of Marye’s Heights

� �

Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heights

Characters

Jesse Sandford William Barron Richard Kirkland Henry Matthews Tom Rembert General Kershaw

Setting

This reader’s theater begins on the thirteenth of December, 1862, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Three Confederate soldiers huddle behind a large stone wall. On the northern side of the Rappahannock River, two Union soldiers lie awake in their camp, preparing to attack the Confederate army. Their attacks fail, and many Union soldiers lie dead or injured in front of the wall. The last scene occurs at the Quaker Cemetery in Camden, South Carolina.

Act 1Richard Kirkland: Rembert,Sandford,areyouawake?

Tom Rembert: Yes,Kirkland.Whatisit?

Jesse Sandford: It’sstilldark.Itmustbeearlyinthemorning.

Richard Kirkland: Iamjustlyingheremissinghome.WhatdoeachofyoumissthemostaboutFlatRock?

Tom Rembert: Mymama’scooking!Itsurebeatsthetastelesshardtackwehavebeeneatingforweeks.

Richard Kirkland: That’sforsure!Yourmama’soneofthebestcooksinKershawCounty,secondonlytomymama!

Jesse Sandford: Boy,Isuredomissmyparentsandmyfourbrothers.

Tom Rembert: ImissEmilyAnn,andIwishIhadherphotograph.IshouldhavemarriedherbeforeIleft.

30 31

When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again

O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman

by Patrick S. Gilmore O captain! my captain! our fearful trip is done, The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won, The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring; But O heart! heart! heart! Leave you not the little spot, Where on the deck my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

O captain! my captain! rise up and hear the bells; Rise up! for you the flag is flung, for you the bugle trills; For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths, for you the shores a-crowding, For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning; O captain! dear father! This arm beneath your head! It is some dream that on the deck, You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still, My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will, The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done; From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won! Exult O shores! and ring, O bells! But I, with silent tread, Walk the spot my captain lies, Fallen cold and dead.

When Johnny comes marching home again, Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll give him a hearty welcome then Hurrah! Hurrah! The men will cheer and the boys will shout The ladies they will all turn out And we’ll all feel joy When Johnny comes marching home.

Get ready for the jubilee, Hurrah! Hurrah! We’ll give the hero three times three, Hurrah! Hurrah! The laurel wreath is ready now To place upon his loyal brow And we’ll all feel joy When Johnny comes marching home.

This is an abridged version of the complete song.

Building Fluency through

Reader’s TheaterExpanding and

Preserving the Union Teacher Guide

Grades 4–8

Teacher Created Materials, Inc.5301 Oceanus Drive

Huntington Beach, CA 92649 http://www.tcmpub.comISBN 978-1-4333-0533-7

© 2010 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.

The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Author

Harriet Isecke

EditorWendy Conklin, M.A.

Associate EditorTorrey Maloof

Editorial DirectorDona Herweck Rice

Editor-in-Chief Sharon Coan, M.S.Ed.

Editorial ManagerGisela Lee, M.A.

Creative DirectorLee Aucoin

Cover DesignerLesley Palmer

Cover ArtThe Library of Congress

Illustration Manager/DesignerTimothy J. Bradley

Print Production ManagerDon Tran

Print ProductionPhil Garcia

PublisherRachelle Cracchiolo, M.S.Ed

11533 (i3257)—Building Fluency through Reader’s Theater © Teacher Created Materials

��

Table of Contents

IntroductionForeword by Dr. Timothy Rasinski . . . . . . . . 3

The Connection Between Fluency and Reader’s Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Tips on Reader’s Theater by Aaron Shepard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Correlation to Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Standards Correlations Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

What’s Included in Each Lesson . . . . . . . . . 13

Expanding and Preserving the Union ScriptsLewis and Clark

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20–25

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26–31

Remember the Alamo

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32–37

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38–43

Narcissa Whitman and the Westward Movement

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44–49

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50–55

Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56–61

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62–67

The Sojourner Truth Story

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68–73

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74–79

Causes of the Civil War

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80–85

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86–91

Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heights

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92–97

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98–103

Reconstruction: After the Civil War

Lesson Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104–109

Primary Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110–115

AppendixHome-School Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Aaron Shepard’s Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Contents of the Performance CDs . . . . . . . 119

Contents of the Teacher Resource CD . . . . 122

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

© Teacher Created Materials 11533 (i3257)—Building Fluency through Reader’s Theater

��

Foreword

By Dr. Timothy Rasinski Kent State University

I am not ashamed to say that I am a reader’s theater nut! I really get pumped when I see kids perform scripts. I am equally excited to see the fire in teachers’ eyes when they begin to use reader’s theater with their students. Thus, it is no understatement to say that I am thrilled to see Teacher Created Materials publish this fine reader’s theater program. Let me explain why I am such an advocate for reader’s theater.

