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**Project Overview:** Students will read and respond to various civil war letters as primary documents, then write their own individual letters from fictional characters but using accurate historical detail. They will then work with a partner to create an audio/visual dramatic reading of one of these letters using primary and secondary images, narration, and text.

**Part 1:** Browse the links below, read at least three civil war letters and find one that has some substance and interests you.


 * @http://www.civilwarhome.com/letters.htm
 * @http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/exhibits/civilwar/index.html
 * @http://cdm.lib.udel.edu/cdm4/browse.php?CISOROOT=%2Fcwc
 * @http://www.civilwararchive.com/LETTERS/letters.htm

**Part 2:** Once you find a letter you like, please respond by clicking on the discussion subject "Letter Reflection" below, and write your response. Please make sure to discuss who the letter is from/to, the historical references in the letter (battles, locations, etc,) and the emotional tone of the letter.
 * include component="comments" page="home" limit="0"

**Part 3:** Now that you have read some factual perspectives, begin to think of your own civil war "character" by completing the profile sheet below. Remember this will be a fictional character, but should be based on actual historical details.

**Part 4:** Following Grant's sample letters as discussed in class, write your own civil war letter from your character created in Part 3. Make sure to include details about...

**Part 5: Dramatic Reading--**after sharing your letter with your partner, disuss which one would be best suited for a dramatic reading. This will be a video of sorts that will include a recorded reading of the letter set to images and music. Use as many primary source images as you can, but you might also look for other images to help convey the overall emotional tone and historical details of your letter.
 * To save an image on the Ipad, open the image, then press and hold until you see the option to "save image." **


 * Primary source photograph sites: **


 * http://www.treasurenet.com/cgi-bin/treasure/images.pl/Search?search=%2bSub_Category%3a%22Army%20Life%22
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.civil-war.net/cw_images/
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/photos/index.html
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/pcoll/civilwar/
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">http://www.loc.gov/pictures
 * []

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">You can search these sites individually, OR type in a keyword (name, battle, location, regiment, etc.) in the search form below to search all of the sites listed above:

media type="custom" key="11857160"

media type="file" key="sample.mp4" width="300" height="300" = = = =
 * =Sample Video Based on Robert E. Lee's 1863 letter to his wife=
 * =**Grading:**=

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">**<span style="color: #4b8cdc; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 140%;">Part 6: Video Review--**Watch at least three of your peer's videos and complete the following evaluation:
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Videos 2012
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Evaluation

Lesson Idea Resource: A very thorough set of lesson plans around civil war letters. I like the primary document evaluation tool from the National Archives.
 * http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/classroom/lesson_letters.html