Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

The Battle of Saltville

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
It may be hard to see through the fog of war, but primary sources describing what happened at the Battle of Saltville during the Civil War shed some light on what happened there. Using primary sources, including descriptions from...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Flag Day

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students describe the symbolism, tradition, honor and power that flags bear and explore the stories of Civil War battle flags.
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Experiencing the Battle of Franklin

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Scholars watch videos, study an animated map, and read a firsthand written account to explore the impact of the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. Academics analyze images, complete worksheets, and create journal entries to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Red Badge of Courage: A New Kind of Realism

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Is it possible to tell a true war story? Tim O’Brien says that fiction is for “getting at the truth when the truth isn’t sufficient for the truth.” To get at the truth about war, class members examine primary source materials from the...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Smithsonian Institution

Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The Civil War, a war that divided a nation. Comparing and contrasting the Confederate and Union soldiers is not always an easy task, but the eighth of 15 resources makes it easy to teach the concepts. Exercises include watching videos in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Look Out My Window. What Do You See?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore William D. Huff's experience during Civil War as portrayed in his drawings, express empathy and demonstrate historical knowledge through creating their own artwork, and craft drawings and captions from perspectives of...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

1864-1865: Bringing the War to an End

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
The Civil War—in its breathtaking ferocity—came to a close in 1864. However, turmoil echoed throughout the country's politics, including the presidential context between Lincoln and McClellan. Performing chronology and primary source...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Life At War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A thought-provoking lesson plan explores what life was like for Civil War soldiers. With a presentation, group discussion, and writing activity, academics learn about camp living conditions, what soldiers ate, and how they dressed. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Research Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Give your WWI study collaborative energy using a group research project. Groups are assigned one of the six main themes (included). Each group has an outline to guide research but will need an assignment guide. Consider supplementing 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
American Battlefield Trust

Fredericksburg 360

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Urban combat long preceded today's video games. Pupils today experience the battle of Fredericksburg—a major Civil War engagement in an American city—using a 360-degree interactive app. Users explore the battlefield online, using  a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African-American Communities in the North Before the Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine what life was like in free African-American communities before the Civil War. They analyze maps, identify elements of everyday life in these communities, explore various websites, and complete a chart.
Lesson Plan
1
1
PBS

The Supreme Court: Early Civil Rights Cases Facing the Supreme Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Imagine being an ex-slave after the Civil War and not understanding if you were considered a citizen of the United States. Scholars analyze the early Supreme Court battles in civil rights cases and especially the Fourteenth Amendment....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Diaries

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine excerpts from a diary of a Confederate soldier and his experiences in a Union prison camp. After receiving character cards, they write diary entries from the perspectives of their Civil War identity. As an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Battle Over Reconstruction: The Aftermath of Reconstruction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the Reconstruction Era. In this American history lesson, students explore the condition of the United States following the Civil War as they read statistical data. Students analyze the Reconstruction policies to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Music

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discover how both the North and South used music extensively during the Civil War to rally troops, as recreation, to march by, and many other reasons. They realize that both sides would borrow each other's tunes or lyrics and it...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War: A Terrible Swift Sword

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the Civil War. In this American History instructional activity, students use guiding questions and primary resources to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This instructional activity actually includes 3...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African-American Civil War Soldiers Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this Civil War lesson, students examine the service of African Americans in the Civil War and consider their plight to secure the rights and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Naval Strategy

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students apply critical thinking skills to war strategy. In this Civil War map lesson, students use their knowledge of latitude and longitude as well as scale to respond to questions regarding Civil War battle strategies.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's Civil About War?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students study about the Civil War through primary sources used in the PBS production of "Freedom: A History of US" based on Joy Hakim's books, "A History of US", and the companion PBS Web site.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Not Just A Man's War

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners write 2 letters from a woman who may have lived during the Civil War and 2 letters from her relative which include factual information that they have research using the Internet and other resources, along with other activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Care of Prisoners During the Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students identify the needs of prisoners through the study of the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, students are divided into two groups to represent the two armies. Students simulate a situation where students are captured prisoners...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Preserving Battlefields

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Save that site! Budding historians go on a rescue mission to save important Civil War battle sites using a project-based lesson. After carefully researching the importance of critical engagements and evaluating current threats, learners...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Journal Mini Lesson

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the battles of the Civil War through journaling exercises. In this American Civil War lesson plan, 8th graders write journals from the perspective of teens accompanying the troops into various battles.

Other popular searches