Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-Civil War American History

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine significant events in Post-Civil War America. In this Post-Civil War lesson, 5th graders investigate the important events after the war in 19th century America. They read primary source documents about six topics...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Claiming Common Ground? The Civil War and the Preservation of Claiming Common Ground? The Civil War and the Preservation of George Washington's Mount Vernon

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore how people viewed George Washington in the 19th Century.  In this U.S. History lesson, students create a timeline of events during the Civil War, including government and court decisions.  Following this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Internet Activity for The Introduction Of The Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers research, using the Internet, specified Civil War battles in order to prepare an oral presentation for the class. They, in small groups, present using images and maps. They take a quiz on the subject matter and evaluate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers, examine The Civil War, from a variety of perspectives and assignments. After taking notes, they can choose from creating a front page newspaper article describing the fall of Fort Sumter, discuss the pros and cons of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War as Photographed by Mathew Brady

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Economics during the Civil War

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students synthesize the concepts of scarcity, supply, and demand, pertaining to the Civil War time period. In this economics lesson, students gain understanding of economic terms through read-alouds, Venn diagrams, (comparing lifestyles...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Across Five Aprils-Civil War Virtual Field Trips

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore the Civil War by reading Irene Hunt's novel, Across Five Aprils. They take virtual field trips to these battle sites and answer questions that guides them in their study of the Civil War.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Music - Irish Folk Songs

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students determine what it was like to serve as an Irish-American in the American Civil War. In this Irish folk song lesson, students use the provided worksheets to analyze selected Irish folk songs and make inferences about war...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Narratives found in a Trunk

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Students consider how the American Civil War affected Northerners and Southerners. In this primary source analysis lesson plan, students read the provided narratives of the war and respond to questions about both of the narratives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Trading Cards

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students research important figures in the American Civil War. In this research skills activity, students create trading cards about selected key figures in the war that list details about the figures and their accomplishments.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Images: It's in the Cards!

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders review important figures of the Civil War. In this American Civil War instructional activity, 8th graders create flash cards of historical figures of the war and use them to review the war.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider what it was like for black regiments during the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, students view segments of "Glory," and "The Descendants of the 29th Regiment." Students discuss the conditions of black...
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Letter

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Pupils 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. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Roswell and the Civil War

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students consider the impact of the American Civil War on Georgia. In this Georgia history instructional activity, students discover Roswell's contributions to the Confederate effort and then create children's books that illustrate the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mapping the Civil War

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students identify the locations of pivotal American Civil War battles. In this map skills lesson, students label Fort Sumter, Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg, and the Battle for Atlanta on an outline map. The map is not included.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Civil War--The Battle of Corydon

For Teachers 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil War Letters

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners put themselves in the shoes of American Civil War soldiers. In this Civil War activity, students examine letters from the time period written by soldiers, edit the letters for grammatical errors, and then present the letters to...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Department of Archives and History

African American Life After the Civil War - Sharecropping

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
What is the sharecropping system? What role did it play in the post-Civil War economy of the South? Who were the sharecroppers? Who employed them? How were they paid? To answer these questions, kids examine a series of sharecropper...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

African Americans in World War II: Staging a Double V Campaign in the Classroom

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The feelings and attitudes of African-Americans during World War II are examined by high schoolers. After watching various clips from "The War," they answer comprehension questions for each section. In groups, they create their own...
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
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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

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.