American Battlefield Trust
Civil War Personalities: Individual Examples of Character
What is a hero? What is character? Using biographies of figures during the Civil War, both famous and lesser known, scholars consider these questions. After brainstorming what they think makes a hero, they examine the lives of those who...
K5 Learning
Clara Barton: Civil War Hero
Gain information about Clara Barton, a Civil War hero, and enhance reading comprehension skills with a worksheet that challenges scholars to read an informational passage and answer five short answer questions.
Curated OER
African Americans in the Civil War
Eleventh graders examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. After reading a poem, they analyze and identify the difficulties faced by African Americans. In pairs, they complete a worksheet based on the poem and information.
American Battlefield Trust
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
Curated OER
Civil War
Students are be able to analyze primary sources (Civil War images) for examples of how soldiers are portrayed historically. They discuss what a hero is and why some individuals are heroes to certain groups while others are not.
Curated OER
The Civil War
Young scholars are able to describe all of the Civil War terms. They are able to wonder why things happened. Students are able to tell that the United States used to be two countries.
Curated OER
Heroes of the Civil War Era
Students complete a unit of lessons about the heroes of the Civil War Era. In this Civil War lesson, students complete a 13 lesson unit about the Civil War and its heroes.
Curated OER
Land and Liberty: The Saga of Sam McCulloch
The struggles of Sam McCulloch, a free black man, to be recognized as a citizen entitled to own land in Texas are the focus of research project that ask groups to examine a series of primary source documents and piece together...
Curated OER
Criminal or Hero
Young scholars investigate slavery in America circa the American Revolution. They will examine point- of view and perspective as they research a variety of informational resources. While this is designed to be used with the PBS video...
Curated OER
1850s: Road to Secession
Detailing the political and social events leading up to the Civil War, this presentation provides students with maps, political cartoons, and photographs to put this time period into historical context. The Presidential Elections of...
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Photograph of Clara Barton
Just who was Clara Barton? Using an archive photo from the National Archives, class members consider the legacy of the founder of the American Red Cross. The activity includes the photograph, along with prompts to help young scholars...
Curated OER
The War of 1812
A good addition to a unit on the War of 1812, this slideshow details causes, specific battles, political contexts, and several campaigns of the war. Maps and pictures with broad topics allow teachers to bring their own discussion topics...
Curated OER
The Massachusetts 54th Regiment: Honoring the Heroes
Students use art and images analyze the Civil War. In this lesson on the Shaw Memorial, students engage in 3 activities, discussion, and art analysis to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This lesson includes web resources,...
Curated OER
Battle of New Orleans
The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....
Curated OER
FOCUSING ON CIVIL WAR HISTORY & INFORMATION SEEKING
Students use a Web resource to obtain information on a specific subject; study the nature of naval warfare and commerce raiding during the Civil War; and assume the identity of a participant and viewing the events of the era from that...
Curated OER
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
A viewing of Disney’s 1993 film of The Adventures of Huck Finn launches an examination of the events in and themes of Mark Twain’s story. Viewers respond to prompts on a film story worksheet, engage in full-class discussions, and select...
PB Works
Film Viewing Guide for the movie “Glory” (1998)
Check out this simple, ready-to-use worksheet that your young historians can complete as they watch the motion picture Glory. It begins with a very brief list of characters to track, followed by seven short-answer questions to be...
Smithsonian Institution
The Music of the Mardi Gras Indians
The traditions, costumes, and the music of the Mardi Gras Indians, African-Americans and those with African American or Native American Heritage are the focus of a unit that introduces class members to a little-known group that...
Stanford University
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: A Common Solution?
Much has been made of the differences between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. But was there any common ground between them? Class members reconsider what they think they know about these two civil rights leaders with...
Curated OER
A Hero Betrayed: The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant
Students analyze the career of Ulysses S. Grant. In this Grant presidency lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of Grant's presidency. Students respond to discussion questions regarding the...
Curated OER
The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Courage
Students examine how Stephen Crane treats the process by which a youth matures in his novel the Red Badge of Courage. They study how he exemplifies manly virtues associated with soldiers in war and examine the three endings that were...
Middle Tennessee State University
John Brown: Hero or Villain?
"Love it or leave it." "You're either for us or against us." Rhetoric and it's polarizing effects are the focus of a lesson that uses John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry as an exemplar. Groups examine primary source documents,...
Central Bucks School District
Making Generalizations
Being able to recognize patterns, craft generalizations, and draw conclusions based on information in a text passage are essential critical thinking skills. Encourage learners to hone these skills with a instructional activity that asks...
Curated OER
Civil War Documents In Brooklyn
High schoolers investigate the use of monuments and why they are important for the study of history. They conduct research using a collection of primary sources. Students write a report about the information they find and present it to...