Capitol Visitors Center, Pre-Visit Lesson Plan 7th Grade Letters from the Battlefield

Capitol Visitors Center, Pre-Visit Lesson Plan
7th Grade
Letters from the Battlefield
I. Objectives
A. Students will learn to differentiate between primary and secondary sources.
B. Students will read, analyze and compare letters written during the Texas Revolution
and the Iraq War.
II. TEKS Covered in this Lesson
A. Explain the issues surrounding significant events of the Texas Revolution (7.3C).
B. Analyze the impact of major events in the early 21st century such as major conflicts
(7.7F).
C. Difference between and use valid primary sources and secondary sources (7.21A).
D. Analyze information by comparing, contrasting and drawing inferences and
conclusions (7.21B).
III. Materials
A. Combat Comparison sheets (print below page 3 & 7).
B. John C. Logan letter and transcript (print below pages 4-6).
C. E-mail and transcript from Dexter Kimble (print below pages 8-9).
IV. Activities
A. Introduction: Primary Sources
1. Discuss with students how they receive information about what is
going on with friends and how they learn about what is going on
in the world (texting, phone, e- mail, internet, television, etc.).
2. Ask the students how their parents communicated with friends and gathered
information (phone, letter, newspaper, television). Ask them to compare that
with people communication 150 years ago (letter, newspaper, word of mouth,
pamphlet, etc.).
3. Historians when they are trying to figure out what has happened in the
past have to use different sources of information.
a. Primary sources: actual records that have survived from the past
(letters, photographs, music, clothing or art).
b. Secondary sources: accounts of the past written by someone after the
event (books, articles or textbooks).
c. If you wrote an e- mail to a friend describing an event you attended
that e- mail is a primary source. If someone who was not at the event
wrote a story about the event based on other people's descriptions, their
story would be a secondary source.
4. Correspondence represents one type of primary source that is extremely
valuable.
a. Letters (and now e-mails) can describe important people and events.
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b. But the information is provided through the lens of an individual
person and allows us to engage the past on a personal level.
B. Primary Source Analysis
1. Divide up the students into two groups.
2. One group will read a letter from a soldier who fought and died in the Texas
Revolution. The other group will read an e- mail written by a Texas soldier
who died during the Iraq War.
3. Provide each group with their document, transcript and combat comparison
sheet.
4. The transcript for the letter of John C. Logan includes both the original
language as well as an edited version into standard English grammar and
syntax for ease of use. The Dexter Kimble transcript has not been edited.
5. Have each group share their findings with the entire class.
C. Extension Activities
1. The Houston Chronicle has included numerous e- mails & letters from soldiers
killed in Iraq on their website http://www.chron.com/news/lettersfromiraq/ .
Some of the individuals, including Dexter Kimble, have videos of
family/friends reading the correspondence accompanied by photographs.
2. Students could also compare the letters of John Logan and Dexter Kimble
to the famous letter of William B. Travis from the Alamo
http://texasheritagesociety.org/The-Travis-Letter-Victory-or-Death.html.
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Combat Comparison 1
1.
Who wrote the letter? Who received it?
2.
When (date) was it written? How was it delivered to the recipient?
3.
What event does the writer describe? Summarize the story provided by the author.
4.
What are the conditions in the Texas Army at this time?
5.
How would you describe the author's attitude?
6.
Put yourself in the place of the author. What do you think the person thought/felt at the
time?
7.
Put yourself in the place of the recipient. What do you think the person thought/felt upon
receiving this letter?
8.
What are two things you learned about the Texas Revolution from this letter?
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4
Original Letter from John C. Logan
John C. Logan came to Texas to fight with a group of volunteers from Kentucky. He served
under Colonel James Fannin and died at Goliad, a month after writing this letter.
