Lesson Plan

Come on out to the Cow Pens!

Grade Level:: Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
Subject:: Literacy and Language Arts,Social Studies
Lesson Duration:: 60 Minutes
State Standards:: SC 8th grade Social Studies
State Standards 8.2CC, 8.2CO, 8.2E
Additional Standards:: English
Communication 8.1
Writing 8.1
Historical Reading 8.1
Reading 8.1
Thinking Skills:: Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question

How can students use previous knowledge of the Battle of Cowpens to create an engaging brochure highlighting the battle and the park itself?

Objective

Students will recognize the importance of this major battle, understand the history of the park, and be able to create a brochure that highlights the park.

Background

Prior to this lesson, the teacher will conduct a mini lesson on the NPS.
The students should have an understanding of the importance of the battle fought at Cowpens in the Revolution.

Cowpens is the location of the battle between Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s British Legion on January 17, 1781. Cowpens is known as the turning point of the revolution in the South because the British turned their attention south in the hopes of benefiting from the number of loyalists in the area. The victory, which was one with a misunderstanding of retreat, which led to a battle-winning double envelopment, would set in motion a chain of events that would lead to a patriot victory at Yorktown.