Cheryl L. Mason and William G. Thomas
Southern Patriotism
Patriotism in the South and notions of patriotic sentiments are examined through primary document analysis. Learners read articles and letters written in the pre-war South to determine the role patriotism played in spurring on the war....
West Virginia Department of Education
Intelligence of Authentic Character - News Coverage and John Brown's Raid
The resource, a standalone, shows how news coverage of John Brown's Raid began when the event happened and how that reporting shaped perception in West Virginia history. The resource includes interesting anticipatory discussion...
Curated OER
American Civil War
Eighth graders read a collection of stories about the Civil War. Based upon their readings, they perform various activities to reinforce facts about the Civil War. Students create time lines, maps and reports about the war. They...
Curated OER
Medical War Ball/ Civil War
Eighth graders play Medical War Ball. In this Civil War activity, 8th graders research the role of women in the Civil War as nurses. They play dodge ball with slightly different rules to incorporate a nurse on each team.
Curated OER
A Nation Divided: Why Couldn't They Just Get Along?
Fourth graders examine both perspectives of the Civil War as related to the differing economies. In this nation divided lesson plan, 4th graders view primary sources, examine paper money and a political chart, and review recruitment...
West Virginia Department of Education
An Act Worthy of Reward
John Brown is considered by many to be a martyr for abolition and civil rights. The resource covers an important event in West Virginian history, the raid by John Brown, as a standalone that discusses Brown's last words and his reaction...
Curated OER
Sequence, Predict, Infer: Pink and Say
Practice sequencing with your 2nd graders via Patricia Polacco's Civil War book Pink and Say. Begin with a blindfold and a bag of mystery items. Connect their use of clues to identify what they can't see with the skill of making...
Curated OER
The Civil War: From Different Perspectives
Fifth graders look at the Civil War from different perspectives. In this Civil War lesson, 5th graders are divided into groups and take on the role of fictional characters with a real perspective that existed in the Civil War. They...
Curated OER
Southern Support During the Civil War
Students investigate primary documents to help them answer the question of whether of southern soldiers and citizens abandoned the Confederate cause as the war progressed.
Curated OER
"Gettysburg": Soldier Motivation in 1863
Eleventh graders watch and discuss various clips from the movie "Gettysburg". Using the video, they identify the main motivation for the Union and Confederate soldiers. They describe how soldiers motivation changed from 1861 and 1863.
University of California
Anti-Communism at Home
Have you ever been accused of something without cause? The sixth installment of an eight-part series asks scholars to create a museum exhibit on the anti-communist activities in the United States at the start of the Cold War. To make...
Museum of Tolerance
The Pursuit of Democracy and Diversity: The Trial of Pro-Social Injustice in Historical Documents and Accounts
Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...
Curated OER
Reporting on a Battle
Students report on battles of the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, students conduct research that allows them to report on selected battles of the war. Student's newspapers should include eyewitness statements, photographs,...
Curated OER
The Economic Differences Between the North and the South Prior to the Civil War
Seventh graders identify and explain the economic differences between the North and the South incorporating photographs and a Venn Diagram to interpret the two sides. They complete a KWL and T-chart to assist them with their task for the...
Curated OER
Images at War
High schoolers examine American attitudes toward war as revealed in Civil War photographs and WWII homefront posters. They analyze and discuss photos, explore the National Archives website, and organize a statement of their findings.
Curated OER
Social Activism in the United States
Seventh graders explore the goals of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In this US History instructional activity, 7th graders read a newspaper article that reported a significant event during this era. ...
Curated OER
What price Freedom! Civil War and Reconstruction
Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction instructional activity, 5th graders work in pairs where each student creates a building with blocks and...
Curated OER
The Emancipation Proclamation
Students explore the historical importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. In this United States History activity, students use the internet to research the specific events that were centered around the Emancipation Proclamation, then...
Curated OER
Major Events Leading to the American Revolution
Students explore the causes of the American Revolution. In this taxation without representation lesson plan, students analyze political cartoons in order to gain an understanding of the efforts of the colonists to resolve conflict with...
Curated OER
How We Got to Kansas-Nebraska
Students explore the causes of the Civil War. In this lesson on slavery students use primary sources to examine the evolution of the issue of slavery and in the American political system. Students will then write a follow-up essay...
Curated OER
John Brown, Then and Now
Eleventh graders study one of the selected images of John Brown and read an excerpt online that describes his role in the Civil War. They identify significant information about John Brown. They think about how this applies to current...
Curated OER
A House Divided: Reliving the Civil War
Students create an exhibit for the American Studies Living History Museum base on their research of issues relating to the causes and consequences of the Civil War.
West Virginia Department of Education
Declarations and the Quest for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Understanding how John Brown got his inspiration from the Declaration of Independence helps learners further understand both West Virginia and United States history. The resource, a standalone, uses worksheets, discussion, and essay...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
The Revolutionary Times as Seen Through the Eyes of Women
The role of women before and during the American Revolution changed dramatically. To gain an understanding of these changes, middle schoolers analyze primary source documents, including letters from women that supported the patriot cause...