Lesson Plan
Civil War Trust

Civil War Soldier: Experiencing the Battle of Franklin

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Fighting a war over home soil makes a living nightmare even more real. Class members describe the experience of a Civil War soldier during the Battle of Franklin, poised right at a major turning point of the war, after researching the...
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

Life During the Civil War for Women and Civilians

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students follow an overview of the American Civil War from a film, the text and/or teacher direct instruction. They create a timeline with a large map of the U.S. in the 1860's available for student reference as they do the spider activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Technologies of the Civil War

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders discover new and interesting technologies of the Civil War. In this Civil War portfolio of lessons, 5th graders analyze primary resources, develop new vocabulary, investigate websites, and create a time line of new...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Battlefield Walks

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create a picture of a Civil War battle using Google Earth. In this Civil War instructional activity, students pick a battlefield and research it with a partner. They find the location on Google Earth and use colors and overlays...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map the Civil War

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore the Civil War through original maps.  In this mapping instructional activity, students calculate distance and show it on an original map. Students examine the type of landscape and its landmarks and draw symbols on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gettysburg: The Civil War's Costliest Battle

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners research the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. In this Gettysburg lesson, students analyze journals and letters written by the Gettysburg soldiers. Learners define Civil War soldier vocabulary words. Students compare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Preservation of Civil War Battlefields

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the importance of battlefield preservation.  In this US History instructional activity, 8th graders participate in a virtual tour of battle sites.  Students create a map of Gettysburg to see the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journey to Gettysburg

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use latitude and longitude to map the path of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle of Lexington

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students discover the Missouri River and its importance during the Civil War.  In this U.S. history lesson plan, students examine a map of the great Battle of Lexington, and discuss why the Missouri River was a key element to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Commemoration of the Gettysburg Battlefield

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use a multimedia project, The Valley of the Shadow: Two American Communities in the Civil War, to create a presentation about the significance of the Gettysburg Address. They work on expert teams to explore the interactive...