As someone who has studied reading fluency, I know that repeated reading is one of the best methods for developing students’ fluency in reading. However, it disturbs me greatly to see the manner in which students are often asked to engage in repeated reading. I see students do repeated reading with an aim at improving their reading speed—“Read this one more time to see if you increase your reading rate.” To me, this is not a terribly authentic way to engage in repeated readings. As a result of such a focus, I have seen many students develop the idea that repeated reading is done to make them faster readers and that reading fast is what reading is all about. Through such an approach, we run the risk of developing readers who sacrifice comprehension in order to read fast.

To do repeated reading appropriately, students need an authentic reason to repeatedly read or rehearse a text. I think the most natural reason to practice is performance. If you want students to engage in repeated readings, have them perform what they are practicing for an audience. With performance as a goal, students now have a natural reason to engage in repeated readings. Reader’s theater is a performance genre—it is a type of reading material meant to be performed. Moreover, because the focus of the practice is to convey a meaningful interpretation of the text to an audience, reader’s theater is also a natural vehicle for developing reading comprehension. I believe that reader’s theater is one of the best and most authentic ways to engage students enthusiastically in repeated reading to build reading fluency and improve overall reading performance.

My second reason for being a reader’s theater nut is easy to express—reader’s theater is fun! We all like to be a star at one time or another. Reader’s theater is a perfect vehicle for allowing students to become the star. I remember doing reader’s theater with the elementary and middle school students I taught. They could not get enough of it. They absolutely loved it. And, as their teacher, I loved it too. I loved to see students perform with their voices, watch their excitement, and enjoy their growth as successful readers.


��

Foreword (cont.)

By Dr. Timothy Rasinski Kent State University

Moreover, through the opportunity to perform and see themselves as successful in reading, many of the struggling readers I worked with began to believe in themselves again. Many struggling readers give up on themselves as they are forced to plod through one unsuccessful reading experience after another. The enjoyment, success, and fulfillment that are part of reader’s theater can help to break this cycle of despair and failure in reading for so many students who find learning to read difficult.

Third, reader’s theater is a natural way to connect all areas of the school curriculum. Social studies, literature, science, art, and other curriculum areas can easily and effectively be explored through reader’s theater. The scripts that are part of this program, in particular, have been developed to make those connections. Students can become so engaged in the process of rehearsal and performance that they may not even be aware that they are learning important content that goes beyond the reading experience!

I know reader’s theater works. Nearly every teacher I have met who uses reader’s theater on a regular basis feels that it is one of the best and most engaging ways to grow readers, and to instill in them a sense of reading success as they learn important content. I hope you will give reader’s theater a try. I know you, too, will become a reader’s theater nut!

Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.Professor of Education

Reading and Writing CenterKent State University

Kent, OH 44242


92

Materials • Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heightsscriptbooklets

• Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heights PrimarySources(pages98–103orTeacherResourceCD)

• copiesofTake-HomeScript(TeacherResourceCD)

• PerformanceCDandCDplayerorcomputerwithaCDdriveandspeakers

Introduce the LiteratureAskstudentswhattheyknowabouttheCivilWar,includingwhenitwasfought,whofoughtinit,andwhyitwasfought.Next,askstudentstowritedowntheirideasaboutthefollowingquestion:Whatisahero?Discussstudents’ideasandwriteaclassdefinitionofheroismontheboardoronchartpaper.Then,askstudentsiftheythinkthatordinarypeoplearecapableofsimpleactsofheroism.Havestudentsgiveexamplesofeverydayactsofheroism,suchashelpingsomeonewhoissuffering.Finally,askstudentsthefollowingquestions:Howmanyofyouwouldriskyourownlifetosaveafriend’slife?Howmanyofyouwouldriskyourlifetosaveyourenemy’slife?TellstudentsthattheyareabouttostudyCivil War Hero of Marye’s Heights,whichis aboutaConfederatesoldierwhowaswillingtoriskhislifetosavehisenemies.

