Bull Run by Paul Fleishman
Fleischman, P. (1993). Bull run. New York: Harper Collins.
Summary: A Civil War drama told in sixteen voices. This a heartbreaking and remarkably vivid portrait of a war that remains our nation’s bloodiest conflict. Bull Run presents hope, discrimination, pride and violence through its diverse characters who are facing the heartbreak of the Civil War. Northerners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 – Readers Theater
- Establish Readers Theater protocol.
- Introduce characters from Bull Run and assign roles to the students.
- Read Bull Run using Readers Theater.
Activity 2 – Photo Analysis
- Direct Students to the gallery of images.
- Direct students to select an image of a child to examine and characterize
- Students analyze the photograph, recording their thoughts on the Primary Source Analysis Tool.
Activity 3 - Photo Analysis Writing
- Students write the literary portrait (first person characterization) of the selected image identifying the character’s physical attributes, age, personality, and other traits that were observed or inferred from the photo analysis.
- Students share their literary portraits in the Readers Theater format.
- Students to revise for publication in digital format on class website. The student selected photograph or daguerreotype needs to accompany the final draft of the literary portrait.
Summary: A Civil War drama told in sixteen voices. This a heartbreaking and remarkably vivid portrait of a war that remains our nation’s bloodiest conflict. Bull Run presents hope, discrimination, pride and violence through its diverse characters who are facing the heartbreak of the Civil War. Northerners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 – Readers Theater
- Establish Readers Theater protocol.
- Introduce characters from Bull Run and assign roles to the students.
- Read Bull Run using Readers Theater.
Activity 2 – Photo Analysis
- Direct Students to the gallery of images.
- Direct students to select an image of a child to examine and characterize
- Students analyze the photograph, recording their thoughts on the Primary Source Analysis Tool.
Activity 3 - Photo Analysis Writing
- Students write the literary portrait (first person characterization) of the selected image identifying the character’s physical attributes, age, personality, and other traits that were observed or inferred from the photo analysis.
- Students share their literary portraits in the Readers Theater format.
- Students to revise for publication in digital format on class website. The student selected photograph or daguerreotype needs to accompany the final draft of the literary portrait.
Red Badge of Courage
Crane, S. (1957). The red badge of courage, and other stories. New York: Dodd, Mead.
Summary: Bored with farm life, and anxious for some excitement, Henry Fleming sets off to join the Union troops fighting the Civil War. An inexperienced fighter, he is anxious to get into battle to prove his patriotism and courage. He swaggers to keep up his spirits waiting for battle, but when suddenly thrust into the slaughter he is overcome with blind fear and runs from the field of battle.
He is ashamed when he joins the wounded, for he has not earned their "red badge of courage" and becomes enraged when he witnesses the death of his terribly maimed friend. In a confused struggle with his own army's retreating soldiers, he is wounded but not by enemy gunfire. In an effort to redeem himself in his own eyes, he begins to fight frantically and, in the heat of battle, automatically seizes the regiment's colors in a daring charge that proves him truly courageous.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 "The Attack and the Repulse" versus Chapter 5 The Red Badge of Courage
These two selections introduced a combination of style, content, and point of view representing a new approach to realism. Help your students appreciate more fully the novelty of Crane's method by comparing it with a poem taking a more traditional approach. Share with students "The Attack and the Repulse", a poem by Edward C. Judson. "The Attack and the Repulse" describes an assault that took place during the Battle of Cheat Mountain (Va.), fought on September 12, 1861. The collection in which the poem was found was published the next year, while the war was still being vigorously contested.
Provide students with the graphic organizer, Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Realism. Have students work in pairs to look through "The Attack and the Repulse" and Chapter 5 of The Red Badge of Courage carefully as they find evidence from each to complete the chart. When they have finished, refer to student answers as a class making comparisons between the two works. Crane's novel cannot be understood on McClurg's terms. It doesn't take the kind of stand on the values with which McClurg was concerned. For example, because Henry commits an act of cowardice doesn't mean he has no courage or doesn't value courage. Neither does it mean he's not patriotic even if patriotism is not the motivation for his bravery.
Summary: Bored with farm life, and anxious for some excitement, Henry Fleming sets off to join the Union troops fighting the Civil War. An inexperienced fighter, he is anxious to get into battle to prove his patriotism and courage. He swaggers to keep up his spirits waiting for battle, but when suddenly thrust into the slaughter he is overcome with blind fear and runs from the field of battle.
