Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender

The Book:

Ransom, C. (2004). Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender. Carolrhoda Books.

Summary:

This book is in a series of books designed to take historical events and put them in a perspective that students can relate to. Willie McLean was a young boy during the time of the civil war. He is shocked to find out that in his Virginia living room, General Robert E. Lee surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant. This is a true story.

This book will bring the surrender to the students level and would be a great way to introduce the end of the war.

Lesson: Surrender

SC Social Studies Standard 3-4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the events that led to the Civil War, the course of the War and Reconstruction, and South Carolina’s role in these events.

Objective:

The student will summarize the events leading up to and of the surrender of the Civil War.

Assessment:

The student will be assessed formatively as well as with a graphic organizer.

Materials:

Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender

Graphic Organizer

Procedure:

1. TTW ask the class if anyone can tell who the celebrity Willie McLean is. Have the students search for the answer in their text book or other civil war reference books from previous lessons.

2. Discuss McLean's basic role and introduce the book that will be used in group reading that day, Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender.

3. In their reading groups the students will read aloud the book taking turns. The teacher will circulate between groups offering assistance as needed.

4. After reading each group will think of the main important events, people and places and fill in a graphic organizer.

5. The class will come together to pull their organizers into one classroom organizer with help from the teacher to fill in anything important about the text and surrender that was missed.