Differentiation SupportHelpEnglishlanguagelearnersandbelow-grade-levelstudentsgainanunderstandingoftheCivilWarbyshowingthempicturesandhavingthemwriteshortdescriptions.

Haveon-grade-levelandabove-grade-levelstudentsreadinformationabouttheCivilWarandconstructatimelineofkeyeventsandbattles.

Involving All StudentsWhilethisscripthasonlysixroles,therearemanywaysthatyoucaninvolveallofyourstudents.Assignstudentswhodonothavespeakingpartsalternativerolessuchasactingasvoicecoachestothosewhohavespeakingpartsormakingsimplepropsorbackdropsforthereader’stheaterperformance.

Civil War Hero of Marye’s HeightsLesson Plan

Objectives• Fluency:Studentswill

readtheirpartsfluentlyandfocusontheuseofvoiceandtonetoconveythetruemeaningoftheirparts.

• ContentArea:StudentswillunderstandthecourseandcharacteroftheCivilWaranditseffectsontheAmericanpeople.

SummaryInCivil War Hero of Marye’s Heights,ConfederateandUnionsoldierspreparefortheBattleofFredericksburg.Whenthebattlebegins,theConfederateshavetheadvantageofbeingbehindalargestonewall.TheUnionattacksfailandmanysoldiersarelefttodieinfrontofthewall.OnebraveConfederatesoldiercrossesthewalltoprovidehelptothewoundedanddying.


93

Reading the Script 1. Tellstudentstoclosetheireyesasyoureadthefollowing

conversationbetweenRichardKirklandandHenryMatthews,aUnionsoldier:

Henry Matthews: You—you—you are a Confederate soldier!

Richard Kirkland: Yes, I am a sergeant in South Carolina’s Second Regiment Company E.

Henry Matthews: But, we’re the enemy. Why are you helping us?

Richard Kirkland: Because it is the right thing to do.

Henry Matthews: Will you—will you help us all?

Richard Kirkland: Yes. I promise you that I will not leave the field until I have helped everyone who is still alive.

Askstudentstodescribewhattheyvisualizedasyoureadthesentencestothem.Askstudentswhatreasonsasoldiermighthaveforhelpinghisorherenemies.ExplainthattheywillbereadingascriptabouttheCivilWarandaConfederateherowhoriskedhislifetohelpwoundedUnionsoldiers.

2. Provideeachstudentwithacopyofthescript.Playtheprofessionalrecordingasstudentsfollowalongintheirscripts.Asyouplaytherecording,askstudentstopayattentiontohowthereadersconveythethoughtsandfeelingsofthecharactersthroughtheirtonesandexpressions.Then,usethePowerPoint®editionofthescripttoconductawhole-classreading.Modelthemostdramaticwaytoreadsomeofthepartsandcallondifferentstudentstoreadotherpartswiththeappropriatetoneandexpression.

3. Afterreadingthescriptasaclass,havestudentslistunfamiliarvocabularywords.Helpthemlearntheunknownwordsbyfindingthedefinitionsintheglossaryattheendofthescriptorbyusingdictionaries.Havestudentswritestories,riddles,orhistoricalfactsusingthenewwords.Studentswhostrugglewiththewordsmayalsowanttomakepicturecardsforaflashcardreview.

4. Afterstudentshavereadthescript,askthemtopretendthattheyareeitheraUnionorConfederatesoldier.Usingthescripttosupporttheirwork,havestudentswritediaryentriesthatdescribeinemotionaldetailexactlywhathappenedtothemandtheirfellowsoldiersduringtheBattleofFredericksburg.Shareanddisplaytheentries.


Differentiation SupportAllowtheEnglishlanguagelearnersandbelow-grade-levelstudentstoworkwitha

teacher,avolunteer,orateacherassistantastheycompletetheirstories,riddles,anddiaryentries.Thisway,theycangetimmediateassistanceiftheyarestruggling.Alsoprovidethemwithhigh-frequencywordlists.

Haveon-grade-levelandabove-grade-levelstudentsdofurtherresearchontheBattleofFredericksburg.Studentscancreatenewbroadcasts,radioshows,ornewspaperaccountsthatincludethisinformation.


