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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Served in the American Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners research soldier's lives in the American Civil War. They create a video about a soldier's life
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mark Twain: Straddling the Civil War

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Mark Twain's life, politics, writing, and role as a mirror of pre- and post-Civil War American culture are the focus 11th and 12th graders in this section from an expansive author study. A critical writing assignment comparing Twain to...
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

Convict Leasing in Alabama: a System That Re-Enslaved Blacks After the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The post-Civil War convict leasing program, rarely covered in textbooks, is the focus of a lesson that asks class members to use information drawn from primary source documents to assess the program. While the focus is on Alabama's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The American Civil War Conflict Begins

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders get a feel for the people behind the American Civil War and the beginning of the conflict. discuss some of the reasons the Confederate and Union soldier fought and explain the motives behind moves made by both the Union and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Internet Activity for The Introduction Of The Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research, using the Internet, specified Civil War battles in order to prepare an oral presentation for the class. They, in small groups, present using images and maps. They take a quiz on the subject matter and evaluate the web...
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Interactive
Smithsonian Institution

The Price of Freedom: Americans at War

For Students 5th - 12th Standards
An interactive resource covers all of the United States' most prominent and influential historic wars including the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the War of 1812, and the Korean War. Learners observe cause and effect as well as how violence...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Journal Mini Lesson

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the battles of the Civil War through journaling exercises. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders write journals from the perspective of teens accompanying the troops into various battles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Letter

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War lesson, students compose letters to their families from the the perspective of soldiers in the war. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-Civil War American History

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine significant events in Post-Civil War America. In this Post-Civil War lesson, 5th graders investigate the important events after the war in 19th century America. They read primary source documents about six topics...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider what it was like for black regiments during the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, students view segments of "Glory," and "The Descendants of the 29th Regiment." Students discuss the conditions of black...
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Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

African American Life After the Civil War - Sharecropping

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
What is the sharecropping system? What role did it play in the post-Civil War economy of the South? Who were the sharecroppers? Who employed them? How were they paid? To answer these questions, kids examine a series of sharecropper...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Life of a Soldier after the Civil War Lesson Plan: What's in a Name

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Young scholars explore the concept of institutional bias. In this Civil War lesson plan, students read case studies on the treatment of Irish and African-American veterans who did not receive their pensions from the war. Young scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson focuses on the impact of the war and Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction had on the United States. Historians analyze primary documents, such as Constitutional Amendments and newspaper experts. They also participate in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Looking Back at Pre-Civil War Slavery

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explain the nature of slavery, the impact of slavery on African-Americans, and how slavery intensified the conflict between the North and South that eventually led to a major cause of the Civil War.
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PPT
Curated OER

The Brief American Pageant: The Ordeal of Reconstruction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
With a map on the military reconstruction in the post-Civil War South, and an interesting graphic comparing the size of Alaska to the continental United States, this presentation could be a good (albeit short) supplement to a class...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Continuity or Change? African Americans in World War II

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While World War II was a pivotal moment in history, historians debate its importance to the civil rights movement. Class members consider the implications of segregation and the war using a series of documents and a jigsaw activity....
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Unit Plan
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Curated OER

Unit 2: Post-Revolution: The Critical Period 1781-1878

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
The post-Revolutionary Period of 1781-1787, also known as the Critical Period, is the focus of a series of lessons that prompt class members to examine primary source documents that reveal the instability of the period of the Articles of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Criminal or Hero

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Southern Society during the Civil War: Black Society

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students research and discuss the societal changes during the Civil War as it relates to various parts of southern society. In this southern society during the civil war lesson, students examine what life was like for slaves during the...
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Lesson Plan7:11
Appalachian State University

Glory: Motion Picture Study Guide

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
This is an excellent resource for teachers to use for incorporating the motion picture Glory into the classroom! Breaking down the film into particular noteworthy and telling scenes, the guide offers important considerations for each...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese-American Relocation

For Teachers 11th
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
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Lesson Plan
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1
PBS

The Supreme Court: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While World War II changed the international order, it also led to a fundamental shift in the concept of civil rights within the United States. Using a video and discussion questions, class members consider the effects the war had to the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War -- Emancipation Experience

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars examine the changes that took place in the lives of Americans as a result of the Civil War in this simulation lesson plan.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
While many have heard of Harriet Tubman, few are aware of the many ways this remarkable woman was involved in the United States Civil War, the abolitionist movement, and the Underground Railroad. Young historians examine primary source...