War Time Letter:

1
War Time Letter Pre Reading Activity for Shades
of Gray by Carolyn Reeder Suzanne
Herder Alexandria, Virginia
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You are going to read a real letter written
during the Civil War. As you read the letter,
think about this
How do primary sources shape our view of history?
3
As you read the first page of a letter, think
about what it is saying
What was the purpose of this letter?
4
Read the second page of this letter.
What else are we learning in this letter?
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Reading Between the Lines As you read the next
page, think about these things
Why did the writer include his own address?
Why did the writer decide to include an envelope?
What does this make you think about the tone of
the letter?
6
What questions do you still have after reading
this letter?
What do you think happened to Erastus Haskell?
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Read the opening lines of another letter to find
out what happened
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During the Civil War, many lost their lives on
the battlefields. These letters show us that
many people also died of diseases like typhoid.
Letters can tell us about history. They can show
us what life was like for everyday people.
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• Suggestions for follow up activities
• These letters were written by Walt Whitman. Do
  some research about Walt Whitman, and find out
  about some of his notable achievements. Share
  this information in a slideshow or in an oral
  report.
• Visit to read the letters we have been
  discussing. Pretend you are Mr. or Mrs. Haskell.
  Write a letter back to Walt Whitman. What
  would be your purpose for writing? What would
  you (they) want to say?
• Research the disease typhoid. What did people
  need to do to protect themselves against this
  disease during the Civil War? How about now?
  Share your findings with classmates.