Lesson Plan

The Home Front

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

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 the war. Based on the evidence and primary sources, learners then create a fictionalized person who experienced the war.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Use primary sources to create a jigsaw-style discussion on how the war impacted various groups, including women and children
  • Offer a writing assignment where pupils create their own personas during the war as a final assessment
Classroom Considerations
  • Primary sources describe images of violence and death
  • The role of enslaved people is mentioned, but downplayed in a way that is more passive than what the history actually shows
Pros
  • Primary sources are particularly engrossing for young children
  • Easy to adapt the lesson plan in a variety of ways to suit classroom instruction
Cons