PBL Civil War

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Aaron Farquhar


Team member

Name: Aaron Farquhar

Name: Lyndon Engleking


Topic: The Civil War and how it started



Part 1:  Driving question:   

  • What are your three initial driving questions?

    • 1. Was peacefully ending slavery a possibility?

    • 2. Would state's rights have been infringed had slavery been abolished before the war? Were state’s rights infringed anyway?

    • 3. Were the North and South too different culturally to the point that the Civil War was inevitable?

  • What is your one, final driving question?

Was the South’s secession from the North justified in regards to the American Civil War?

  • Background information of this driving question:

The group discussion will be open to 7th- 12th grade and will be on the topic of the Civil War and what caused it (1850- 1865).  The students should know of the Compromise of 1850 and other major events (Dred Scott decision, Kansas, etc.).

Which standard are you targeting? We’re targeting the standard surrounding the Civil War.

The Students will have spent the previous week or two studying and learning about the events leading up the Civil War and the events of the war itself. The third and final week would then include a research and preparation for the presentation and deliberation of the question.

  • Why do you think this is a good driving question?

Try to answer these 4 questions. (But you should not answer them with yes or no, instead explain the details and convince me that you’ve met these criteria)

    • Does the DQ warrant in-depth study? Yes. The students will have to research the various causes of the Civil War and the various policy decisions and events that happened leading up the war in order to answer the question. They can look at it culturally, politically, or morally, too.

    • Is the DQ an authentic and relevant issue/problem for my students? In the study of the Civil War I believe this question could really tie together all of the information the students will have learned for a unit on the Civil War. They could also discuss the possibility of states seceding  in the future.

    • Is there more than one plausible solution to the DQ?  Yes. Although there is only the possibility of a yes or no answer, the reasoning for either answer has many possibilities that depend on the perspectives and evidence students research and find.

    • Does the DQ provide opportunities for students to evaluate, analyze, present, and defend their solutions? Yes. The students must be well versed in the opinions and arguments of the time and can easily use evidence to support claims either way.


Part2: Grabber

  • What is your grabber?

The situation includes a basketball team.  One member of the team has the wrong jersey.  The team instructs him to get their jersey.  He then explains he can’t afford a new jersey  unless he sells his old team’s jersey.  The team then emphasises how they cannot play as a team with different jerseys.  

  • Why do you think this grabber is beneficial and how it  align with your driving question?

Try to answer these questions. (But you should not answer them with yes or no, instead explain the details and convince me that you’ve met these criteria)

  • Does the story, article, video, announcement, role play, or other resource hook the learner into asking more questions about the topic? Yes the role play presents a problem not unlike the problem that the nation faced before the Civil War. There are arguments on both sides and the general idea is to get students to think about justification in one context and then shift it over to another.

  • Does the grabber capitalize on novelty and / or high emotion situations? Yes. There’s a moral dilemma posed in a modern situation that will be used to mirror the dilemma of the Civil War

  • Does the grabber establish authenticity & relevance? Yes. It provides a dilemma that they might see. It’s supposed to split the class

  • Make sure to explain in detail how this grabber would be used. It will be used to grab the attention of students and get them talking about the situation. It will get their debate juices flowing. It might also be a good place to assess students for ability and which opinions the students argue.

  • Culminating activities: List all your activities here:


1) Activity 1

  • What is your first activity?

Lectures, readings, and discussions for a few days to get students acclimated to whole subject of the Civil War and to get them thinking about it as a whole. These days will also serve as an introduction to the material.

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

Try to answer these 4 questions.  (But you should not answer them with yes or no, instead explain the details and convince me that you’ve met these criteria)

  • How is the activity authentic? The subject of the event is still a topic of debate today and is a part of U.S. history. We still feel the effects of it now.

  • Does the activity provide students with the opportunity to present and defend problem solution? No. Students will not have the problem yet.

  • Does the activity require student collaboration? Depending on the activities used to present the information, they may have some collaboration, but the majority of learning at this point will be individual.

  • How will I judge what students have learned from the activity?

Students will have a small quiz to test their retention of the information.


2) Activity 2

  • What is your second activity?

Research day in class.  Students will have received the argument prompt and will have to research opinions on either side through resources provided by the instructor.

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

Research will give the students a chance to read arguments on their position from credible sources.  (But you should not answer them with yes or no, instead explain the details and convince me that you’ve met these criteria)

  • Students will be exposed to controversial topics in the real world and have to learn where they can receive good information

  • The students will be able to present themselves in the third activity

  • Without collaboration a student could forget an argument, freeze up or lose train of thought and they would have no support.

  • Students will turn in check notes for the teacher to evaluate their effort for knowledge in the discussion


3) Activity 3

  • What is your third activity?

A day to  prepare arguments and conduct further research. Students will build on their research from the previous day to prepare for the debate. They will be divided into two groups defending either position and will then have to anticipate the arguments the other team will make and try to counter them, while coming up with good opinions of their own. They will need to find sources to reinforce their statements.

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

Try to answer these 4 questions.  (But you should not answer them with yes or no, instead explain the details and convince me that you’ve met these criteria)

  • How is the activity authentic? Yes. Researching a part of their history.

  • Does the activity provide students with the opportunity to present and defend problem solution? Kind of. Students will think about the possible arguments, but they won’t present them in a debate format.

  • Does the activity require student collaboration? Yes. The students will be working in groups to form arguments.

  • How will I judge what students have learned from the activity? Students will be monitored and notes must be present from the previous day. They must fill out a general form as to the arguments they will present.  


4) Activity 4

  • What is your fourth activity?

The fourth activity will be the discussion/ debate.  Students will begin by making general statements about the topic before using specific examples. They will then have to alternate discussing.  Neither team will “win.”

  • Why do you think this is a good activity for PBL?

This is a good activity because PBL is revolved around discussion and debate

  • The activity teaches the students how to present themselves and improve confidence when discussing and debating a topic with mixed opinions

  • The activity is based on presenting and defending problem solutions

  • Without collaboration of the students a team could be on different pages for their argument and not understand what their team members are presenting

  • The students will be judged based on their decorum.  The students must be able to listen and give thoughtful responses

Rubric

http://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=DX7B957&sp=yes



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