Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War

The Book:

Lewin, T. (2001). Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Summary:

This book is told from the perspective of a drummer boy during the civil war. It goes through a bit of life in a soldier’s camp and preparation for battle. It is not until the very end of the book that you find out that the boy is not living during the Civil War but is actually a re-enactor.

I was so shocked with the ending that I had to design the lesson as more of a writing response lesson since I’m sure the students would have a strong reaction to the ending.

Objectives:
The student will make predictions and respond to the text.

Materials:
Red Legs: A Drummer Boy of the Civil War
Response Journals

Procedure:
1. Introduce the concept of children during the civil war by asking them if anyone can guess if people their age were involved in the Civil War. Explain the variety of jobs that children had actually in the war and the book they will be reading and responding to today is of one such child.
2. Read through the text asking questions along the way. Discussing unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts in order to help the students better understand the text.
3. When you get up to the page where there is “cease fire” in the battle have the students respond in their journals to what they think will happen next.
4. Have the students share some of their answers. Continue the rest of the story and have the students respond to the actual ending. [How did they feel about what happened? Were they surprised at the ending?].