1.1. Define the problem

1.2 Identify the information requirements

Find information about the Civil War (various topics).

Battles: Casualties, where it took place (which side controlled territory, geography), date of battle, leadership/battle plans/who had advantage, various names for battle, weather, who won the battle

Important people: Generals, presidents, war heroes; need to know battles; Why important (single event or many); family & education; was the whole family on the same side;

Technology: weapons, medicine & medical tools, horse and wagon ambulances, iron clad boats, telegraph, transportation (moving troops: foot, horse, train, balloons, steamboats)

Military life: clothing (timing: beginning of war and end), housing, disease/sanitary conditions, food, prisoners, entertainment; slang

Civilian life: Clothing, food (timing in South, why), entertainment & free time, what civilians did to help/hurt armies, civilian casualties from battles, women following husbands to war or writing letters

2.1 Determine kinds of sources

2.2 Prioritize sources

Books, Internet, databases

Databases and books are credentialed; if you use the Internet you will need to make sure your sites are academically credentialed.

3.1 Locate actual resources

3.2 Locate information

Books: Events: 973.7, but songs, foods, etc., will be under different call numbers. Search the catalog, using "civil war" as a keyword search. Remember that the official subject heading for the American civil war is "United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865"

Remember the war slang book, REF 427, will be useful if you are doing military life.

Databases: Facts on File American History, World Book, Grolier

Note: only ONE encyclopedia entry will be acceptable - you can't use both World Book and Grolier, or multiple articles from either source. Internet encyclopedias count as one encyclopedia entry.

Internet: Google for general searching, but remember that you will need to make sure the site is academically acceptable - make sure you can find the proper credentials.

Recommended sites:

American Civil War Homepage

Civil War (PBS)

Library of Congress

(Remember that Wikipedia is NEVER academically acceptable.)

You must have no less than 4, but no more than 8, credentialed sources, including pictures.

4.1 Engage (read, view, interview)

4.2 Extract (make notes)

Take notes electronically using Microsoft Word and save them to a flash drive or your network folder.

Look for key concepts and good quotes.

Citation generator

The Internet can be used but be sure to use credentialed sources.

MLA date format: day month year

Heading example: 21 September 2010

Works Cited example: 21 Sep 2010

5.1 Organize information

5.2 Present information

Make sure that your Works Cited page follows MLA formatting: 1" margins, 12 point Times New Roman font, with resources in alphabetical order in hanging format.

See the video for 8th grade hanging format

Example Works Cited

MLA basics for 8th grade

Did you find all the information required?

Are you being careful to be neat in your presentation?

6.1 Judge the product

6.2 Judge the process

What did you learn about the Civil War?

What did you learn about research?