94

Assigning RolesTherolesofthecharactersarewrittenonthreedifferentproficiencylevels.Assignrolestostudentsbasedontheirreadingproficiency.Rememberthatwhenstudentspracticefluency,theyshouldreadmaterialsatorbelowtheir

readinglevels.Thishelpsthemtofocusontheirprosody(accuracy,expression,andreadingrate).Ifastudentisreadingtextthatistoodifficult,hisorherattentionwillbefocusedondecodingwordsratherthanreadingwithfluency.

Theseareapproximatereadinglevelsfortherolesinthisscript:

❖RichardKirkland:high3rdgrade

❖TomRembert:low4thgrade

❖GeneralKershaw:high4thgrade

❖JesseSandford:high3rdgrade

❖WilliamBarron:low4thgrade

❖HenryMatthews:high4thgrade

Meeting the Fluency Objective 1. Thefluencyobjectivefocusesonusingtheproperintonationandvoicewhilereadingthelines.

Modelhowimproperintonationcanhampermeaning.Writethefollowingsentencesfromthescriptontheboardandreadthemaloudinamonotonevoice.

• “That’s for sure! Your mama’s one of the best cooks in Kershaw County, second only to my mama! ”

• “I hated that Colonel Miles! He forced us to surrender even though we all knew our reinforcements were just an hour’s march away.”

• “Kirkland said, ‘No, I am done for. You can do me no good. Save yourselves and tell my pa I died right. I did my duty. I died at my post.’”

Askstudentshowtoimprovethetoneandvoicebyreadingthesentencesdifferently.Allowvariousstudentstodemonstratetotheclassthepropertonetouse.Discusshowtobestexpresssurprise,anger,happiness,sadness,disappointment,andotheremotionsfoundinthescript.

2. Tellstudentsthattheuseoftonehelpstheaudienceunderstandhowtheircharactersarefeelingandthinking.GiveeachstudentacopyoftheTake-HomeScript.Havethemlistentotheprofessionalrecordingofthescriptandmarkontheirpersonalcopiestipsforeffectiveuseoftoneandvoiceforeachcharacter’spart.

3. Inthisscript,therearetimeswhendifferentcharactersshowstrongemotions.Whenreadingthesesentences,itisespeciallyimportanttousetheappropriatetoneandvoicetoconveythecharacters’thoughtsandfeelings.Dividetheclassintosixgroups,onerepresentingeachcharacter,andhavethegroupsstudythatcharacterandfindtwotothreeexamplesofwhereemotionsarestrongandaparticularvoiceandtoneshouldbeused.Havethemreadthoseexamplesaloud.

4. Reviewwithstudentswhyitisimportanttobeveryfamiliarwiththelinesofthescriptinordertoreaditsmoothlyandfluently.



95

Social Studies ConnectionThefocusofthisscriptisonviewingthebattlesoftheCivilWarthroughtheeyesofConfederateandUnionsoldiersandhowa

singleactofheroismsavedthelivesofmanysoldiers.

1. AskstudentstoexaminethephotographoftheCivilWarspyballoon(page98).Then,havestudentsworkinpairstocreatedialoguesbetweenthepersoninthespyballoonandthemenhelpinghimfrombelow.

2. Havestudentscarefullyexaminethecoverof“SongsoftheWar”byPrivateO’Reilly(page99)anddeterminewhathissongswereabout.Askstudentstowritedowntheirideasanddiscussthemasaclass.Asaframework,explaintostudentsthatMilesO’Reilly(whoserealnamewasCharlesGrahamHalpern)wasaUnionsoldierwhopreparedthecontroversialordertobringoneofthefirsttroopsofAfricanAmericansoldiersintotheCivilWar.

3. AskstudentstostudythepictureentitledBattle of Fredericksburg (page100). Next,havethemworkinsmallgroupstodevisenewspaperarticlesthatdescribetheBattleofFredericksburgbasedonthispicture.

4. HavestudentsexaminethesketchentitledWounded at Fredericksburg (page101). Askthemtopretendthattheyaresurvivorsofthebattleandwritelettershomeexplainingtotheirfamilieswhathappenedonthatday.Discussthelettersasaclass.

5. ShowstudentsthestatueentitledRichard Kirkland, the Angel of Marye’s Heights (page102). DiscusstherisksthatKirklandtooktoministertothesickandwoundedenemysoldiers.HavestudentswriteessaysonthecharacteristicsoftrueheroesandcompareKirklandtomoderndayheroesoftheirchoosing.

