West Virginia Department of Education
The Debate - John Brown: Martyr or Madman?
Did he die for a cause, or was he crazy? Although the resource discusses John Brown and West Virginia history, many historical figures have the same reputation. Teach learners about different perspectives and highlight the importance of...
Carolina K-12
African Americans in the United States Congress During Reconstruction
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which granted citizenship to all males in the U.S., resulted in the first African Americans to be elected to Congress. Class members research 11 of these men, the challenges they faced, and craft...
Curated OER
Breaking the Chains: Rising Out of Circumstances
Study history through photographs. In this visual arts and history lesson, students learn to analyze photographs to discover details about life during the Civil War era. Students write journal entries as if they are the African-American...
Scholastic
Abraham Lincoln: A Time Line Research Project
Though Abraham Lincoln's life was tragically cut short, it was filled with accomplishments and inspiring moments that continue to influence American democracy. Explore the ways the 16th president of the United States made his way from a...
Ford's Theatre
Not Just Stone and Metal: Memory and Monuments Today
Should we remove historical Confederate monuments? Teach scholars both sides to the story using a resource that includes a class discussion, reading materials from two prominent figures on both sides of the argument, and an assessment...
Curated OER
Inter / Intra Personal Lesson Plan
Middle schoolers identify the causes of the American Civil War. Using the internet and print sources, they read about the causes and personal backgrounds of those who participated in the war. They choose a character from the time...
Curated OER
Brother Against Brother
Eighth graders read Across Five Aprils and correlate it to a unit on the Civil War. They culminate the unit by writing a a piece of historical fiction in the first person entitled "Brother Against Brother."
Curated OER
The Abolitionist Movement: A Fight for Freedom
Sixth graders investigate the Civil War by identifying famous figures of the era. In this slavery abolitionist lesson plan, 6th graders read a text on the history of the Civil War and discuss heroes of the era such as Harriet Tubman and...
Curated OER
Civil War Medicine
Eighth graders design and create a poster, advertising for recruitment of doctors and nurses to serve in the war. Students create a historical newspaper front page, from the time period, which details the awarding of the Medal of Honor...
Curated OER
About Abraham Lincoln
Fifth graders complete a unit of lessons on the life of Abraham Lincoln. They read and analyze a poem, create a timeline, write an essay, research The Gettysburg Address and The Emancipation Proclamation, explore websites, and interview...
Curated OER
Reliving History through Slave Narratives
Helpful for an American literature or history unit, this lesson prompts middle schoolers to examine slavery in the United States. They read slave narratives that were part of the Federal Writers' Project and then conduct their own...
Civil War Trust
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Through a careful reading and examination of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin, scholars take part in grand conversations about the novel's contents, slavery, and the impact the book had on it. Furthermore, learners analyze an...
Curated OER
History Through Picture Books and Photographs
First graders become familiar with historical figures central to the Underground Railroad and anti-slavery.
Curated OER
Jim Crow Laws and The American South
Students explore how Jim Crow laws affected the lives of people living in the south during pre and post-Civil Rights. Using a various research methods, students research various aspects of the Jim Crow south and complete a graphic...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: A Compare and Contrast Lesson Plan
Two great men, one time period, and one purpose; it sounds like a movie trailer, but it's not. It's a very good comparative analysis lesson focused on Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Learners will research and read informational...
Curated OER
I Knew Him When
Students research the life of Abraham Lincoln and write a first-person account from the viewpoint of someone who knew him. They develop a timeline of Lincoln's life, research a particular period of his life, and write a first-person...
Curated OER
Lift Every Voice and Sing
Students analyze sculpture, poetry, and music to gain an understanding of historical events. In this critical thinking skills lesson, students take a closer look at African-American history as they examine "Lift Every Voice and Sing'"...
Curated OER
Longfellow Amongst His Contemporaries: the Ship of State Dbq
Students evaluate the ship of state metaphor in relation to the historical events in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. They synthesize ideas presented in ten different primary source documents and compose an essay...
Curated OER
Looking for Lincoln's Views on Slavery
Students reflect on Abraham Lincoln's views of slavery. In this United States History instructional activity, students analyze how things have changed in the United States over the course of their lifetime, then use this information as...
Curated OER
History: Fact of Fiction?
Students find a historial novel online and distinguish between fiction and nonfiction books. They research three historical events related to their novel and write a letter to a figure from their novel's time period.
Curated OER
Historical Scavenger Hunt
Students engage in a game of History Scavenger Hunt to research significant figures found in History. The focus of the activity coincides with the curriculum being studied for review.
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Fourth graders use internet cites to explore the Underground Railroad. They also learn the importance of the Emancipation Proclamation. Focus questions are included.
Curated OER
Lincoln, the Great Emancipator?
Students examine the motivating factors that prompted Lincoln to draft the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. They examine Lincoln's social and political beliefs, particularly as they pertained to slavery and race in the United States.
Curated OER
Snoozer
Students read a fictional story set during the Civil War and identify how oral history and folklore contribute to the richness of U.S. history, African American history, and baseball history.