Civil War American US History Unit | 14 Engaging Civil War Activities Lessons

This Civil War Unit Plan bundle includes a ton of resources and activities to enhance your instruction on the American Civil War.

This unit plan bundle includes the following 14 resources:

✔ 1.) Causes of the Civil War Project | Engaging Civil War Project show buildup to War. Students create video projects to kick off the Civil War unit! Creativity is on display as students recreate the Dred Scott Case, John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry, the Compromises of 1820 and 1850, or Bleeding Kansas (and the Kansas-Nebraska Act).

✔ 2.) Causes of the Civil War Map and Graph Data Analysis Web Quest. This lesson serves as an outstanding integration of mathematics into Social Studies. Here, students interact with math/data websites as they analyze what antebellum America looked like before the war. Students learn about manufacturing, agricultural production, and the workforce (plus many others) in both the North and South.

✔ 3.) Election of 1860 Matrix and Electoral Map Activity: A Precursor to the Civil War! Students complete a 4-person matrix to understand the experience and views of Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge, and John Bell in the Election of 1860. Then, complete an electoral map activity to see how the United States voted in this pivotal election.

✔ 4.) Civil War Stations Activity | Civil War Prison Camps, Army Size, Casualties. What were the odds of being killed in battle? What about dying of disease? What was the bloodiest day in American history? Students navigate the room analyzing data to learn about Civil War destruction.

✔ 5.) Civil War First Shots at Fort Sumter Anaconda Plan Guided Notes. The War begins! Students learn about the firing at Fort Sumter, the strategies of both sides, and how both sides stack up with a PowerPoint, guided notes, and video!

✔ 6.) Civil War Soldiers Reading Analysis | Civil War Soldiers and Spies Close Reading. Read 8 (very brief) accounts of why soldiers joined to fight in the Civil War.

✔ 7.) Civil War Battle Mapping! 62-page PowerPoint, Organizer, & Videos! Grant & Lee!" Enjoy the engaging way to teach the Civil War battles -- students use a map to record key information (complete with included PowerPoint and video integration)!

✔ 8.) African American Heroes in the Civil War | The Massachusetts 54th, Alexander Augusta, and Abraham Galloway Web Quest. Students are introduced to three African American heroes in the Civil War - the Massachusetts 54th Regiment (the first all-African-American regiment to fight in the Civil War), Alexander Augusta (the first African American officer to be buried at Arlington National Cemetary), and Abraham Galloway (famed Civil War spy and later Senator)

✔ 9.) Life During the Civil War Stations Primary and Secondary Source Activity What was it like for a civilian during the Civil War? