Last updated: August 25, 2023
Lesson Plan
Fort Donelson Cemetery Exploration
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Math,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- TN Grades 3-5, 7-8
- Additional Standards:
- National Social Studies Standards/Themes: Culture; and People, Places, and Environment
- Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words.
Essential Question
Why do we memorialize American soldiers in national cemeteries?
Objective
Students will be able to understand:
1) how are American veterans memorialized and why?
2) how to use headstones to determine what states the soldiers came from, especially notice a few Unknown Civil War soldiers and see what states they lived in
3) how to determine Civil War known and unknown soldier deaths, determine the total number of Civil War deaths, and determine the percentages from each American war (for field trips only)
4) how Confederates deaths were recognized
Background
The idea of national cemeteries to memorialize all American veterans was born during the Civil War. Land was purchased and set aside for the Civil War soldiers and burials continued to include veterans from all wars, such as World Wars I and II, the Vietnam Conflict, and the Gulf War.
Refer to the information on the park's website: Fort Donelson National Cemetery - Fort Donelson National Battlefield (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
and
Homepage--Civil War Era National Cemeteries: Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary (nps.gov)
History: General History - National Cemetery Administration (va.gov)
Additional Reading:
The Campaign for Fort Donelson (Eastern National, 2008, www.eparks.com)
Cooling, Benjamin F. Forts Henry and Donelson: Key to the Confederate Heartland. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1987.
Preparation
Teachers should be familiar with the history of the Fort Donelson National Cemetery and use the map available on the website. It is suggested that you make this a computer lab exercise or virtual classroom visit.
For field trips, a Ranger will assist the group if arranged in advance. Please contact the staff at 931-232-5706 x 116.
For teachers using the lesson plan in the classroom, please allow students to search the database for cemetery burials. Ask students to search for veterans from all wars, and read the information about the Circle of Honor and Civil War Unknowns.
Teachers may request the traveling trunk, Sarah's Journey, to supplement this activity.
Materials
Students will use virtual maps, rosters, and photographs to understand the importance of the 1867 cemetery. These attachments pertain to the Whitman Report.
Download Fort Donelson Cemetery Exploration
Maps of various national cemeteries, including the proposed site of the Fort Donelson National Cemetery
Download Fort Donelson Cemetery Exploration
Lesson Hook/Preview
Suggested activities include listening to period music, including patriotic songs and popular 19th century songs such as The Vacant Chair.
"The Vacant Chair" - Music of The Civil War (weebly.com)
Procedure
1. Provide background information on the national cemetery idea and photographs from the website or photo gallery. Consider playing some period music to encourage students to think about how music soothed the soul and brought back memories of happier times.
2. Provide the lesson plan activity. This activity could be used as a virtual lesson plan or field trip to the site.
3. Use the suggested traveling trunk, Sarah's Journey (available upon request at the park)
Vocabulary
Roster - a list of burials in the cemetery.
Interment or Disinterment - a burial and reburial of a deceased person in the national cemtery. Rules for burial or reburials fall under the National Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs:
Disinterments - National Cemetery Administration (va.gov)