Lincoln Assassination: The Conspirator

We are starting a brand new film that just came out about called The Conspirator. It covers the details of the LIncoln Assassination, but mainly focuses in the trial of the accused conspirators especially the lone woman Mary Surratt.

***Any students who would like an opportunity for extra credit can visit one of the links below and tell me what you learned in a few sentences. Email to me at jgibbons@esmschools.org

Links

Ford's Theater... Virtual Tour
Trial of the Lincoln Assassination Conspritors
Walking the Assassins Footsteps

The Lincoln Assassination Part 1

Today we are examining the events surrounding the Lincoln Assassination. To begin with, we talked about how this event has many layers. Most students come into 8th grade knowing a little about the assassination, but there is much more there to learn about.
We began by defining the word conspiracy and then understanding the motives behind John Wilkes Booth's plot. We then looked at the targets and locations the night of April 14th 1865 and why this triple murder plot was important to Booth. Tomorrow we will begin watching clips from the new movie called The Conspirator which focus on the assassination and the trial of the captured conspirators.

U.S. Reconstruction 1865-1877

Today we move forward and tackle the problems facing the United States after the end of the Civil War. It's 1865 and the South is in shambles. Cities, railroads, factories and farms are destroyed. People are left homeless, loved ones are killed or wounded, and people are angry, depressed and unemployed. Can President lead the nation after the war? He was a strong courageous leader during the Civil War Hopefully his leader ship can continue after as well.

Start of U.S. Reconstruction

Today in class we are taking a step back into the Civil War before we start learning about the Reconstruction period that follows. We are reviewing; Causes of the Civil War, Stratagies to Win, Big Battles, and How the War Came to an End.

September 11th... Ten Years Later

Click for the My 9/11 Tribute with Political Cartoons

Today we are reviewing the events of September 11th 2001. It really is hard to believe that that much time has gone by. My current students were only 3 and 4 years old back in 2001 and I have found many don't know most of what happened.Through the use of pictures, video, articles and political cartoons we are revisiting the events as they unfolded 10 years ago.

Text Tour: The Online Textbook

Today's lesson will feature our class becoming accustomed to using the online textbook in Social Studies 8. There are some great advantages and shortcuts availible using the online book. This worksheet you are going to complete will show you many of the easier solutions to using an online text instead of a hard copy textbook.

WWII Continued

Before break we looked at and examined events in Europe from the early 1930's up into 1941. This included Hitler's Rise to Power, and world wide acts of aggression from Germany, Japan and Italy. The U.S entered WWII on December 7th 1941 when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands.