Civil War Re-enactor Presentation

Lesson Essential Question:

What was daily life like for a Civil War soldier?

How can we learn more about history through events like re-enactments?

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My family and I used to be very involved in Civil War re-enacting. We'd travel around Wisconsin (and sometimes further) to historical sites to participate in re-enactments. My mother made all of our outfits and she, my sister, and I would attend events with my dad, who was a part of a Confederate re-enactment group (someone has to be the rebels!). The purpose of re-enactments is to inform and educate 'the public' about life during the Civil War. They can watch re-enacted battles, look at clothing, artifacts, try various foods, watch traditional events such as weddings and dances, participate in games, learn about crafts and cooking of the time, etc.
My dad has done many Elementary school presentations about the Civil War so I asked him to come into my classroom to help me give a presentation to my students.

NCSS Standards:

• Standard 2: People, Places, and Environments

MMSD Standards:

• Students will:

            1.  Identify the role and status of individuals and groups in the United States, past and present

UW Teaching Standards:

• Standard 4: demonstrates sophisticated curricular knowledge
• Standard 10: employs varied instructional strategies
  
• Standard 11: uses technologies 
  
• Standard 12: accommodates for all students
  

Materials Needed:

• lap top and  projector
• PowerPoint Presentation with re-enactment photos
  
• whiteboard
  
• re-enactor and his prop: (uniform and clothing,  ‘artifacts’ such as: bullets, bayonet, canteen, housewife, dishes, blanket roll, comb, and other miscellaneous items)
• United States map
  

Objectives:

• students will connect their previous knowledge to what they learn from the civil war re-enactor

Lesson Context:

Students have almost completed their unit on the Civil War. They have studied the events leading up to the War, how it ended, and some of the effects it had on our state and the nation. This presentation is intended to provide students with more visual and hands-0n learning that will help them make connections to the material they have previously learned. They will also be able to ask questions.

Lesson Opening:

I will begin by introducing my father and explaining what civil war re-enacting is and how my family was involved. I will show students a PowerPoint presentation of some of my family's Civil War re-enacting photos to provide them with context as well as a basic understanding of what a re-enactment is and looks like.

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Procedures:

1. Then I will turn it over to my dad.
2. First he will begin by reviewing the cause of the war as well as the dates.
3. Then they will discuss how many generations ago the Civil War was in order to provide students with a sense of how long ago it was.
4. Next his presentation will include a description of the soldier’s uniform. As he explains each item, he will ‘dress’ me as his model solider. He will also explain other soldier’s supplies such as the blanket roll, canteen, housewife, bayonet, comb, dishes, etc.
5. During the presentation, students will be encouraged to ask questions.
6. The subjects of the rest of the presentation will be determined by student interest and questions.

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Closing:

Students will ask any last minute questions and my dad will distribute hand outs (Civil War trading cars with various facts about specific people and battles) and copies of Confederate money.

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