Lesson 10: Writing the Quest:Teaching Clues
- Focusing Questions/Themes:
- What are our Civil War veteran's stories?
- How can we share them concisely-and in verse!
- Vermont Standard(s):
- Writing Dimensions: 1.5 Students draft, revise, edit, and critique written products so that final drafts are appropriate in terms of the following dimensions: purpose, organization, details and voice or tone
- New Hampshire Standard(s):
- Writing Standard 5: Students will demonstrate competence in using the interactive language processes of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing, to gather and organize information in a variety of subject areas.
- Materials:
- Clipboards, pencils and paper.
- Procedure:
- Writing Activity:
- Decide on your verse format: couplets, stanzas, beats per line, etc.
- Model the writing of a single teaching clue, as a group, in that style. (see notes below)
- Pass out the Teaching Clues Worksheet.
- Have students write their teaching clues.
- Modeling the Teaching Clue Process:
- What do we know about, for example, Ed Blaisdell?
- From his tombstone:
- There is a civil war marker next to his stone
The marker is rusty
He served in CO H of the Vermont Volunteers
- From Vermont in the Civil War website:
- Blaisdell, Edward, cred. Hartford , VT , age 24, enl 8/7/62, m/i 9/1/62, PVT, Co. H, 11th VVI, pr CPL 12/12/62, pr SGT 5/22/63, pr 1SGT, 1/22/64, comn 2LT, 5/13/65 (5/25/65), m/o 6/24/65
- And from the 11th Regimental History
- Of the things that we know, what is most important to say?
He enlisted when he was 24
His company went to Washington
The company built fortifications.
And for a long stretch was spared combat
- Of the things we'd like to say, is their a best sequence? What should we say first, second, or third? Is their a natural, best way, e.g. chronologically?
- Then write your clues:
- Movement to Blaisdell:
- Leave this old tomb that's marked with a shield-
At Ed Blaisdell's stone a rusty star feel.- Teaching at Blaisdell:
- Ed Blaisdell enlisted at age 24
And went down to Washington ready for war.
His company built strong fortifications
Compared to bloodshed, this was vacation!
When called to Virginia, that duty ended.
On company H, the Union depended..
by James M. Warner, Brigadier-General U. S. Vols., and
Aldace F. Walker, Lieutenant-Colonel Eleventh Regiment.
The service of the regiment at Washington embraced a period of a year and eight months, chiefly employed in constructing and garrisoning the three well-known fortifications named Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens, and Fort Totten. Four other forts were occupied by the regiment during the latter part of its artillery service, giving it a front of about seven miles, facing north, from East Creek to Rock Creek. These works mounted over two hundred heavy guns and mortars, and were connected by a continuous line of rifle pits. The line thus occupied was about four miles from the city, beyond the Soldiers' Home, and was afterwards ineffectually attacked by General Early. During its occupancy by the Eleventh Vermont the regiment became noted for its proficiency in drill and thorough discipline. It assumed the red chevrons and shoulder straps of the artillery arm, and added an artillery flag to its colors, crossed cannon on a yellow field. Its camps were well-built wooden structures, with a fine hospital. It was the daily resort of visitors from the city. No more pleasant or cheerful experiences were ever the lot of soldiers in actual was than those enjoyed by this regiment during the whole of the year 1863 and the first three months of 1864.
Aldace F. Walker, Lieutenant-Colonel Eleventh Regiment.
The service of the regiment at Washington embraced a period of a year and eight months, chiefly employed in constructing and garrisoning the three well-known fortifications named Fort Slocum, Fort Stevens, and Fort Totten. Four other forts were occupied by the regiment during the latter part of its artillery service, giving it a front of about seven miles, facing north, from East Creek to Rock Creek. These works mounted over two hundred heavy guns and mortars, and were connected by a continuous line of rifle pits. The line thus occupied was about four miles from the city, beyond the Soldiers' Home, and was afterwards ineffectually attacked by General Early. During its occupancy by the Eleventh Vermont the regiment became noted for its proficiency in drill and thorough discipline. It assumed the red chevrons and shoulder straps of the artillery arm, and added an artillery flag to its colors, crossed cannon on a yellow field. Its camps were well-built wooden structures, with a fine hospital. It was the daily resort of visitors from the city. No more pleasant or cheerful experiences were ever the lot of soldiers in actual was than those enjoyed by this regiment during the whole of the year 1863 and the first three months of 1864.
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