One photograph can represent so much more than the images on the film. Eighth graders select a photograph from the Civil War era and conduct additional research based on the subject matter from the picture. Once they complete the research, they create two pieces of writing: a technical newspaper article and a narrative letter to a loved one from the point of view of someone from the time period.

Concepts

the united states civil war, historical research, historical fiction, primary sources, technical writing, research writing, primary source analysis, primary source images

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the same process with other periods of history, such as the Great Depression or the Vietnam War
• If you don't have access to a media center, assign the technical portions of the project for individuals to complete on their home computers or tablets
• Apply the modifications to smaller groups or classrooms without technology

Classroom Considerations

• Learners should have word processing and formatting skills
• Includes a specific grade-based rubric, which you could modify based on curriculum needs

Pros

• Encourages creative writing, informative writing, and historical research
• Includes all necessary templates and worksheets for completing the project
• Strong interdisciplinary connection between social studies and language arts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.6-8.1 RH.6-8.2 RH.6-8.7