“I regard it as a great error to require a child to study what his mind is not capable of appreciating. The tendency is to diminish his fondness for study; to give him a vague way of thinking, since he is not accustomed to see the precise point; and by overtasking the mind, his health both of body and mind are endangered.”

—Letter from Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson to his sister regarding the education of her son.
October 23,1858.

EDUCATION

EDUCATIONAL TOURS LESSON PLANS
JUST FOR KIDS

LESSON PLANS

The materials on this page are designed to help teachers introduce or reinforce concepts presented to students during a visit to the Stonewall Jackson House. While they may be used as stand-alone lesson plans, the materials work better when coupled with a field trip to the house.

 

“Stonewall” Jackson’s Virginia Map Exercise
Mapping exercise in which students identify key geographic regions of Virginia, Civil War battlefields and dates.
• Geared to grade 4
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS.1i, VS.2b, VS.2c

Visiting the Jackson House
A reading selection followed by instructions for making your own calling cards.
• Geared to grades 4 and 5
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS.1a, USI.1a; English 4.3a, 4.3b, 5.4a

Family Tree
Contains a short history of Jackson’s family which may be read aloud to students, or read by students themselves; also contains guidelines for students to prepare their own family trees.
• Geared to grades 4 and 5
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS.1e, USI.1b

Jackson’s Antebellum Travels
A mapping activitity. Students locate and label various places, then draw their own conclusions about 19th century travel and culture.
• Geared to grades 4 and 5
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS.1d, VS.1h, VS.1i, USI.1e, USI.2d; English 4.3a,
5.4a, 5.6c

A Letter to “My Dear Nephew”
An introduction to primary sources, and an exercise in spelling and grammar.
• Geared to grades 4 and 5
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS.1a, USI.1a; English 4.8, 5.9

Daily Routine of Major Jackson
Students use secondary sources to compare and contrast their daily routine with Thomas J. Jackson's.
• Geared to grades 4 and 5
• SOLs: History and Social Science VS1.1a, VS1.1d, VS1.1e, USI.1a, USI.1b; English 4.1d,
4.1e, 5.1a

Discovering Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson: A Biography
A reading selection followed by a reading comprehension exercise.
• Geared to grade 5
• SOLs: English 5.4a, 5.6g

 

Above: Image of Thomas J. Jackson taken in Mexico, 1847.