6. HavestudentsviewthepaintingThe Two Standard Bearers, Day after Battle (page103)andcarefullyexamineanddescribeallofthesymbolstheysee.Studentsshouldinferwhythetwoflagsdepictedinthispaintingweretorn.

Differentiation SupportHaveEnglishlanguagelearnersworkwithvolunteers,teachers,orteachingassistantsso

thattheycancompleteassignmentssuccessfully.GivetheEnglishlanguagelearnerslotsofopportunitiestoexaminephotographsandillustrationsofthetimeperiodsotheywillhaveabettervisualunderstandingofwhathappened.

Givebelow-grade-levelstudentsspecificdirectionsandgraphicorganizerswheneverpossible.Limittheirassignmentssostudentsarenottoooverwhelmed.

Haveabove-grade-levelstudentscomparetwoCivilWarsongsandmakearecommendationastowhichsongisthebestsongfortheUniontroopstosing.



96

Fine Arts Connection 1. ExplaintostudentsthatthescriptCivil War Hero of Marye’s Heights

containsthesong“WhenJohnnyComesMarchingHomeAgain”andthepoem“OCaptain!MyCaptain!”Thepoemandsongrelatetothereader’stheaterpiece,buttheyarenotlimitedtouseonlywiththisscript.

2. Afterlisteningtothesongseveraltimes,dividetheclassintosmallgroups.Assigneachgroupadifferentstanzafromthesong.Then,askthegroupstodrawpicturesthatdepicttheirstanzas.Havestudentspracticesingingthesongwiththenecessaryvoiceandtone.Groupscanperformtheirassignedstanzasfortheclassorforotherclassrooms.

3. Torelatethepoemtothefluencyobjectiveforthislesson,askstudentstolistentotheprofessionalreadingofthepoem.Then,askthemtopointoutthetoneusedforthepoem.Wasthevoicemonotone,excited,sad,orhopeful?ThispoemisaboutthedeathoftheCaptain.Didthevoiceconveythemeaningofthewordsofthepoem?Havestudentspracticereadingthepoemaloudtopartnersandthenreaditasaclass.Studentscanmakepropsforthepoemandaddactionsorhandgesturesastheypracticeandperformitfortheclass.

4. Intheepiloguetothisscriptitsays,“In 1909, Kirkland’s remains were moved to a more prominent position in the cemetery. They are now close to the grave of General Kershaw. Sculptor Felix deWeldon created a statue in Kirkland’s honor. It was placed in front of the stone wall at Fredericksburg in 1965.”Usingclayoradifferentartmedium,askstudentstoeachdesignasculpture,painting,orcollagethathonorsthememoryoftheheroicactofRichardKirkland.

5. Asaclass,havestudentsmakeamuralormodeloftheBattleofFredericksburg,includingthedetailsfromthescript,suchasthestonewall,thebattlescene,andRichardKirklandhelpingthewoundedsoldiers.


Differentiation SupportAllowEnglishlanguagelearnerstolistentotheprofessionalrenditionofthepoemasmanytimesasnecessarytounderstanditsmeaning.Helpthemwithanynewordifficultvocabulary.


97


Performance CD

Description Track

Characters, Setting, and Script Reading, pages 6–12 Volume III, Track 01

Song: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” Volume III, Track 02

Script Reading (cont.), pages 12–29 Volume III, Track 03

Poem: “O Captain! My Captain!” Volume III, Track 04

Script Reading (cont.), page 29 Volume III, Track 05

Teacher Resource CD—Primary Sources

Page Description Filename

98 Civil War Spy Balloon balloon.jpg

99 Songs of the War by Private O’ Reilly warsongs.jpg

100 Battle of Fredericksburg fredericksburg.jpg

101 Wounded at Fredericksburg wounded.jpg

102 Richard Kirkland, the Angel of Marye’s Heights

kirkland.jpg

103 The Two Standard Bearers, Day after Battle bearers.jpg

Teacher Resource CD—Materials

Description Filename

Take-Home Script: Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heights THS_hero.pdf

PowerPoint: Civil War Hero of Marye’s Heights PP_hero.ppt

Song: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again” song_hero.pdf

Poem: “O Captain! My Captain!” poem_hero.pdf


98

Civil War Hero of Marye’s HeightsPrimary Sources

Civil War Spy Balloon

Source:TheLibraryofCongress

Documents

of Marye’s Heights