American Battlefield Trust
Jeremiah Handley
Designed for middle school scholars, a instructional activity explores the life of Jeremiah Handley, a young man when the Civil War broke out. Pupils read Handley's personal story, accounts of battles, and view images to understand what...
Curated OER
Black American Soldiers in the Civil War
Eighth graders explore the actions needed to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. In this US History lesson, 8th graders analyze documents pertinent to the Congressional Medal of Honor. Students examine the process of awarding the...
Curated OER
Preservation of Civil War Battlefields
Eighth graders examine the importance of battlefield preservation. In this US History lesson, 8th graders participate in a virtual tour of battle sites. Students create a map of Gettysburg to see the topography of the battle site.
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Journey to Gettysburg
Students use latitude and longitude to map the path of the Battle of Gettysburg.
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African-American Soldiers in World War I: The 92nd and 93rd Divisions
Students research the role played and contributions made by African American soldiers during World War I. They discuss the evolution of civil rights in America's history, and the progress that has been made in the last 100 years.
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African-American Soldiers After World War I: Had Race Relations Changed?
Students utilize an online database to conduct research and analyze the conditions for African-Americans before and after World War I. They consider the role of the 92nd and 93rd divisions in affecting social change.
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Reporting on a Battle
Young scholars report on battles of the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, students conduct research that allows them to report on selected battles of the war. Student's newspapers should include eyewitness statements,...
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A Vist to Manassas
Fifth graders appreciate the scope of a Civil War battle. They will see the perspectives of soldiers from both the North and the South.
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Lincoln Goes to War
Students examine the secession crisis of 1861 and the significance of the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. They read and analyze Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, conduct research, and write an executive memorandum.
American Battlefield Trust
Antietam 360
It was the single bloodiest day in Civil War history. Now, class members have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Antietam using an interactive website. Supplemental resources include...
Smithsonian Institution
Voices of Bull Run
Soldier's lives are often a topic when studying the Civil War, but what about the lives of civilians? Scholars use the characters from the novel Bull Run to better understand the lives of those not directly on the Civil War battlefields....
Curated OER
Gather 'Round And Hear My Tale
Learners listen to a story about a tragic and amazing Civil War battle. They draw what they imagine the scene looking like and write a reaction paper to what they heard.
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These Honored Dead: The Battle of Rivers Bridge and Civil War Combat Casualties (94)
Students write creative accounts of the Battle at Rivers Bridge after studying historic accounts and looking at images in this series of activities.
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Civil War Battle Cubes
Fourth graders research one of the major battles of the Civil War and display their research on a cube.
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Oh, Could They But Speak! The MGTV Civil War Battle Flags Project: Lesson 5, Letters From the War
Students work in small groups with "primary sources" from the Civil War. They analyze actual letters (re-typed) that Michigan soldiers from this war wrote. Each group receives a package of letters. They read the letters out loud to each...
Curated OER
The Battle of Antietam
Learners discover the Battle of Antietam is the bloodiest war in American history. They realize that over 20,000 men lost their lives in a single day. Students will write newspaper articles to cover the front page.
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The War of 1812
A good addition to a unit on the War of 1812, this slideshow details causes, specific battles, political contexts, and several campaigns of the war. Maps and pictures with broad topics allow teachers to bring their own discussion topics...
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism
Use this series of bright, informative maps to illustrate important events of America's infancy. Detailing the Missouri Compromise, the Battle of New Orleans, and the Presidential Election of 1812, this presentation would be a good...
Curated OER
The Vernors Lesson
Students fill out "Effects of the Civil War" question and answer sheet and discover that Vernors was created as a direct result of the Civil War.
National Park Service
The Battle of Stones River: A Contrast in Leadership Styles
US Commanding General William S. Rosecrans led the Union soldiers and Confederate Commanding General Braxton Bragg led the rebel army at the Battle of Stones River. Young historians compare how the leadership styles of these two...
Curated OER
Reporting from the Front Lines
Students examine the battle of Gettysburg as they write news articles. In this Battle of Gettysburg lesson, students become familiar with the job of the news reporter as they report on the events of the Battle of Gettysburg as they write...
National First Ladies' Library
Blunders on All Sides: The Battle of Bunker Hill
High schoolers investigate the concepts surrounding the historical battle of Bunker Hill while conducting online research using a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a newspaper article telling about the...
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...
American Battlefield Trust
The Home Front
Women and children played key roles during the Civil War, even if their voices are often lost in history. By studying letters and personal testimony from them, budding historians get a glimpse into the day-to-day life of civilians during...