Battle of Gettysburg 1863 - US Civil War

This lesson examines the Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, during the American Civil War. Students will learn about the key events, causes, and consequences of this pivotal battle. Activities include video analysis, timeline sorting, guided reading, and writing PEEKA paragraphs. The lesson concludes with a discussion on the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg and its impact on the Civil War’s outcome.

Lesson Content and Activities:

Introduction:
Discuss the Battle of Gettysburg and its significance in American history.
Introduce today’s keywords: Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee, George Meade, Pickett’s Charge.

Video Task:
Watch videos on the Battle of Gettysburg and write a short summary of the events.

Timeline Activity:
Sort the timeline cards into the correct chronological order of the battle’s key events.

Primary Source Analysis:
Read and analyze primary sources related to the Battle of Gettysburg.
Complete guided reading activities.

Causes and Consequences:
Categorize and sort evidence into causes and consequences of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Relay Activity:
Work in groups to relay information about the events of the battle using a diagram with icons.

Guided Reading Activity:
Complete guided reading activity, subtitling each paragraph and noting key facts.

The Gettysburg Address:
Read and discuss President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and its significance.

Storyboard Activity:
Create a storyboard for a video game featuring the Battle of Gettysburg, focusing on the environment, characters, and actions.

Writing Task:
Write two PEEKA paragraphs explaining two consequences of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Peer Assessment:
Read through a partner’s paragraphs, highlight each PEEKA section, and provide feedback.

Class Discussion:
Share and discuss the PEEKA paragraphs.

Recap Quiz:
Participate in a recap quiz to reinforce key points from the lesson.

Resources:
Video links on the Battle of Gettysburg
Timeline cards
Primary source documents
Guided reading text
PEEKA paragraph guidelines and planning sheet

From a series of over 50 lessons made by Wolsey Academy on the history of the United States. They provide a thorough foundation of knowledge in this vital period of world history and provide an excellent foundation for all future study. Each lesson looks to focus on a range of historical skills and exam techniques to equip students with knowledge and transferable research, analysis and study skills.
To find the complete bundle search on the Wolsey Academy website.

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