FRANKLIN COLLEGE

Education Department
Field School Lesson Plan
Name__Nate Bryan______________________________Lesson Number______10____________
Subject Area__Social Studies ________________________ Grade Level_______8___________
Date___11/08/15__________________________ Start time__8am___ End
time________8:50__________
Cooperating Teachers Signature____Mr. Ferris __________________________
Essential Questions: What does it mean to be united in regards to the Civil War? What is an
American?
Topic/Concept/Skill:
Analyze the importance of the Gettysburg Address and its relevance today by listening to the
speech and evaluating its text.
Related Standard:
8.1.25 Identify the factors and individuals which influenced the outcome of the Civil War and
explain the significance of each.
Indiana Information Technology Standard:
MLB-1.1 Differentiate among computer types, history, and purpose of computer systems
NCSS Standard 1.8: Science and Technology
Background: Students will access prior knowledge about slavery, the Civil War, and Abraham
Lincoln.
Main Objective of Instruction:
Students will be critical and analyze (Analysis level of Blooms) the Gettysburg Address and
indicating (Understanding level of Blooms) its relevance in todays society by thoroughly
composing their own version of the Address.
Teacher Materials/Resources:
Computer, projector , Gettysburg Address Handouts, Worksheets
Student Materials:
Pencil, Paper
Anticipatory Set (Introductory Approach):
Begin class by asking students to watch this video: https://vimeo.com/38125161. Tell them to
pay special attention to words that were repeated during the video and to write those down.
After the video, ask the students why they think Lincoln would give such a speech and also what
they think the lasting effects of the speech are?
Instructional Procedures (Whole Group):
1. Greet class at the door with a Good Morning
2. Ask the students what they think it would have been like to have heard the Gettysburg
Address live?Im sure you will get lots of answers, but I bet you will not have anyone doubt
that they could hear President Lincoln. Explain to them that there were no Microphones
and that President Lincoln was speaking solely with his own voice. This might catch them
by surprise.

3. Then pass out the History of the Microphone sheet that is attached and have them look at
it for 3 minutes. Next have them quick-write about the way Technology has changed since
the 1860s. And make sure they synthesize how difficult it would be to hear someone give
a speech outdoors with hundreds of people around.
4. Next, have the students watch this video: https://vimeo.com/38125161. Tell them to
pay special attention to words that were repeated during the video and to write those
down.
After the video, ask the students why they think Lincoln would give such a speech and also
what they think the lasting effects of the speech are?
5. Next, hand out the Gettysburg address worksheets that can be found here:
http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lesson-plans/gettysburg-address-lessonplan/your-version-worksheet.pdf
6. They are to look at the print out side of the speech and highlight all words that are
repeated and also to underline all words that are on the KEY VOCAB sheet that is attached.
7. After they have highlighted all the words and read the speech, play the video:
https://vimeo.com/38125161. one more time while having them follow along.
8. The students are to come to their own conclusions about the Gettysburg Address and
Create (synthesis level of Blooms) their own version of the Address. (They can do this
in class and finishing it is their homework)
Provisions for Individual and/or Group Differences:
There is a student with ADD and he often wants to use fidget tools. There are fidgets in the top
right drawer of my desk and make them available to him.
Key vocabulary is included in the main part of the lesson to help ALL students with vocab,
especially ELL students.
Homework: Students are to finish their own version of the Gettysburg Address worksheet and it
is due tomorrow at the beginning of class. On the back of the worksheet, they are to answer the
question: Why is the Gettysburg Address still relevant today? in one paragraph (5 sentences or
more).
Closure: Remind the students that Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and that
the Union victory restored hopes for the preservation of the Union. The Gettysburg Address
largely expressed these truths. You can also remind the students in the difference in technology
from then til now.
Evaluation of Learning: Students will be evaluated based on their worksheet in which they
write their own version of the Gettysburg Address and will also be evaluated based on their 1
paragraph answer to the question Why is the Gettysburg Address still relevant today? Their
quick writes about the changes in technology, and the microphone in particular will be evaluated
for a 5 point completion grade as well.
Grading Scale: A= 18-20, B=16-17, C=14-15, D=12-13, F=0-11
Materials Used From: http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/lessonplans/gettysburg-address-lesson-plan/the-gettysburg-address-lesson.html

Key Repeated Words and Concepts

1. Great: the importance of the moment
2. New: we dont have to be stuck in a bad situation
3. Here: history always has a place.
4. Nation: what is at stake
5. People: their concern is what its all about
6. We: we are all in this together
7. Dedicated: the essential attitude
8. Consecrated: this is holy ground
9. Devotion: our commitment to freedom
10. Dead: the grievous reality
11. Living: what we do with our lives makes a difference
12. But: a change in direction
13. Cannot: not everything is possible, but remember what is

Gettysburg Address Student Version Rubric

Contains 3 specific details from the Battle of Gettysburg ___/6
Contains at least 3 synonyms to the word United throughout ___/6
Contains References to the future of the Country___/2
Contains References to the reasons the war must go on___/2
Is well written and contains no grammatical errors ___/4

Total____/20