Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who Was Contraband?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the role of African-Americans in the Civil War. Using primary sources, they analyze the material and formulate their own opinions about the past. They write journal entries to share their opinions on photographs from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map the Civil War

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

The Gettysburg Address

For Teachers 6th
Who was Abraham Lincoln, and what is the Gettysburg Address? Sixth graders participate in a seminar where they read and analyze the Gettysburg Address and its importance. The role of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War is also...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Notes on Civil War People

For Students 6th
For 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

A Hoosier Perspective on the March to the Sea: The Diary of William Miller

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders take a closer look at Sherman's March to the Sea. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders analyze the diary entries of William Miller. Discussion questions are included with the entries. Students create illustrated...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hoosier Soldiers at Vicksburg

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers at the Battle of Vicksburg. In this American Civil War activity, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the battle and then analyze letters written...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

1864-1865: Bringing the War to an End

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An interesting lesson plan explains the last battles of the war and the terms of the Articles of Surrender. It also analyzes the election of 1864 with copies of the Baltimore and Chicago platforms. To conclude the instructional activity,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln: The Face of War

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Young scholars 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" lesson, students analyze images of Lincoln in a historical context and create a timeline of event.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War in Art and Literature

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students examine art related to the Civil War. They participate in activities that allow them to write poetry and drawings. They create their own journal and collect their work in a binder.
Lesson Plan
PBS

Think Like a Historian: A Viewing Guide

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Calling all junior detectives! Scholars use the tools of investigation to determine the causes and impacts of the American Civil War. Using viewing guides, videos, group research, and written resources, they discover what it takes to...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Civil Rights and Cold Warriors

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Three presidents, three views on civil rights. Scholars compare the administrations of President Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy to understand how each addressed the issue of civil rights. The instructional activity uses primary sources...
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 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...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Chapter 28: Red Flags and Velvet Revolutions: The End of the Cold War, 1960-1990

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
Set your historians up for testing success using this interactive flashcard tool. It is one of many learning strategies offered in this thorough online resource. Although designed for use with a text, the site is valuable independently....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War and Viet Nam are they Related?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and explain Civil Rights as they relate to the Civil War and Viet Nam eras. They explore civil rights through literature, artworks, news coverage, video and Internet sites. Students work in a group to develop a concept...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lincoln's Legend and Legacy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students evaluate Lincoln's impact on American History. For this Civil War lesson, students view a film clip of writings about Lincoln. Students take notes and compare how the writings define his legacy. Students write their own poem or...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

Cells for Sale - Convict Leasing in Alabama

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
The benefits and drawbacks of convict leasing following the Civil War are the focus of a lesson that asks groups to examine primary source materials to gain an understanding of the program before individuals decide whether they...
Interactive
Curated OER

The Pre-Civil War Era (1815–1850)

For Students 8th - 12th
In this online interactive history quiz activity, students respond to 50 multiple choice questions about the United States from 1815-1850. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Women Who Shaped the Civil Rights Movement Explored Through the Literature of Eloise Greenfield

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Examine the women who contributed to the Civil Rights movement. In groups, children read excerpts of writings from Eloise Greenfield and research the women she mentions using the internet. To end the instructional activity, they create a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the Civil War and they conduct research using a variety of resources. The research is used to create the context for class discussion and a possible project as an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Story of Latino Civil Rights: Fighting for Justice

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the civil rights abuses suffered by African Americans, Japanesse Americans during WWII, and Hispanic Americans. They explain what the common element is among the discrimination against these three groups. Students are...
Lesson Plan
Middle Tennessee State University

Fights, Freedom, and Fraud: Voting Rights in the Reconstruction Era

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
As part of a study of post Civil War era, young historians investigate the changes in voting rights during the Reconstruction Era (1863-1876), the fraud involved in the Hayes-Tilden presidential election of 1876, and efforts by Pap...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Escape - Civil War

For Teachers 4th
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...