Author:
Kyle
Subject:
Social Studies
Material Type:
Homework/Assignment
Level:
Middle School
Tags:
  • Lesson Plan
  • filmmaking
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Text/HTML

    Education Standards

    CIVIL WAR FILMMAKING ASSIGNMENT

    CIVIL WAR FILMMAKING ASSIGNMENT

    Overview

    Students will create a Civil War film about a Civil War battle.

     

    Image: "Battle of Gettysburg", by Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives, Library of Congress, Wiki Commons.

    Summary

    CIVIL WAR HISTORCAL Filmaking PROJECT

    This assignment is focused on Key Civil War Battles.  This will have students do a project on specific civil war battles and then create a short film that demostrates understanding of the battle they are assigned.

    Step 1 - Goals and Outcomes

    U.S. I Standard 7.2:
    Students will use evidence to interpret the factors that were most significant in shaping the course of the war and the Union victory, such as the leadership of Lincoln, Grant, and Lee; the role of industry; demographics; and military strategies.

    Student learning objectives:

    Students will be able to demonstrate digital citizenship by using and citing photos correctly

    Students will be able to analyze and summarize the key battles of the Civil War.

    Step 2 - Planning Instruction

    Students will need to have a basic understanding of the causes of the Civil War, a timeline of when specific battles happened, and key individuals of the Civil War.

    Step 3 - Instruction

    • This lesson will probably take 2 or 3 class periods depending on how detailed and good you what the videos.
    • 5-10 minutes lesson on Creative commons licences (https://youtu.be/q0VzUigrb_g) and fair use images and proper citation.  Other resources to help in teaching this :
    • 30-40 minutes on Film techniques (if not perviously addressed)
      • Film types (Documentary, short film, animation, Public Service Announcement)
      • Lighting
      • Camera
      • Audio
    • 10 minutes Explaination of project
      •  Students will choose from a list of specific battles.  This list should include Gettysburg, Viksburg, Chatanooga, Antitem, Bull Run, Shilo, etc. More information about battles can be found at Battlefield Trust.  They will then either take original video, photography, use fair use photography, video, or music to create a film using a filmmaking app (like Imovie) to tell the story of their battle.  These films should consist of film technics like camera angles, sound, lighting, etc.  If they borrow items they will need to cite where they borrowed it from.
    • remaing part of class and next 1 or 2 class period: Students research and work on projects.  Main websites to choose from are Battlefield Trust and History.com.  Students should be looking for stories from these battles to make their film project about.  They can focus on a specific moment of the battle.  They can focus on a person in the battle.  The can even create a summary of the whole battle.
    • 20- 30 minutes: Share films with classmates in a jig saw puzzle formate so that all students learn about the specfic Civil War Battles.

     

    Learner Accomodations:

    This assignment accomodates learner differences as it allows for student inquiry into a battle that sparks their interest.  This also allows students to show their creativity in different ways.  In groups some students will be the writers, some will be the directors, some will be the actors.  This allows students to participate in different ways so that they all are learning and cooperating in the group.  Students that are english language learners and those who are on 504 or SPED can participate in this assignment as they can contribute to the film in ways that suit their group.

    Step 4 - Assessments

    This will be the project:

    1. list of key battles to choose from:

    Gettysburg

    Vicksburg

    Appomatox Courthouse

    Antietam

    2. Students will take original photos or borrowed photos that meet the fair use policy and create a collage that tells the story of one of the key battles of the Civil war.

    3.  Example Project: 

    4. Rubric:

    Choose one of the key Battles Yes (2 Pts)No (0 Pts)  

    Film original or borrowed and shows good film techniques

    Yes (4pts)No (0pts)  
    Film no longer than 3 minutesYes (4 Pts)No (0 Pts)  
    Film Cited Properly Yes (2 Pts)No (0 Pts)  
    Content demonstrates Key asspecst of battlesYes (8 Pts)No (0 Pts)