Education World presents more than a dozen lessons for teaching about the Civil War. Teachers can use these lessons to teach what caused the war, what it was like to live in a nation divided, and much more.
Civil War Time Line
Students develop time lines of various events that took place during the Civil War.
Civil War Recipes
Students prepare foods, including hardtack, that were among the staples of a Civil War soldier's diet.
Life During the Civil War Era
Students create a museum exhibit or a fictional journal or newspaper account about life during the Civil War era.
Civil War Photos Tell a Story
Students select a photograph from the Civil War era and write a story that tells about it.
White Southerners' Defense of Slaveholding
Students study transcriptions of articles from two Augusta County (Virginia) newspapers to see how white Southerners defended the institution of slavery.
The Cost of War
Students study a chart showing Civil War deaths and answer questions about the information. A work sheet is included.
Drafting the Gettysburg Address
Students compare and contrast Abraham Lincoln's drafts and final version of the Gettysburg Address.
Who Killed Abraham Lincoln?
Students read an original manuscript about the investigation of Lincoln's assassination, then work in groups to write and perform a play based on the story.
Civil War Slang
Students explore some of the words and phrases used during the Civil War-- and their meanings.
How Did Civil War Soldiers Battle Boredom?
Students create a diagram to compare things done to combat boredom today and during Civil War times.
Note: Some resources for this lesson might be unavailable online.
A Flag Divided
Students learn about the flags of the Union and Confederacy, explore the symbolism of those flags, and create flags of their own.
Songs of the Civil War
Students investigate music of the Civil War era and explore how music can be used to arouse and express emotion.
Deciphering Morse Code
Students write and decode messages using Morse code, as Civil War soldiers might have done.
Be sure to visit Education World's Civil War theme page for additional activity ideas.
 May: Westward Expansion
From Sea to Shining Sea: A Nation Moves Westward!
On May 14, 1804, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and a small team of explorers left St. Louis, Missouri, in search of a route to the Pacific coast. On May 10, 1869, Governor Leland Stanford of California drove the final spike into the country's first transcontinental railroad. Education World introduces you and your students to 65 years of history. Included: More than 20 activities to help students take part in America's westward expansion.
April: The American Revolution
Join the Revolution!
April 19th, 2000, was the 225th anniversary of the first battle of the American Revolution. Invite your students to follow the progress of the war-- from that first battle to the final surrender-- by participating in some Revolutionary War activities. Included: 14 activities to help students re-create the activities and events of the Revolutionary War period.
March: Colonial America
Back in the Day: Lessons from Colonial Classrooms
Encourage your students to experience the lives of colonial children by providing some of the same activities children enjoyed-- or endured-- more than 200 years ago. Included: Authentic lessons from colonial times and similar lessons-- updated for the technological age. Plus! Eight great colonial WebQuests!
February: The Age of Exploration
Lessons of the Explorers!
What kinds of people choose a life of exploration, adventure, and danger-- and where would we be without them? Your students will answer those questions as they investigate explorers and determine their impact on our world. Included: 12 simple and successful classroom activities-- and two activities for families to share.
January: The Middle Ages
The Middle Ages: Twelve Activities Take Students Back in Time!
Learn how a unit on the Middle Ages inspired great writing among fourth and fifth graders in Chandler, Arizona. Included: 12 great activities for teaching about the Middle Ages. -->
Education World®
Copyright © 2007
Originally published 06/05/2000
Links last updated 03/18/2007
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