1. 88thth
Grade Topic TreeGrade Topic Tree
ProjectProject
Civil War Unit:Civil War Unit:
Dissecting Southern Slavery andDissecting Southern Slavery and
Northern RacismNorthern Racism

2. Project Objective:Project Objective:
Students were separated into collaborative groups andStudents were separated into collaborative groups and
assigned one of two topics: Southern Slavery orassigned one of two topics: Southern Slavery or
Northern Racism as a starting talking point. StudentsNorthern Racism as a starting talking point. Students
then had to work collectively to build a “Thoughtthen had to work collectively to build a “Thought
Process Tree” using that starting point, an exampleProcess Tree” using that starting point, an example
would be:would be:
SOUTHERN SLAVERY-COTTON-PLANTATIONSOUTHERN SLAVERY-COTTON-PLANTATION
SYSTEM-STATES RIGHTS-CIVIL WAR-ETC.SYSTEM-STATES RIGHTS-CIVIL WAR-ETC.
This activity was used as a Unit Introduction to testThis activity was used as a Unit Introduction to test
students background knowledge and also to get themstudents background knowledge and also to get them
critically thinking about a real world issue that has hadcritically thinking about a real world issue that has had
ongoing current ramifications for today's society.ongoing current ramifications for today's society.

3. Southern Slavery:Southern Slavery:

4. Southern Slavery:Southern Slavery:

5. Southern Slavery:Southern Slavery:

6. Northern Racism:Northern Racism:

7. Northern Racism:Northern Racism: