Lesson Plan 55 minutes

Fabian Baquera
Joseph Arms
October 21, 2015
U.S. History/High School 11th Grade
The Times They Are Changing
Objective: Students will analyze the change of technologies during the Civil War
by writing how it affected the war.
State Content Standard:

SSHS-S1C6-02

Analyze aspects of the Civil War

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

changes in technology
importance of resources
turning points
military and civilian leaders
effect of the Emancipation Proclamation
effect on the civilian populations

Anticipatory Set
Think back to how we examined some causes of the American Civil War. Compose a
list of at least three principal causes to the conflict.
1.
2.
3.

Talk to your elbow partner and compare lists.

Today we are going to go over the changes that occurred in regards to the use of
new technology during the Civil War.

Information

A PowerPoint presentation will be utilized in order to deliver the information to the

students. Pictures will be used in the presentation to give students a better visual
understanding of the content being taught.
1. The submarine was first introduced during the Civil War. It proved to be
instrumental to naval warfare during the war.
2. Trench Warfare was used during the Civil War for the first time. This was due
to the advancement of weapon accuracy.
3. Perhaps one of the most important advancements was the railroad. It allowed
both armies to transfer not only troops, but supplies as well.
4. An unlikely tool used during the war was the hot air balloon. It allowed for the
spying of enemy locations and gear.
5. Photography during the Civil War became a crucial tool. It allowed for the war
to be the first recorded war on a large scale.
6. Rifles saw a great improvement as well. With the invention of the repeating
rifle, it became much more accurate than any other rifle before it.
7. A fully automatic machine gun came to use during the war. The Gatling gun,
which is the ancestor of todays, modern machine gun, made it possible for
troops to mow down the enemy faster.
8. The telegraph was used in numerous occasions throughout the war. It allowed
for commanders to relay information back to places such as the White House,
or other battle sites almost instantly.
*Question: Both the Union and the Confederacy had access to these technologies.
Before any more information is given, do you believe that one side had an
advantage over the other? Why?
Use Popsicle sticks to call on at least three students and ensure they give well
formulated answers.
Roundtable
Have the students put away all notes and materials. Direct students to get with
their elbow partners and have them take out one blank piece of paper. On that
blank piece of paper, have each group write the numbers 1 through 4 starting at the
top of the page and going down. Once finished, the teacher will ask four questions
pertaining to the lesson giving the groups 25 seconds to discuss and write down
their answers. After the final question and discussion time, the signal of 1-2-3 Eyes
on Me will be given and the students will stop writing. Check for understanding of
the procedure before starting the activity with the groups.
Ask: Please point to your elbow partner.
How many questions are there?
How do you number on your page?
How long do you have to discuss and answer a question?
Teacher will ask different students these questions.

*Information
After the activity is complete the teacher will direct the students back to the
PowerPoint where more specific information will be given on the technologies
previously discussed.
1. H.L. Hunley - The first combat submarine to sink a warship in 1864
2. The Sieges of Petersburg and Vicksburg - Trench warfare allowed the
confederate army to hold off the union for months.
3. Union Advantage in Railroads - Two-thirds of all rail miles in the nation were
in union states
4. Union Army Balloon Corps - An official branch of the Union army headed by
Thaddeus S.C. Lowe
5. Wet Plate Cameras - Pictures are captured on chemically coated pieces of
plate glass
6. Springfield Model 1861 - The most widely used U.S. Army weapon during the
Civil War, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability.
7. Coffee Grinders - Gatling Gun was first used by the Union army in 1862
8. Abraham Lincoln and the Telegraph - Lincoln heavily relied on the telegraph
first during the Battle of Bull Run
*Question: After listening and taking notes on the information provided to you, it is
apparent that the Union had a definite advantage over the Confederacy. Give a
reason why.
Give the students some time to comprehend the question and to formulate the
answer. Use the Ask-Pause-Call strategy on several students ensuring well thought
out answers are given.
*Guided Practice
Students will now be asked to put away their notes once again and directed to
partner up with their Wednesday partner. The strategy of Sort the terms will be
used. The teacher will write down terms or information that were discussed in the
second half of the PowerPoint on the left hand side of the board. On the right hand
side the teacher will write down the eight technologies that were discussed in the
first half of the lesson. In their groups, the students will match the technologies with
the terms or information provided on a piece of paper. The person with the shortest
hair will pick a term first and the partner will match it with the technology. They will
switch after each term until all 8 technologies are covered. The students will have 5
minutes to complete this activity and the teacher will be walking around to guide
the students on this activity. When the time is up the auditory signal of 1-2-3 Eyes
on Me will be given. Before beginning the activity check for comprehension.
*Ask: Who is your partner on this activity?
What will you do with the technologies listed on the right hand side of the
board?
Who picks what term to match first?

How long do you have to complete this activity?

*Extended (Independent) Practice

There will be problems assigned to the students for practice to be completed
outside of class. The problems will be due at the start of the next class.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Who was in charge of the Army Balloon corps?

What is the ancestor of the modern machine gun?
What allowed the Civil War to be recorded on a large scale?
In what year did the H.L. Hunley sink a warship?
Which side had the advantage in the war when it came to railroads?
What was utilized to spy on enemy locations?
What type of warfare was used due to the advancement of accurate
weapons?
8. What were some Gatling guns referred to as?
9. Trench warfare was used by the Confederacy in what two battles?
10.What technology was used to communicate much quicker than ever before?

*Closure
Using a sheet of paper, students will write a twenty-five cent summary of how
technological advancements affected the Civil War.

Materials and Resources

Notebook paper
Pencil/Pen
PowerPoint
Popsicle Sticks
Assessment
Fill In the blanks:
_______________ was led by Thaddeus S.C. Lowe
The ___________ allowed the Union to transport soldiers and supplies quickly to
battles.

Abraham Lincoln first relied heavily on the telegraph during the Battle of
_____________.
The __________ is the ancestor to the modern machine gun.
A _______________ camera was the type of camera used during the Civil War.
The ________________ was the first submarine to sink a warship.
The _____________was the preferred rifle used by the U.S. army during the civil war.
Because of the advancement of more accurate weapons ________________ was first
developed and used.