Curated OER
Economics during the Civil War
Students synthesize the concepts of scarcity, supply, and demand, pertaining to the Civil War time period. In this economics lesson, students gain understanding of economic terms through read-alouds, Venn diagrams, (comparing lifestyles...
Curated OER
Who Led the South?
Eighth graders explore the role of Jefferson Davis and his leadership of the Confederacy during the Civil War. They examine the command system used in the Confederacy and analyze the effectiveness of the command system.
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: “As I Walk These Broad Majestic Days” by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman's poem "As I Walk These Broad Majestic Days" offers scholars an opportunity to practice their noticing skills. They first examine a postcard of the Newport News Shipyard listing things they notice about the image and how...
National Park Service
Lesson 6: Researching Contemporary Slavery
While many believe slavery ended after the American Civil War, it continues today in various forms. Using a WebQuest research project, class members investigate how the institution of slavery lives on in the modern world. Activities also...
Curated OER
Civil War Images: It's in the Cards!
Eighth graders review important figures of the Civil War. For this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders create flash cards of historical figures of the war and use them to review the war.
Curated OER
Civil War
Young scholars 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." Young scholars discuss the conditions of...
Curated OER
Civil War Journal Mini Lesson
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.
Curated OER
Civil War Letter
Pupils put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. For this Civil War lesson, students compose letters to their families from the the perspective of soldiers in the war.
Curated OER
Mapping the Civil War
Students identify the locations of pivotal American Civil War battles. In this map skills lesson, students label Fort Sumter, Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and the Battle for Atlanta on an outline map. The map is not included.
Curated OER
The Civil War--The Battle of Corydon
Eighth graders investigate the Battle of Corydon. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders discover details about the Battle of Corydon and the leaders of the battle. Students also identify how the Corydon commemorates the battle...
Curated OER
The Complexities of Reconstruction
Fourth graders critically analyze the social, economic, and political impact of the Federalization of the South. They develop a PowerPoint presentation relative to the Post Civil War South.
Curated OER
Ladies, Contraband, and Spies: Women in the Civil War
Students use primary sources - diaries, letters, and photographs - to explore the experiences of women in the Civil War. By looking at a series of document galleries, the perspectives of slave women, plantation mistresses, female spies,...
Curated OER
The Civil War Through a Child's Eyes
Middle schoolers focus upon the Civil War era using research methods of drawing information from primary sources. Literature and photographic images reflect, communicate, and influence human perspectives of historical events. The lesson...
American Battlefield Trust
Pre-1861: Disunion
Nat Turner, John Brown, and Abraham Lincoln all played a key role in the run-up to the bloody American Civil War. Using a PowerPoint, timeline activity, and essay prompt, young historians consider the roles of these men and more to...
Curated OER
In The Words of Abraham Lincoln...
Students explore the words of Abraham Lincoln. In this Abraham Lincoln lesson, students analyze segments of "The Gettysburg Address," his annual address to Congress in 1862, and his letter to Mrs. Bixby. Students conduct further research...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan - The Barbara Frietchie Story – Fact or Fiction?
Young scholars differentiate between fact and legend. In this Barbara Freitchie lesson, students read poetry and non-fiction accounts regarding the story of Freitchie. Young scholars analyze the story of the American patriot to determine...
American Battlefield Trust
The Battle of Saltville
It may be hard to see through the fog of war, but primary sources describing what happened at the Battle of Saltville during the Civil War shed some light on what happened there. Using primary sources, including descriptions from...
PBS
Pearl Harbor and the Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
Balancing national security and civil liberties can be tricky. To appreciate the tension between these two concepts, class members investigate the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and President Franklin D....
Curated OER
Before Brother Fought Brother: People and Places in the North and South
Middle schoolers use census records to research and compare the population and economies in two counties within the same valley (Franklin Country Pennsylvania (North) and Augusta County, Virginia (South) in the pre Civil War era.
Curated OER
Black Soldiers in the Civil War
High schoolers explain how a history of slavery distinguishes American society from other societies. They study posters and documents from different eras in our history which document the practice of slavery, and civil rights violations.
Curated OER
Civil War Letters
Young scholars put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War lesson, students examine letters from the time period written by soldiers, edit the letters for grammatical errors, and then present the letters...
Curated OER
Who Was Contraband?
Students examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. Using primary sources, they analyze the material and formulate their own opinions about the past. They write journal entries to share their opinions on photographs from the...
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
War, What is it Good for?
Eighth graders examine aspects of the American Civil War related to West Virginia. In this research skills instructional activity, 8th graders collaborate to research Civil War topics and create electronic portfolios that feature their...