American Battlefield Trust
Fredericksburg 360
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...
Curated OER
Civil War Diaries
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...
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What's Civil About War?
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.
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The Battle Over Reconstruction: The Aftermath of Reconstruction
Learners 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. Learners analyze the Reconstruction policies to...
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Civil War: A Terrible Swift Sword
Students explore the Civil War. In this American History lesson, students use guiding questions and primary resources to better comprehend the events of the Civil War. This lesson actually includes 3 complete lessons that cover, North v....
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1864-1865: Bringing the War to an End
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 lesson, academics...
American Battlefield Trust
1861: The Country Goes to War
While the firing on Ft. Sumter may have seemed like a sudden event, the long march to war spanned decades. Using games and a presentation, class members review the events that led up to the fateful April day in 1861 when brother turned...
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Prairie Voices: Iowa and the Civil War
Students study how the Civil War affected Iowa natives. In this Iowa history lesson, students read the provided article on Iowa and its Civil War experiences. Students analyze the article to determine how the war affected civilians and...
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Civil War Bingo
Students answer Civil War questions. In this Civil War United States history lesson, students copy Civil War vocabulary and phrases onto squares on a Bingo card. Students cover a Bingo square in response to each question asked by the...
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The Civil War--The Battle of Corydon
Eighth graders investigate the Battle of Corydon. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders discover details about the Battle of Corydon and the leaders of the battle. Students also identify how the Corydon commemorates the battle...
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Gettysburg: The Civil War's Costliest Battle
Learners research the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. In this Gettysburg lesson, students analyze journals and letters written by the Gettysburg soldiers. Learners define Civil War soldier vocabulary words. Students compare and...
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Civil War Letter
Students put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War lesson, students compose letters to their families from the the perspective of soldiers in the war.
Small Planet Communications
Civil War
Students discuss political, social, and personal issues relating to the Civil War from various perspectives using internet sources. Students write various selections from Civil War characters' point of view.
Curated OER
The Civil War/ A Unit Overview
Eleventh graders will look at the causes of the Civil War in detail. A brief unit on the war itself will follow. Battles, historical figures, and daily life will be studied. The webpage is a link to many different related lessons.
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A House Divided: Photography in the Civil War
Students study Civil War photography and write captions for each picture based on context. In this Civil War photography lesson plan, students match photographs with their original captions. Students read included short biographies of...
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Visual History of the Civil War III
Eighth graders examine the Civil War. For this Civil War lesson, 8th graders analyze various images about the Civil War. Students write an essay in relation to the images of the Civil War.
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Experiencing the Civil War
Eleventh graders examine the Civil War. For this American History lesson, 11th graders investigate the causes, effects, and the lives of people during the Civil War. Students develop a research paper using various resources.
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Civil War Research
Eighth graders research different aspects of the Civil War using various multi-media techniques. Students create a report based on their research that includes views of the war from the point of view of the North, South and slaves.
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The Civil War Experience
Eighth graders study the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, 8th graders read and analyze primary sources. Students complete handouts in relation to the primary sources.
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A Picture: Worth One Thousand Words?
Students examine photographs from the Civil War. Using a primary source document, they discover the conditions of a private during the Battle of Chickamauga. In groups, they use the sources to determine the authnecity of the documents.
Curated OER
Who Was Contraband?
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...
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Across Five Aprils/Civil War
Eighth graders study the Civil War novel, Across Five Aprils, by Irene Hunt. They review vocabulary and literary elements and write a "Brother Against Brother" essay about coming face to face with a brother in one of the battles of the...
American Battlefield Trust
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
While Joshua Chamberlain's name is not as iconic as Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee, he still played a pivotal role in the military engagements of the Civil War. Using two secondary sources—including one that draws heavily from his...
American Battlefield Trust
Preserving the Memory
Civil War battlefields themselves are under siege by development and other forces. Using materials from the Battlefield Trust, individuals explore local areas that face threat and write letters to support their preservation. An...