Kentucky Department of Education
Kentuckians in the Civil War Era: Constructed Response Essay
What part did Kentucky play in the Civil War? A constructed response essay assignment tests to ensure scholars understand the concepts and the arguments for the causes of the Civil War. Learners must read a primary source quote and then...
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Forty Acres? The Question of Land at the War's End
Should land be redistributed to former slaves after the Civil War? This essential question guides a lesson on the Reconstruction Era, as learners analyze primary sources (linked), recording responses on a worksheet (linked). To model the...
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Civil War Play Lesson Plan
Students act out the Civil War through reader's theater. In this performing arts lesson, students research the Civil War and find costumes, props and scenery appropriate to the time period. They become characters from the Civil War time...
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The Civil War
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,...
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Sectionalism
Students examine sectionalism. In this sectionalism lesson, students explore reasons sectionalism developed. Students realize the conflicts that led to the Civil War and how sectionalism affected citizens on the border of Kansas and...
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Union vs. Confederate (Drama)
Fourth graders experience a creative lesson in history. They investigate the events of the Civil War. Then students use the information to reenact different scenes that portray historical events. They conduct the simulation and have a...
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Escape - Civil War
Fourth graders role play the Underground Railroad in this lesson. They review the Underground Railroad and how people used it during the Civil War. They then are divided into groups, and role play with each group taking a different...
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Forced to Move in More Ways Than One
Eleventh graders explore the Native American movement. They study the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Dawes Act of 1887, and the Indian Boarding Schools in 1887. They research each episode and create a Venn diagram poster.
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Twain: Tom Sawyer—Mythic Adventurer
Students take a closer look at archetypes. In this characterization lesson plan, students examine the setting and the characters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as they read and analyze the novel. Students consider how Twain mythically...
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White Southerners' Defense of Slaveholding
Students read transcriptions of articles from two historical Virginian newspapers and examine how white southerners defended the institution of slavery. They write a one-act play or a dialogue between an abolitionist and a slaveholder.
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African-American Iowans: History, contributions & Accomplishments.
Young scholars explore lives of African-Americans in Iowa. Students will examine biographies and discuss perspectives of African-Americans. They will then create posters illustrating elements of those lives finally, putting on a five act...
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Diverse Voices-African American Ventures
Students research African-American participation in the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, students read the article "Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand" and write a persuasive paragraph on whether the participation of the...
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Lesson Plan: The 1856 Election
High schoolers identify the key issue in the election of 1856, they also identify some of the key people invovled in the election. Students discuss the role of propaganda in politics. Also, high schoolers discuss the significance of the...
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Philanthropy in Michigan???Civil War Lesson 2: Forming Opinions
Students act out a section of the book Gentle Annie that is depicted in Chapter 4. They discuss the character position taken by each of the characters in the scene. They write a persuasive letter to one of the characters.
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Noncombatancy and the Seventh day Adventist Church
Upper graders investigate how the Seventh Day Adventists are objectors to the practice of war. The lesson covers the Civil War and examines the church's position about the practice of war. The research extends to modern wars and learners...
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Current Events Activity
Students investigate world news and create a performance from their research. In this current events lesson, students identify major political or news stories in the media and create a performance based on a character they will...
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Levi Coffin on Trial
Young scholars are introduced to Quaker beliefs about slavery and actual statements of conviction about slavery by Levi Coffin. They explore the federal laws about returning escaped slaves, specifically the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
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Simulated Underground Railroad Experience
Fourth graders participate in a simulation activity that culminates their study of the Underground Railroad. They climb on obstacles while bells rings and older students act as conductors. They work in a darkened area with only one light...
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WWII Homefront Roundtable
Students play a role in a roundtable discussion after researching how the war impacted their character. Students play roles such as: African-American, American Indian, Japanese-American, German-American, Italian-American, Jewish refugee,...
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Lincoln Home National Historic Site
Students investigate the community in which Lincoln and his family lived and explore how the citizens felt about him. The national issues that inspired Lincoln to act decisively in politics and that propelled him to the White House are...
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Memorial Day Challenge
In this Memorial Day activity worksheet, students use the 36 clues to identify the words missing in order to complete the crossword puzzle.
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Abolishing Slavery
Students explain the goals and methods of the abolitionist movement.
They identify key leaders in the movement. This instructional activity has adaptations for elementary through high school. Links are provided for resource readings.
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4 Corners Pre-reading Strategy for A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
High schoolers consider different statements based on the themes from Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, and decide what they think of the statement. They share their ideas as a class and discuss all sides to a idea.
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers Theme of Race
In this poetry analysis worksheet, students explore the theme of race in the Langston Hughes "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," as they read an excerpt about the perspectives that black people throughout history have taken with regards to...