Participant Name(s): Alice Latham

The Last Great Canal

Curriculum Project History Box

Unit/Lesson Title: Civil War History Box and Scavenger Hunt

Intended Grade Level: Middle School Approximate Length:

Applicable Standards: N/A

Goals/Objectives:

To teach students about the Civil War in Illinois, using information from Civil War related internet sites, documented sources and original materials. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt at the 1856 Robert Vial House, which is adjacent to the Flagg Creek Historical Society Museum. The hunt will highlight the furnishings, household implements and general lifestyle of an Illinois prairie family and show students the type of activities that involved young people of the period.

To create a resource box for teachers to share a potpourri of information with their students about the Civil War in order to bring an understanding of how the war impacted society: the depreciation of currency in the South, the advances of medicine, weapons and communications through battlefield conditions, the increased role of women in the war, education and in general, the lifestyle of the period.

Procedure:

Scavenger Hunt: To create a fill-in-the-blank form to be used on a scavenger hunt which will be used as a teaching tool for Middle School students. This form will require students to explore and search the house to look for clues and hints to fill in their form. Students will have to read descriptions and interpret information to get their answers.

History Box: To assemble a history box to be shared with teachers using copies of original letters, currency, photographs, and charts on various topics. Some of these topics include types of currencies issued and used during the war years, free versus slave population statistics based on the 1860 census, and everyday life of the common soldier and civilian.

Materials:

Handouts and Worksheets

Resources:

Traditional

Historical Society Archives (Letters and Original Documents)

Hidden in Plain View, Tobin and Dobard, Anchor House, 2000.

Civil War Cook Book, Davis, Salamander Books Ltd., 2003.

Kitchen Antiques, 1790 – 1940, McNerney, Collector Books, 1991.

Electronic

www.americancivilwar.com/tcwn/civil_war/civil_war_cooking.htm

www.frbsf.ord/currency/civilwar

www.nps.gov/gett/gettkidz/doctor.htm

www.civilwarhome.com/potpourri.htm

www.civilwarhome.com/civilwarmedicine

Assessment(s):

A verbal discussion will follow up on the scavenger hunt results, the show and tell of documents and artifacts, and the exploration of specific topics through the internet. Follow-up assessment can be completed by the teacher, using such tools as a pencil-paper quiz, a game, re-enactment or a written essay as determined by the teacher.