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6 Primary Sources from the American Civil War. Sign up today to receive a packet of reprinted primary sources that matches this lesson plan. Each of these documents examines an important moment or principle the events and experiences of the American Civil War. Starting with secession, highlighting turning point battles, examining one of the ...
- Teachers
- Lesson Preparation
- Lesson Procedure
- Extensions
- Lesson Evaluation
The Civil War through a Child's Eyelesson focuses on the use of historical fiction and primary sources to expand students' perceptions of the Civil War era. Literature and photographic images reflect, communicate, and influence human perspectives of historical events. Specifically, the unit helps students to view the Civil War era through a child’s...
Materials
1. Bull Runby Paul Fleischman (class set) 2. Primary Source Analysis Tool(two per student) 3. Student computers with internet access (one per student or one per pair of students) 4. Gallery of images
Resources
1. Civil War 1.1. Boy Drummer 1.2. Children on bridge 1.3. Children in front of church 1.4. Military family 1.5. Portrait of a Boy Soldier 1. Daguerreotypes 1.1. Children of Lt. Meigs 1.2. Boy seated in chair with child 1.3. Two girls 1.4. Portrait of boy and girl 1.5. Unidentified man and woman 1.6. Unidentified group of six women and a boy and girl 1.7. William Cassiday Cattell with five boys 1.8. Unidentified boy 1.9. Group portrait of an unidentified boy and girl 1.10. George Stowell 1.11...
Activity One - Readers Theater
1. Provide students with a preview of Paul Fleischman’s Bull Run. 2. Establish Readers Theater protocol. 3. Introduce characters from Bull Runand assign roles to the students. 4. Read Bull Runusing Readers Theater. 5. Discuss characterization.
Activity Two - Library of Congress Online Collections
1. Direct Students to the gallery of images. 2. Allow students to select an image of a child to examine and characterize in the next activity.
Activity Three - Photo Analysis
1. Direct students to locate the photograph or daguerreotype of a child that was selected from the gallery of Images of Children from the Civil War Era. 2. Students analyze the photograph, recording their thoughts on the Primary Source Analysis Tool. Before the students begin, select questions from the teacher's guide Analyzing Photographs and Printsto focus and prompt analysis and discussion.
Visual Literacy
1. Look at photographs and daguerreotypes as primary source materials. 2. Introduce format for analyzing photographs. 3. Conduct a whole class activity of analyzing photographs. 4. Working in pairs, students analyze selected photographs using the Primary Source Analysis Tool. 5. Debrief results of analyses with entire class. 6. Based on the results, student pairs write a caption for their selected photograph. 7. Students share their selected photographs and captions in a gallery walk.
Evaluation will be based on: 1. Teacher observation of activities. 2. Use of the Primary Source Analysis Tool.
- Map showing the distribution of slaves in the Southern States. Description of Primary Source: Our first Civil War primary source for 5th grade and middle school is this map, which shows the distribution of slaves in the Southern States and was created in the 1860s by A. von Steinwehr.
- “Why don’t you take it?” Political Cartoon. Description of Primary Source: In this Civil War era political cartoon, the bigger growling dog represents the Union.
- Gettysburg Address. Description of Primary Source: This is one of the most famous Civil War primary sources. The Gettysburg Address is Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech.
- Illustration of the Attack of the Massachusetts 54th (African American Infantry Regiment) at Fort Wagner. Description of Primary Source: The subject of this illustration is the 54th Massachusetts African American Infantry Regiment.
The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, in Charleston, South Carolina. Confederate troops captured Fort Sumter from the Union. Afterward both sides quickly raised armies. The first major battle of the war was fought on July 21. About 30,000 Union troops marched toward the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.
People also ask
Where can kids learn about the Civil War?
How do students learn about the Civil War?
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Where can I find information about the Civil War?
Much of this evidence — including letters, orders, maps, telegrams, photographs, and broadsides — is preserved at the National Archives. Use this page to find primary sources related to the Civil War, as well as document-based learning activities to share with your students.
Teachinghistory.org. Home. civil war. As explorers of the past, we can look at a variety of sources—maps, letters, diaries, objects, music, images, and more—to piece together a sense of the Civil War’s complexity.
With technology at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to keep young minds engaged while learning about the Civil War. Here are 14 fantastic websites that provide comprehensive lessons, quizzes, videos, and interactive content for kids about the Civil War. 1. National Park Service: Civil War Series (www.nps.gov)
