The Needs of a Soldier

To broaden their understanding of both the short term and long terms effects of the Civil War, class groups examine primary source materials and then assume the role of a family member and draft a letter to a soldier describing life at...

Do governments have the right to authorize individuals to perform illegal acts during times of war? Did the US government really employ pirates? Use the War of 1812 as your vessel to answering these questions through class discussion and...

"Stolen from Africa, brought to America,/Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival." Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldiers" provides high schoolers an opportunity to explore the rich history of the Rastafarians in Jamaica and the Buffalo...

Students analyze letters written by World War II soldiers. In this World War I instructional activity, students read letters written by World War I soldiers and research the events that the soldiers make reference to. Students write...

Personal letters give authenticity to a study of the WWII American soldiers' experience. Through primary source analysis, historians examine soldiers' roles and unique contributions by groups like the Tuskegee Airmen. A pre-test is...

If your historians are watching the History Channel documentary, Foot Soldiers during their WWI unit, this plan has some simple recall questions and one referential/debate question ("What was the worst part of the war?") to ask after...

Students identify the exploitations of child soldiers. In this global issues lesson, students listen to a story that puts them in the shoes a 16 year old child soldier. Students discuss the plight of the teenager and then write creative...

Private John G. Burnett was one of the American soldiers involved in the forced removal of the Cherokee from their lands in the south to Oklahoma. His account of this experience, “A Soldier Recalls the Trail of Tears” provides the text...

High schoolers examine letters sent home from soldiers during war. They discuss how their viewpoint is different from the medias. They research the blogs written by American soldiers today and present an oral report on the information...

Wars have profound and lasting effects, not only on soldiers and their families, but also on their countries. As part of a study of World War I, class members read the letters of Paul Green, a soldier from North Carolina, who served in...