Curated OER
Civil War Photography Worksheet
Prepare your class for analyzing Civil War photography with this worksheet. Have your class research online about Matthew Brady as well as view several of Alexander Gardner's Civil War photos and read critical analysis of his work. Class...
Curated OER
A Soldier's View of the American Civil War
Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing instructional activity. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The instructional activity...
Civil War
Civil War Medicine: Fact or Fiction
Young historians compare the presentation of medical care during the Civil War in passages from fictional and nonfictional texts. They examine passages from Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen, and...
Stanford University
Civil War Photographs
One of the first photographed images of the Civil War give historians a glimpse of the realities of war. By viewing images from the war—including pictures of those killed in the bloodiest battles—learners experience the war's impact...
Civil War Trust
Civil War Photography: Photography as a Primary Source
Can we learn a thing or two about history by looking at pictures from the past? As young historians view 2-D and 3-D primary source photographs, they respond to a series of worksheets that guides them toward unveiling clues about the past.
Curated OER
Photojournalism: A Record of War
Students explore who has photographed war and why. They examine Mathew Brady's process for photgraphing the Civil War. Students investigate how photographic equipment has changed and improved through time. They analyze primary source war...
Curated OER
Civil War Photography Lesson Plan
Students explore photographs from the Civil War Era. In this Civil War instructional activity, students consider how photography impacted public opinion of the war as they analyze the provided photographs and discuss the evolution of...
Curated OER
A House Divided: Photography in the Civil War
Students study Civil War photography and write captions for each picture based on context. In this Civil War photography lesson plan, students match photographs with their original captions. Students read included short biographies of...
Curated OER
American Civil War Lesson Plans
Civil War lesson plans can get students thinking about, and discussing issues related to history, politics, and even photography.
American Battlefield Trust
Gettysburg Virtual Tour
Step into one of the most iconic battlefields of the American Civil War with an educational interactive resource. Young historians learn about key moments, locations, soldiers, and turning points in the battle with a clickable map and...
Curated OER
The Cycles in the Civil War
Students investigate the various causes of the U.S. Civil War. They view photos on the Smithsonian website, write about what it would have been like to be in the Civil War, complete a graphic organizer, and analyze a timeline.
Curated OER
Civil War Photos Tell a Story
Students explore the work of a Civil War photographer. In this Civil War instructional activity, students access the photographs by Matthew Brady through the web link and examine the photographs he took in order to better understand the...
Curated OER
Newspaper on the Civil War
Learners create historically accurate newspapers. In this Civil War lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the events, battles, and personalities of the war. Learners collaborate to publish newspapers that feature...
Curated OER
On Deck of a Union Warship
Students examine role of Naval blockades in Union war strategy, and analyze primary source image "On Deck of a Union Warship" and make detailed observation about people and activities shown.
Curated OER
When Johnny Went Marching Off...
Eighth graders explore Civil War campaigns. In this Civil War activity, 8th graders collaborate and conduct research to create presentations that focus on specific Union or Confederate generals and battles. Students take on the roles of...
Curated OER
Civil War Tribune
Fifth graders choose a black and white copy of a photo from the Civil War and 'enhance' picture by adding color using crayons and colored pencils. They research the photo.
Curated OER
Civil War: Matthew Brady Photos
Fourth graders read background information on Matthew Brady and examine photographs of the Civil War taken by him. They fill in worksheets based on their research.
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains: Rising Out of Circumstances
Study history through photographs. In this visual arts and history lesson, high schoolers learn to analyze photographs to discover details about life during the Civil War era. Students write journal entries as if they are the...
Curated OER
Lincoln and Photography: A Closer Look
Learners compare and contrast the Lincoln portraits using a Venn diagram and included analysis tool. In this presidential photography lesson, students write a journal entry and a letter as if they were Abraham Lincoln. Lastly learners...
Curated OER
Is Seeing Believing?
Pupils study different photographers who started the concept of battlefield photography. For this media lesson learners explore how to "read" a photograph and relate the use of photography during the Civil War to current use today.
Curated OER
I Want To Take A Picture In 1866!
Eighth graders examine the role of technology. In the Civil War lesson, 8th graders look at the advent of photography and determine the impact of photography on the Civil War.
Curated OER
Body / Kinesthetic & Visual / Spatial
Tenth graders produce a multimedia project using HyperStudio. This project is similiar to an "information kiosk", with engaging media to "tell a story" about the Battle of Gettysburg. They have knowledge about the Civil War events that...
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains, Rising Out of Circumstances
Discuss the history of slavery by analyzing historic photography depicting slavery. Learners write fictional stories based on these photographs. This is a creative and motivating way to launch a discussion of these topics.
Curated OER
When Johnny Went Marching Off...
Eighth graders decide whether to join the Union or Confederate army. Then decide under which General you serve and in which battles you fight. Finally students create civilwar documents in assigned roles.