Reconstruction Plans Presidential vs. Congressional - Visual Summary Activity (Baggies)

This is an activity that will introduce your students to the various Reconstruction Plans - comparing Presidential and Congressional Reconstruction. This topic was always a struggle with my students! I needed a hands-on way to "hook" them into learning these plans. This is it! Please note: This is designed to be an introduction, not a full blown lesson on Reconstruction. It is designed to be a 20-30 minute activity to build background so that your students have a foundation by which you can then teach more in depth. It introduces Reconstruction in a hands-on way!

How to use this activity?

In this lesson, students are put in groups of 2 or 3. Student #1 is the reader of a 2 page summary on the Reconstruction plans, which is included in this purchase. Student(s) #2/#3 are the picture sorters. They hear cues from the reader and sort pictures (you cut them up and put them in baggies) relating to the summary in the order they hear them. After they are finished, they put the summary away and “retell” the story of the Reconstruction plans to their group using only the pictures.

After they are finished, you can assess their learning with the assessment page (using the visuals) I’ve included.

What is included:

-2 page summary on Presidential Reconstruction and Congressional Reconstruction.

-Pictures that students will sort

-OPTIONAL formative assessment page