Pupils examine the role of Virginia during the Civil War. In groups, they brainstorm ideas about why they believe so many battles took place in Virginia. Using a map, they locate the major battles on land and in the ocean. To end the...

Eighth graders engage in a lesson 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 extension to the...

Fourth graders summarize the participation of Indiana citizens in the Civil War. They research an assigned topic and build a museum exhibit that displays at least five points of information relating to the topic. Students write a...

Pupils, 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...

Eighth graders discuss and analyze Civil War data, manually graph data on handout, work with partners to enter data into spreadsheets, and create charts on spreadsheet for each data set.

Fourth graders read background information on Matthew Brady and examine photographs of the Civil War taken by him. They fill in worksheets based on their research.

Students research an aspect of Michigan's involvement in the Civil War and prepare a two page research paper. They present their research findings in a news style presentation while role playing parts of a news team.

Eighth graders read letters of soldiers in the Civil War from the state of Maine. They create a soldier profile from the letters and draw what they believe the soldier looked like.

Students explore public sentiment regarding Reconstruction. In this Reconstruction lesson, students analyze primary sources for evidence of the political, social and economic stability of the U.S. following the Civil War. Students...

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...

Learners research the factors that are important in winning a battle in the Civil War. In a second activity they are assigned the role of a specific type of person during the Civil War and asked to describe what it's like being that person.

Experience a Civil War battlefield up close. Chancellorsville 360 allows scholars to explore the battlefield in an interactive format. The site demonstrates the layout of the battlefield, strategies, and key events. Created for high...

Young historians explore ways to help preserve historic battlefields and artifacts. Designed for secondary scholars, the resource focuses on Civil War battlefields and the National Registrar of Historic Places Application. Pupils also...

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...

Was the Emancipation Proclamation a revolutionary document or just a military strategy? It proclaimed that all those enslaved in Confederate states would be "forever free." Logistically, though, it did little. The order, however,...

Healing versus justice. The central source of tension following the United States Civil War was between the demands for healing and the demands for justice, the battle between President Andrew Johnson and Congress. A video introduces the...

Students use a primary resource to collect information about a Civil War battle. They identify similarities and differences between historical wars and modern wars.

Students examine how various segments of the American population viewed the Emancipation Proclamation. They read the Emancipation Proclamation, analyze key terms and statements in the document, and participate in a debate.

Students explore the conflicts which evolved into the Civil War. Students examine the differences between the north and the south. They discuss slavery and the battles during the war. Students create a mural and write battle songs...

Students explain why General Robert E. Lee decided to invade Maryland in September 1862; review the major events of the Maryland Campaign of 1862; describe the major events of the three phases of the Battle of Antietam; and assess the...

Students review list of statements pertaining to United States History, and determine whether statements happened during the Civil War, after the Civil War, or had no connection to War. Students then speculate about connection between...

Eighth graders research a specific Civil War battle including important date, major events and outcomes of the battle. They use their notes and information to create a timeline of the battle using Timeliner software. Finally, they decide...

Students investigate the Gettysburg Campaign and the major actions for each day of the battle. They read primary source documents, write a diary entry, analyze the Gettysburg Address, and write a persuasive speech regarding an issue in...

Eighth graders decide whether to join the Union or Confederate army. Then decide under which General you serve and in which battles you fight. Finally students create civilwar documents in assigned roles.