Recently (well not too recently - ha!), our local homeschool group did another unit study.  This time, we focused on the Civil War.  Again, classes were held every Monday from 1-3pm, but this time ran for 6 weeks instead of 4.  Even then, we had a hard time cramming everything into 6 weeks, since there was just so much involved in the Civil War.  Nevertheless, it was a very fun and educational study!  Here is the outline that we followed:

Week 1:  Causes of the Civil War discussed (slavery govenment, taxes, etc.)

·                    Each student needs to bring their own notebook.  Papers (worksheets, puzzles, interesting articles,etc.) will be handed out each week to be put in them.

·                    Activity -- Class will be divided into Union and Confederate sides and make their corresponding flags.

Week 2:  Slavery (treatment of slaves, underground railroad, etc.)

·                    There will be first-person drama presentations from classmates on Frederick Douglas, John Brown, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth & Harriet Beecher Stowe.

·                    During class, we will also be trying some southern slave biscuits with homemade butter we make in class.

·                    Activity -- We will pick a piece of slave quilt to make out of construction paper for our notebooks and then we will be learning how to make a slave quilt block to sew and put together as a class (a take-home project).  We will also learn what a slave quilt was and its hidden meanings.

Week 3:  Abraham Lincoln (Union) and the Confederate president, Jefferson Davis

·                    There will be first-person drama presentations from classmates on Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis.

·                    Activity -- We will be making sketch journals dyed with tea, and explaining how they were used during the Civil War.  We will also be explaining how the students will be preparing a diorama for next time.

(We were gone to Chicago this week, so we missed this one... thus, no pictures)

Week 4:  Famous people and famous battles

·                    There will be first-person drama presentations from classmates on Bella Boyd, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

·                    Any student may give a 2- or 3-minute presentation on their diorama.  (We didn't have time to make a diorama since we were gone all last week, but Joshua decided to assemble one really quick Monday morning before class.)

·                    Activity -- Girls will be making rosettes and boys will be making haversacks.

Week 5:  Medical, weapons, uniforms & soldier food

·                    There will be first-person presentations from classmates on Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix.

·                    Activity -- We will divide into groups and make hardtack.

·                    Activity -- Girls will be making fans and boys will be sanding wooden muskets.

Week 6:  Effects of the Civil War will be discussed

·                    100 questions will be given to each student to answer and bring to the banquet to receive a candy bar.

·                    Activity -- Spelling Bee for the lower grades

·                    Activity -- Spelling Bee for the upper grades

·                    Everyone meet over at the park for re-enactment and pictures.

To end this UNIT STUDY, we will be having a Civil War banquet on Saturday night (March 21st) with costumes.  We will have special guests that include Civil War soldiers (re-enactors) and artifacts such as muskets from the Civil War.  We will have a picture area set up so you can have your family pictures taken with some of these artifacts.  Please bring an authentic Civil War recipe.