Resources

Student Resources:

• Story of Reconstruction Essay
• Iceberg Diagram Handout

Teacher Resources:

• Teacher Context: BRI’s Civil War and Reconstruction Essay from Documents of Freedom

Engage

• Display for students an image of an iceberg, perhaps this image of the iceberg rumored to have sunk the Titanic. Ask students what they know about icebergs, or explain that icebergs above the water only show a small portion of the ice they contain.
• Discuss pop culture or metaphorical meanings of icebergs such as:
  • An iceberg sunk the “unsinkable ship” the Titanic.
  • Symbolism- the surface only shows part of the whole iceberg.
  • “Just the tip of the iceberg” is a common saying.

Explore

Reading

• Transition: Distribute copies of the Story of Reconstruction essay to students.
• Instruct students to read the essay with a partner. They can choose their style of reading from two choices that share responsibility for reading:
  • Choral reading: Students read the whole essay together at the same time.
  • Alternating reading: Students take turns reading alternating sentences or paragraphs.
• Optional Activity: Students may annotate their copy of the essay using a classroom annotation guide or our BRI annotation bookmarks.
  • Link: https://bri-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/Annotation+Bookmarks.pdf

Iceberg Diagram

• Create and distribute copies of the Iceberg Diagram Handout.
• Describe the activity by explaining to students that they will use the Iceberg diagram to show the visible or official actions of the United States through federal government actions.
• Under the surface, they will show the invisible or undercurrent of actions going against those federal government rules in the South.
  • • Sample Responses may include:
    • Federal Government Actions: Thirteenth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, Fifteenth Amendment, Impeachment of Johnson
    • State Government Actions: Black codes, tenant farming, poll taxes, Grandfather laws
• Allow students 10-15 minutes to use their copy of the Story of Reconstruction essay to complete the Iceberg diagram.
• Once students have completed their Iceberg diagrams, draw out larger themes and reflect as a group. Ask students: What effect did conflicting actions of federal and state governments have on formerly enslaved people in the South?

Scaffolding Note: If students need more support, you can allow students to complete the Iceberg Diagram with their reading partner.

Assess & Reflect

• Interactive Timeline
  • Analyze the Reconstruction Interactive Timeline and Story of Reconstruction essay. Compare the events listed in each. Find one event from the timeline not mentioned in the essay and add it to your Iceberg diagram.

AND/OR

• Written Reflection
  • Provide students with the following prompt to synthesize their learning in writing.
    • Use your Iceberg diagram and the Story of Reconstruction essay to create a paragraph answering the guiding question: How did federal and state government actions differ during Reconstruction?

Scaffolding Note: Use our deconstructed DBQ assessment resources, your student’s English teacher expectations, or school writing requirements to scaffold and evaluate student writing. When students are consistently evaluated with the same criteria, they can grow over time by setting goals and working to improve.

Extend

• Extension Prompts:
  • Use your Iceberg diagram and the Story of Reconstruction essay to create a paragraph answering the guiding question: How did Lincoln and Johnson’s plans for Reconstruction differ from congressional Reconstruction?