In this activity, students will showcase the significance of several individuals during the Reconstruction Era and their contributions. Students should consider asking "Why is this important?" to guide their research. Students will create a spider map detailing the significance of at least three figures of the Reconstruction Era. Students should be encouraged to create two lists in their research labeled “Nice to Know” and “Need to Know” when they come across details and facts about their researched individuals.
For an alternative assignment or a more in depth look at different major figures, students can create biography posters! This activity encourages further research into a person's life and accomplishments, and can be helpful for understanding how they came to make the decisions that influenced history.
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Student Instructions
Choose three significant individuals from the Reconstruction Era and create a spider map storyboard that details who they are and what they did.
Plan a presentation schedule that allows each student or group to share their spider map or biography poster. Stagger presentations over multiple days if needed to maintain energy and focus. Use a visible schedule so students know when they will present, reducing anxiety and boosting preparedness.
Model how to craft questions that go beyond basic facts, such as “How did this person’s actions shape the Reconstruction Era?” Encourage curiosity by brainstorming possible questions together and posting them in the classroom for reference.
Show students how to identify credible sources like library databases, museum sites, and educational articles. Demonstrate simple citation methods appropriate for their grade level to help them practice academic honesty.
Review students’ spider maps and biography posters with specific comments on the depth of their analysis. Ask follow-up questions that prompt students to make connections between individual actions and larger historical changes.
Key figures of the Reconstruction Era include Frederick Douglass, Hiram Rhodes Revels, Thaddeus Stevens, Ulysses S. Grant, Joseph Rainey, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Jefferson Davis, Sojourner Truth, and Horace Greeley. Each contributed significantly to the era’s changes in civil rights, politics, and society.
A spider map is a graphic organizer that helps students visually organize information about a central topic. In history class, you use it by placing the main idea (like a historical figure) in the center and branching out to show their accomplishments, significance, and key facts.
Students can research major Reconstruction Era figures by creating "Need to Know" and "Nice to Know" lists, using reliable sources, and focusing on each person’s background, achievements, and impact on history.
Creative ways include making spider map storyboards, designing biography posters, or creating visualizations of key moments from each leader’s life using drawings or digital tools.
Studying individual leaders helps students understand how personal actions and decisions shaped the course of the Reconstruction Era, providing deeper insight into the era’s challenges and achievements.