
Compelling Question: How does war change people?
Standards and Practices:
New York State Social Studies Framework: 4.5c, 7.8c, 11.3c
Social Studies Practices:
Chronological Reasoning
Comparison and Contextualization
Staging the Question: Discussing Tone and Mood
https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/litel18-tam/literacy-elements-and-techniques-tone-and-mood/
Supporting Question 1: How were the the members of the Penny Family involved in the Civil War?
Formative Performance Task:
Create a table showing how each of the Penny family members were involved in the Civil War.
Featured Sources:
Town Clerk Register of Soldiers
Return of Civil War Officers and Enlisted Men Who Have Died in Service, Volume 6
Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Alfred Penny
Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Archibald Penny
Civil War Muster Roll Abstract for Elijah Penny of the 4th Heavy Artillery
Supporting Question 2: How do the letters written by the members of the help us understand their attitudes toward the Civil War?
Formative Performance Task:
Read and analyze the letter from Elijah Penny to his wife. Identify the tone and mood of the letter.
Featured Sources:
Elijah Penny Letter to Jane Penny. July 18, 1862
Supporting Question 3: How did the experience of war change the perspective of the members of the Penny family?
Formative Performance Task:
Read and analyze the first and last letters written by the Penny brothers. Explain how their attitude toward the war changed from the beginning to the end of their experiences.
Featured Sources:
Letter, Alfred Penny to Father, April 24, 1861
Letter, Alfred Penny to Mother, May 19, 1862
Letter, Archibald Penny to Father, May 19, 1861
Letter, Archibald Penny to Mother, July 2 and 4, 1863
Letter. Archibald Penny to Parents, April 28, 1864