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Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Institution

Women's Role in the War Effort

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Did you know that many women were Confederate spies during the Civil War? The resource focuses particularly on the important role women played for both the Union and Confederacy. It uses exercises such as a discussion, video, analyzing...
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Lesson Plan
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National Endowment for the Humanities

People and Places in the North and South

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
North and South: two opposite directions and two opposite economic and social systems in time of the Civil War. Pupils peruse census websites and primary source photographs to understand what life was like for the everyday person before...
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Lesson Plan
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Friends of Fort McHenry

Baltimore – Caught in the Middle

For Teachers 8th Standards
Choosing sides is no easy matter, and this was certainly true for the citizens of Baltimore in the beginning stages of the Civil War. Using video, group analysis of several primary sources, and discussion, this detailed and thorough...
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Lesson Plan
Cheryl L. Mason and William G. Thomas

Comparative Effects of Financing the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How do countries fund wars? Learners examine the economics of warfare through a comprehensive study of what measures were taken to fund wartime activities during the American Civil War. They'll start by reading a newspaper article from...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War: A Nation Divided

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Discuss the differences between the North and the South and how those differences led to the Civil War. Middle schoolers examine and analyze a famous speech or writing by President Lincoln in order to better understand the speaker's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Facing the Ghosts of Our Past

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
A reading of a New York Times review of the movie Beloved launches research into how the Civil War affected the lives of people living during this period. Creative thinkers select a person from an included list of historical figures and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery: Acts of Resistance

For Teachers 9th - 11th Standards
Historical accounts of various events have proven to differ depending on the point of view of the person documenting the event. Learners read and analyze two first person accounts of acts of slave resistance seen at a southern...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Integrated Social Studies and Drama Lesson

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners study the Civil War. They conduct research in order to find out more information about the Battle of Corydon. Using this information, they create accurate props and sets for a play about this battle. They perform the play in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Freed the Slaves During the Civil War?

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Pose the question to your historians: who really freed the slaves? They critically assess various arguments, using primary sources as evidence. In small groups, scholars jigsaw 5 primary source documents (linked), and fill out an...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Active Viewing: Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Young historians consider the cause and effects of the Emancipation Proclamation. They use handouts, response sheets, and class discussion to build an opinion about the subject after viewing the PBS documentary Abraham and Mary Lincoln:...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Time of Slavery

For Teachers 5th
Young historians learn about abolitionists, The Civil War, Frederick Douglas, and so many more details about slavery in this highly engaging presentation. Teachers could use this as a whole class review and discussion tool.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Blank Jeopardy

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Games are a great way to motivate learners to internalize information.. Using this PowerPoint which is in a Jeopardy format, students can review map skills and facts about the Civil War, famous places, and our government. This is a handy...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

African-American Communities in the North Before the Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Middle schoolers may be surprised to learn that before the American Civil War there were more slaves living in New York than there were in Kentucky! Young historians examine maps and census data to gather statistics about...
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Activity7:11
Lehigh University

Glory (1989) - Should it be Shown in Class?

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
This is a fantastic activity that prompts learners to think like educators and consider the value of a historically based film beyond just the accuracy of information. Your young historians will work in groups to do a close reading and...
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Lesson Plan7:11
Teach With Movies

Learning Guide for: Glory

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Invite your class to learn about the first regular US army unit composed of black soldiers during the Civil War with the film Glory. This website reviews the historical accuracy of the movie, offers pre- and post-viewing handouts, and...
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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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Handout7:11
Film Education

Glory

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
If you are previewing the film Glory for your young historians, this packet may help you spark ideas for discussion and offer some interesting facts and quotations that may add to your presentation of this Civil War narrative. It...
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Instructional Video7:11
Tangient

Glory: The Movie Study Guide & Discussion Questions

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Check out this simple and organized viewing guide for the film Glory! Questions prompt learners to consider the evolution of characters over the course of the film, and to analyze the effects of the film and the efforts of the 54th...
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Instructional Video7:11
PB Works

Film Viewing Guide for the movie “Glory” (1998)

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Check out this simple, ready-to-use worksheet that your young historians can complete as they watch the motion picture Glory. It begins with a very brief list of characters to track, followed by seven short-answer questions to be...
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Lesson Plan
Tennessee State Museum

An Emancipation Proclamation Map Lesson

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Did the Emancipation Proclamation free all slaves during the Civil War? Why was it written, and what were its immediate and long-term effects? After reading primary source materials, constructing political maps representing information...
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Worksheet
Digital History

Compensation for Slavery

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should Americans provide compensation to those whose ancestors suffered from slavery? Read and analyze the arguments of two modern-day journalists on the topic. Then, have a discussion on both the merits of the arguments as well as what...
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Lesson Plan
Cheryl L. Mason and William G. Thomas

Southern Patriotism

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Patriotism in the South and notions of patriotic sentiments are examined through primary document analysis. Learners read articles and letters written in the pre-war South to determine the role patriotism played in spurring on the war....
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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.
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PPT
Curated OER

The Civil War in Pictures

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Here is a really unique way to present information on the American Civil War. The slide show begins with a look at the first true photojournalist, Matthew Brady. It describes his tools and methods, then shows his pictures. Each image is...