Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students, examine The Civil War, from a variety of perspectives and assignments. After taking notes, they can choose from creating a front page newspaper article describing the fall of Fort Sumter, discuss the pros and cons of fighting,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln: The Face of War

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Students compare life masks and photos of Abraham Lincoln that were made before and at the end of the Civil War. In this "Faces of War" instructional activity, students analyze images of Lincoln in a historical context and create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Across Five Aprils-Civil War Virtual Field Trips

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the Civil War by reading Irene Hunt's novel, Across Five Aprils. They take virtual field trips to these battle sites and answer questions that guides them in their study of the Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Economics during the Civil War

For Teachers 5th - 6th
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Notes on Civil War People

For Students 6th
In this notes on Civil War people worksheet, 6th graders fill in the blanks to complete 10 sentences about famous people from the American Civil War era.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Led the South?

For Teachers 8th
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.
PPT
Curated OER

The Brief American Pageant: Twenty-Three Political Paralysis in the Gilded Age

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Detailing the Presidential elections of 1876, 1884, and 1892, this slideshow focuses on the final years of the 19th century in the United States. Additionally, slides include information on the changes in Southern plantations and growth...
Writing
Polk Country Schools

The Death of Abraham Lincoln DBQ

For Students 8th Standards
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a pivotal moment in American history, but what were the immediate effects throughout the newly unified country? A document-based question focuses on the consequences of the first...
Website
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Smithsonian Institution

Western Indian Wars

For Students 5th - 12th Standards
Why do many Native Americans live on reservations? An interactive resource teaches about how reservations came to be and the tragic history behind Native Americans moving from their lands. Teenagers read passages, view images, and click...
Lesson Plan
Academy of American Poets

Teach This Poem: “As I Walk These Broad Majestic Days” by Walt Whitman

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
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National Park Service

Lesson 6: Researching Contemporary Slavery

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Interactive
DocsTeach

How Effective were the Efforts of the Freedmen’s Bureau?

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Effective or ineffective? As part of a study of post Civil War America, young historians analyze a series of primary sources to evaluate the effectiveness of the Freedmen's Bureau in addressing the challenges faced by the slaves freed by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Images: It's in the Cards!

For Teachers 8th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Letter

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Civil War Reading Comprehension Quiz

For Students 8th - 12th
In this American Civil War worksheet, students read assigned textbook pages about the causes of the war and then respond to 20 short answer questions about how the war.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Causes of the Civil War Worksheet

For Students 8th - 12th
In this American Civil War worksheet, students identify the 19 people and events listed on the worksheet that contributed the outbreak of war. Students also examine a list of 8 causes and put them chronological order.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Civil War

For Teachers 8th - 12th
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.
Worksheet
Curated OER

History of the Americas: Causes of the Civil War

For Students 9th - 12th
In this American Civil War worksheet, students respond to 36 short answer questions that require them to define people and events that were significant during the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War--The Battle of Corydon

For Teachers 8th
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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Civil War

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this Civil War worksheet, students listen to the song "Civil War" and complete 11 sentence completions based upon the information from the lyrics.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Complexities of Reconstruction

For Teachers 4th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ladies, Contraband, and Spies: Women in the Civil War

For Teachers 10th - 11th
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,...