth analysis of your state during the war. What was this state's position and what was the war's impact on it?

Begin work on Presentations project. You may pick one from this list or come up with your own project.

Thursday: Photography

Research Mathew Brady or Alexander Gardner to find examples of Civil War photography. Then, using the style of 19th century photographers, create your own Civil War pictures by staging scenes or posing soldiers that you photograph with your own camera.

Friday: Hands-On History: Marching and Drilling

This needs to be done with a group of students,  but the group doesn't have to be that large. I have done it with three students before. It is a great activity to do in a co-op.
Organize students into two lined with each line 13 inches apart from the row in front of them. Students in each line should be touching shoulders of the persons to the left and right.
The teacher yells,"Company,  attention! "
Students are to stand straight,  facing forward, heels together and the rest of their feet at a 4-5 degree angle. Their arms are to be relaxed with  the pinky of each hand angling their jacket hem. Their head and shoulders are back and facing straight ahead. If they have a weapon,  it is resting at their sides, holding it between their thumb and forefinger along the tight side with the butt resting next to their right foot.

Teacher yells, "Company,  in place, rest!"
Students keep their left foot in place and slide their right foot behind their left in order to form a T. They hold their hands in front, left, over right, relaxed.

Teacher can now roll call soldiers,  if desired. Students respond with "Here, Sir!"

Teacher commands, "Right, face."
Students, two at a time, turn right, the second set, stepping into the space left by the first set.

Teacher yells, "Front" and students move back in previous formation.

Teacher yells, "Forward,  march!" Students step out with their left feet. Teacher keeps rhythm with, "Left, right, left right..."

When marching with a weapon,  teacher should first give the command, "Shoulder, arms!" Students should hold the weapon off the ground with their index and middle finger under the trigger guard. At the command,  "Right shoulder shift, arms," and students should  bring their weapons up to their right shoulder and carry it flat against the shoulder,  holding the rifle under the bottom with their right hand.

When the students are to halt on the march, the command to slide the weapon back to the ground is, "Order, arms!"

Civil War, part 1, The Coming of the War

part 1, The Coming of the War

Reading

Abraham Lincoln's World, Genevieve Foster, Abraham Lincoln is Born, The Story Begins, and part I: When Abraham Lincoln was Born in Kentucky

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia, pgs 318-321

Timeline

Make a timeline that includes the years 1800-1815. Add the following people to the timeline in the appropriate places.You must decide whether you are going to add them at their birth time, death time or when they made their greatest impact on history, or all of these.

Napoleon

Beethoven

Dumas

Wellington

Nelson Bucher

Alexander I

Victor Hugo

Thomas Jefferson

Robert Fulton

John Marshall

James Madison

Tecumseh

Henry Clay

Daniel Webster

John Calhoun

Francis Scott Key

Andrew Jackson

The Constitution /Old Ironsides

George III

Role-Play: Making Characters

For this scenario,  you will be making two characters. One will be the field army identity,  a soldier (always male), whatever rank you decide to be and the second will be a home identity, who is a wife, sister, brother,  father,  mother, son, daughter or whoever you want this character to be. The only requirement is that this character must be close to the field army identity. Determine the names, ages, relationships, rank or occupation, family, Hometown, education, character traits and opinion on slavery for both characters.

Write a one page autobiography, fleshing out the character statistics. Fabricate your character's life up to 1861 when the war breaks out.

Journal Writing

• Each entry should be between 3/4 to a full page.
• Each entry should be dated parallel to the events of the week. For example, if you are studying the year 1860, then your entry should be dated sometime in 1860 and the events in the entry should be seasonally appropriate to the month you have picked.
• You should write two entries a week, one from the field identity, and one from the home identity.
• Fill your entries with the things learned about -the events, people and life from the Civil War era. Your writing should always be historically accurate. Each entry should include at least 4 historical facts learned during the week. Highlight the facts with a highlighter pen.
• Try to write as you might write to a relative today but do not use modern slang or references to inventions and conveniences not yet in use or people not yet born. The tone should be conversational.
• Stay in character when you write, referencing the reactions to the events taking place through the character's eyes.

Vocabulary 

Use these words in this week's journal.

Abolitionist

Battery

Cartridge box

Deploy

Envelopment

Flanks

Hardtack

Main attack

Rank

Salt pork

Yank

Telegrams

Each week you will be researching information about the events of the war and condensing them into a brief and interesting telegram to include in your notebook. This week research what was going on in the year 1860 (and before, if you wish) and jot down some of your own conclusions about how what happened before the war, led up to the start of the Civil War. You will have to condense what you have learned into about three facts that you could write in a telegram form.

Map

On an appropriate map :

• Color and label the seeding states in 1861, which made up the Confederacy. Locate the capital. Draw the Confederate flag.
• Color and label the Northern states which fought as the Union. Locate the capital. Draw the Union flag.
• Label the four border states.
• Label the major rivers and mountain ranges in the Confederacy and border states.
• Label the major bodies of water touching the Confederate states
• Label Fort Sumter and add add the date of when the war began.
• Label these major battles:
• Battle of Manassas /Bull Run
• Battle of Antietam /Sharpsburg
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Sherman s March
• Appomattox Court House 

Newspaper Article

Research and write a newspaper article with the headline about the shelling of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

