Lesson Plan
Curated OER

On Deck of a Union Warship

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars examine role of Naval blockades in Union war strategy, and analyze primary source image "On Deck of a Union Warship" and make detailed observation about people and activities shown.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Allison Smith: What Are You Fighting For?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Trench art is a nontraditional art form created by soldiers in trenches during wartime. Artist Allison Smith connects her art to the American Revolution and the question: "What are you fighting for?" Kids examine her art, how it connects...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African-American Soldiers After World War I: Had Race Relations Changed?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students utilize an online database to conduct research and analyze the conditions for African-Americans before and after World War I. They consider the role of the 92nd and 93rd divisions in affecting social change.
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Northern Racism and the New York City Draft Riots of 1863

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Just how racist were some people in the North during the American Civil War? Using excerpts of the Conscription Act, as well as graphic images of lynchings, young historians consider why white people in New York City rioted and killed...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

Birmingham: The Magic City

For Teachers 4th
Why is Birmingham known as the magic city? A comprehensive lesson plan provides hands-on activities, group discussion, and writing exercises to teach young historians about the importance of the city of Birmingham. Scholars learn the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Photography Lesson Plan

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore photographs from the Civil War Era. In this Civil War instructional activity, students consider how photography impacted public opinion of the war as they analyze the provided photographs and discuss the evolution of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What price Freedom! Civil War and Reconstruction

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders become familiar with the events of Reconstruction and the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. In this reconstruction lesson plan, 5th graders work in pairs where each student  creates a building with blocks and draws it....
Lesson Plan
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US House of Representatives

“‘The Negroes’ Temporary Farewell,” Jim Crow and the Exclusion of African Americans from Congress, 1887–1929

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Despite some advances made during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, the period from 1887 through 1929, African Americans serving in Congress suffered severe setbacks due to Jim Crow Laws and voter suppression. Class members...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

After Reconstruction: Problems of African Americans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe issues or problems facing African Americans following Reconstruction. They explain possible solutions to these problems suggested in the sources you find, and cite arguments for and against these solutions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War Through a Child's Eye

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students use primary and secondary sources to observe a child's view of the Civil war.  For this Civil War lesson, students understand that different people had different perspectives on the war.  Students recognize the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan on Important Citizens in the American Civil War

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students, in groups, half representing the Confederacy, half the Union, conduct research to find out about important Civil War era citizens from each side. They explore the effect these people had on the war and what effect the war had...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan on Military Leaders in the American Civil War

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students, in groups, half representing the Confederacy, half the Union, conduct research to find out about important Civil War military leaders from each side. They find the answers to a variety of questions regarding their military...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Addressing the Nation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the leadership skills of Civil War leaders. In this American Civil War instructional activity, students describe attributes of effective leaders and then debate the effectiveness of leaders during the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reporting on a Battle

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students report on battles of the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, students conduct research that allows them to report on selected battles of the war. Student's newspapers should include eyewitness statements, photographs,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning to Analyze Political Cartoons with Lincoln as a Case Study

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the attributes of political cartoons. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders analyze a cartoon titled " The Good Uncle and the Naughty Boy." Students then create their own political cartoons about aspects...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Home Front (Circa 1863)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. For this American Civil War lesson, students examine sources and then write personal accounts of the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bridges for All Lesson 1: Fighting Chance (1850-1877)

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students study how a Quaker woman, Laura Smith Haviland, served as a lifeline for fugitive and freedmen during the American Civil War era. They research other philanthropic organizations and the associate vocabulary of this era.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Life of a Hoosier Soldier, based on the letters of Lt. John V. Hadley

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders take a closer look at the life of Union soldiers. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders read and analyze a series of letters from Lt. John Hadley to his fiancée. Students chart their findings from the letters on...
Lesson Plan
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Reconstruction

For Teachers 6th - 8th
When slavery ended, what did the government do to help African American during Reconstruction? An interesting instructional activity uses primary sources such as newspaper articles to help scholars analyze Reconstruction policies and how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Japanese-American Relocation

For Teachers 11th
Consider the causes and effects that led to the internment and relocation of Japanese Americans during WWII. Learners read the story "Baseball Saved Us" and selected chapters from Farewell to Manzanar. Then, they view a slide-show, and...
Lesson Plan
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PBS

The Supreme Court: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While World War II changed the international order, it also led to a fundamental shift in the concept of civil rights within the United States. Using a video and discussion questions, class members consider the effects the war had to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Massachusetts 54th Raid at Darien, Georgia Shaw Letter

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the expectations of Civil War soldiers. In this American Civil War lesson, students analyze a letter written by Colonel Shaw to his wife in order to gain an understanding of the expectations of the 54th Regiment....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Was There an Industrial Revolution? Americans at Work Before the Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate the First U.S. Industrial Revolution. They identify positive and negative effects of early industrialization, read first-hand accounts, role-play and interview individuals, and participate in a debate.
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

The Home Front

For Teachers 4th - 6th Standards
Women and children played key roles during the Civil War, even if their voices are often lost in history. By studying letters and personal testimony from them, budding historians get a glimpse into the day-to-day life of civilians during...

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