Goliad Texas 24th Feby 1836
Most Respected friend
I again take the liberty
Of adressing a few lines to you to let you know
That I am well at Present whoping that these
Few lines may find you in the same. Our
Company has just returned to this from San
Patricio on the front eer of Texas & in a few days are
Going to march Bexar we have seen some
Hard times in the country for the last 2
Month we have ben living Entirely on beef &
We are all most naked as we are cuting
Up tent cloth to make us Panteloons &
Every man is his own Taylor in this Army
& a good many of us are bare footed & worst
of all the the Schooner that was bringing
provision & clothes has been wrecked She was
from New Orleans & bound to Copeno & we all
undergo fatigue that we would not do if wer
in the U.S. & all for the chance of up triping
a few mexicans I did intend to return
to the united states at this time but there is a
force from mexico of about 7000 men marching
to retake this Country again & our whole
force at this time dont Exceed 800 men but
we are willing to meet them when Ever
the arive there is no corn nor flour in
this country I have not heard from any
of my friend since I left this Country
the U. States this is one of the most desireble
climates that I have Ever been in but I dont
like to live (illegible) (in a?) fronteer Country (illegible) (no?) more
at present but Remains your OS
Good Bye J C Logan
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Edited Transcript of John C. Logan's Letter
Goliad Texas 24th February 1836
Most Respected friend,
I again take the liberty of addressing a few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present.
Hoping that these few lines may find you in the same. Our company has just returned to from
San Patricio on the frontier of Texas and in a few days are going to march Bexar. We have seen
some hard times in the country for the last two months. We have been living entirely on beef
and we are all most naked as we are cutting up tent cloth to make us pantaloons. Every man is
his own tailor in this army and good many of us are bare footed. Worst of all the schooner that
was bringing provision and clothes has been wrecked. She was from New Orleans and bound to
Copano [Copano Bay near present-day Rockport]. We all undergo fatigue that we would not if
we were in the U.S. all for the chance of up tripping a few Mexican. I did intend to return to the
United States at this time but there is a force from Mexico of about 7000 men marching to retake
this country again and our whole force at this time does not exceed 800 men. But we are willing
to meet them whene ver they arrive. There is no corn nor flour in this country. I have not heard
from any of my friends since I left the Unite States. This [Texas] is one of the most desirable
climates that I have ever been in but I don't like to live in a frontier country.
Good Bye J C Logan
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Combat Comparison 2
1.
Who wrote the e- mail? Who received it?
2.
When (date) was it written? How was it delivered to the recipient?
3.
What event does the writer describe? Summarize the story provided by the author.
4.
What are the conditions in the U.S. Army at the time?
5.
How would you describe the author's attitude?
6.
Put yourself in the place of the author. What do you think the person thought/felt at the
time?
7.
Put yourself in the place of the recipient. What do you think the person thought/felt upon
receiving this e- mail?
8.
What are two things you learned about the Iraq War from this e- mail?
7
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E-mail from Dexter Kimble
Marine Staff Sergeant Dexter S. Kimble, of Houston, was killed when his helicopter crashed in a
desert sandstorm near Ar Rutbah, Iraq. He was 30.
From:
To:
Subject:
Date:
Kimble, SSgt Dexter S
Andrea Kimble
RE: JUST SAYING HI
Tue. 19 Oct 2004
Dear: family
I got the box. It was a welcome surprise because I wasn't expecting it. We haven't been able to
do laundrey for a while and the new under war will definitely be used. Life here is still better
than what we had in Kuwait. I'm tipping the scales at about 199 lbs. and we get plenty to eat in
the chow hall. I'm working in Maintanence Control now and its working out pretty good. I've
been doing a little more flying than usual to. I'll probably get another air medal. I should break
a thousand hours of flight time while we're out here also. Dawanna says that the kids are doing
fine and the baby is getting fat. I'm sending a picture me and shakara took right when I was
leaving. How is things going with your v.a. stuff dad? I was telling some guys the other day
about you back in Vietnam and how we ain't got no reason to complai or do our job. I was also
telling them about when you worked for Brown an Root and how they tried to ask you to come
out here. Mom I have the blanket you made on my rack and it is very comfortable. I'm gonna
try and send you some stuff from out here that I think you might like for the house. I also have
plan on getting something for you to Erika and Andrea. Your nieces and nephews are taking
gymnastics classes and ballet. The gymnastic coaches say that Raiya has very developed arm
and back muscles. Thats probably because when she was little I would put her on the pull up
bar. Well I have to run I'll talk to you later. Love Dexter.
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