Civil War Presentations Projects

• Write a mini play on one significant event during the Civil War. You may act out all the roles yourself, using quick costume changes and different voices, or you may organize a cast.
• Research both Confederate and Union flags used in the war and replicate an authentic flag.
• Find and make a recipe from the South and one from the north, authentic to the Civil War time period.
• Research uniforms and present the information you learn graphically and create a presentation to explain the information.
• Research Civil War maps in terms of their use and accuracy and create a presentation comparing a Civil War era map to a modern map of the same area.
• Make a diorama of a famous battle or event.
• Research artillery pieces and how effective they were in the war, and create a presentation to convey what you have learned. 
• Research hats of both soldiers and civilians. Discuss them in terms of both fashion and function.
• Research the music of the era. Include the background to one of the pieces.
• Research doctors, medical personnel, medical tools and supplies. Compare to modern methods.
• Research Matthew Brady, Timothy O'Sullivan and photography of the era. Show examples of their work.
• Research Civil War money. Both sides had trouble financing the war. What role did inflation play in the Union victory?
• Compare two generals, one Union and one Confederate, other than Lee or Grant. What common threads run through the biographies of both men?
• Research spies of the war. What made an effective spy? How difficult was it to detect spies in a civil war where both sides are nearly identical in dress and language?
• Research drill manuals. Demonstrate how soldiers drilled in preparation for battle.
• Research Lincoln's speeches during the war. Give an analysis of one of them and recite it in costume.
• Create a re-enactment of a famous event in Civil War history and film it with you as the narrator explaining the action.
• Research artists, sketch artists and painters who worked during the Civil War. Compare and contrast two of the works.
• Research recruitment posters of the war. Make one of your own using the techniques you believe were most effective, and explain your choices.
• Research the Red Cross during the Civil War and Clara Barton's contribution to the organization.
• Research inventions of the war. Which aided one side or the other? Which dramatically altered history? Which have changed little over the years to the 21st century?
• Research ironclads and how they were used by both navies in the war.
• Research the role of the bugler and the drummer in the armies of both sides. Perform one of the era's tunes or either drum or bugle.
• Research prisons of the Civil War, and make a presentation on them in general or one or two specifically.
• Research fortification techniques used by both sides. Begin your research with abatis, palisades and chevaux-de-frise.
• Take an event of the Civil War, explain what happened and then write an alternate history, a "what if" based on something dramatic changing the event.
• Research the rioting in Baltimore, and then compare it with a similar protest, like Kent State in 1970.
• Research bayonets and make a presentation on them.
• Research the role of the African American soldier.
• Write a history of blockage runners in the Civil War. 



John Wilkes Booth Escape Tour

• Research Lincoln's assassination. If possible, take a field trip to Ford's Theater or the John Wilkes Booth Escape Tour. 
• Research Sherman's March to the Sea. Using maps and illustrations or photographs explain why it took place and what happened.
• Research the role of your state in the Civil War. Take photographs of as many of the sights as you can.
• Research censorship in the war.
• Research the role of religion and chaplains in the war. Research the US Christian Commission and its role.
• Research pistols and rifles used in the war. Show how they were used.
• Research conscientious objectors and how both governments dealt with them.
• Research desertion and deserters. Why did they desert and how did both governments deal with them.
• Research corps badges and make a visual presentation of the information.
• Research Lincoln's actions during the war that could be labeled "unconstitutional." Did these actions make him a dictator?
• Research the role of submarines in the Civil War. How were they important?
• Research the role of the foreign-born soldier in the Civil War. Which side benefited the most from them? What kinds of incentives were offered?
• Research the origins of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War.
• Research the Copperheads and the Peace Societies and present your findings of these dissidents organizations.
• Research the role of Allan Pinkerton and the Secret Service during the Civil War.

See more of The American Civil War curriculum, sources and resources here.

Maryland History and Geography

Maryland map drawn by Sam in 2010.

Inspired by Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom, who recently posted a totally awesome post, The Ultimate Guide to Hands on Learning for Texas history, I have decided to write a series of lessons on Maryland history and geography. I am basing these lessons on what James and I have been learning about Maryland history and geography this year, but I will include sections for all age/grade groups. Wouldn't it be cool if all 50 states could be covered in this manner, with posts written by the bloggers who live in each of the states?

Here are the posts that I will be posting, which will include activities, questions for further research and field trips, if you live close-by.

1. Where is Maryland?
2. The State Seal
3. In the Beginning : The Calvert and Lord Baltimores 
4. The State Flag
5. The Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay 
6. State Dog
7. A New Colony and the Indians who Lived There
8. Key Cities and Towns in Maryland 
9. First State House and the State House Today
10. Colonial Maryland 
11. Maryland's Shape and Size
12. Revolutionary War
13. Maryland's Neighbors
14. War of 1812
15. Elevations of Maryland 
16. Westward Movement 
17. Drainage Systems in Maryland 
18. Civil War 
19. The State Song, "Maryland, My Maryland"
20. Rivers in Maryland
21. Nineteenth Century
22. Boundaries of Maryland: Mason - Dixon Line, Potomac River and the Atlantic Ocean 
23. Twentieth Century 
24. The State Flower
25. The Delmarva Peninsula 
26. State Fossil, State Sport
27. Government 
28. The Coastal Plain: the Chesapeake Bay,  the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland 
29. State Tree, State Fish
30. State Crustacean, State Boat
31. The Piedmont Plateau 
32. The Appalachian Region
33. Baltimore 
34. State Bird, State Insect
35. America in Miniature 
36. Other Symbols of Maryland

Sources:

Maryland History, Mary Michael

Maryland Geography,  Mary Michael 

Maryland Symbols,  Mary Michael