He is ashamed when he joins the wounded, for he has not earned their "red badge of courage" and becomes enraged when he witnesses the death of his terribly maimed friend. In a confused struggle with his own army's retreating soldiers, he is wounded but not by enemy gunfire. In an effort to redeem himself in his own eyes, he begins to fight frantically and, in the heat of battle, automatically seizes the regiment's colors in a daring charge that proves him truly courageous.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 "The Attack and the Repulse" versus Chapter 5 The Red Badge of Courage
These two selections introduced a combination of style, content, and point of view representing a new approach to realism. Help your students appreciate more fully the novelty of Crane's method by comparing it with a poem taking a more traditional approach. Share with students "The Attack and the Repulse", a poem by Edward C. Judson. "The Attack and the Repulse" describes an assault that took place during the Battle of Cheat Mountain (Va.), fought on September 12, 1861. The collection in which the poem was found was published the next year, while the war was still being vigorously contested.
Provide students with the graphic organizer, Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Realism. Have students work in pairs to look through "The Attack and the Repulse" and Chapter 5 of The Red Badge of Courage carefully as they find evidence from each to complete the chart. When they have finished, refer to student answers as a class making comparisons between the two works. Crane's novel cannot be understood on McClurg's terms. It doesn't take the kind of stand on the values with which McClurg was concerned. For example, because Henry commits an act of cowardice doesn't mean he has no courage or doesn't value courage. Neither does it mean he's not patriotic even if patriotism is not the motivation for his bravery.
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
Hunt, I. (1964). Across five Aprils. Chicago : Follett Pub. Co.
Summary: This novel set in southern Illinois provides a look a the families and communities face as family and friends become involved intimately in the Civil War. This story depicts Jethro Creighton, an intelligent, hardworking boy, grows into manhood as those he loves leave to fight in Union and Confederate armies. Presenting a balanced look at both sides of the conflict, readers can find the information intersting and informative.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 – Read and Journal
Activity 2 – Create from Reading
Students work with small group to decide on a presentation format: PowerPoint, videotape, puppets, creative writing, or newspaper.
Summary: This novel set in southern Illinois provides a look a the families and communities face as family and friends become involved intimately in the Civil War. This story depicts Jethro Creighton, an intelligent, hardworking boy, grows into manhood as those he loves leave to fight in Union and Confederate armies. Presenting a balanced look at both sides of the conflict, readers can find the information intersting and informative.
Teaching Idea:
Activity 1 – Read and Journal
- Read the novel Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
- Write in your reading journal brief summary and/or assumed role (see 4).
- Identify 5 vocabulary words and definition from the assigned daily reading.
- Assume one of the following roles in the written a summary:
- Straight Talker - Speak directly to a character and give your “two cents’ worth.” If you could stop the action at a particular point what would you say?
- Judge - Evaluate an action or a decision by a character or characters. Do you feel a wise or a poor decision has been made? Why? What decision would you prefer to have been made? Why?
- Memory Keeper - Perhaps you remember a similar experience from your own life, about a time when you kept a secret, and because of that secret, events began “to snowball.” Describe that experience: explain how it relates to the story.
- Artist - What visual images come to mind as you read the story? Draw and color these images. Write also what your visual image means or represents in the story.
- Palm Reader - What has occurred that you consider an example(s) of foreshadowing? What do you believe will occur in the future? Why?
Activity 2 – Create from Reading
Students work with small group to decide on a presentation format: PowerPoint, videotape, puppets, creative writing, or newspaper.
- The PowerPoint presentation will consist of the number of slides and content designated by the teacher. The slide presentation may be printed and displayed in the hall or media center.
- Small groups choosing to videotape a scene from the book will need to plan out a script and costumes before taping.
- Small groups choosing to use creative writing as the presentation format will need to take the information from the novel and rewrite it using another creative form such as a ballad, alphabet poem, rap, or children’s book.
- Students may create a puppet show. The puppet show will portray a major scene from the text. The puppets may be made out of socks or cardboard. The students will dress or decorate puppets to reflect the time period of the story.
- Students using Microsoft Publisher to detail at least one major battle and events pertaining to the time period of the novel. The newspaper should also include advertisements, obituaries, and announcements that would also pertain to the Civil War time period and the novel. The paper should include at least one editorial about how readers should support the troops.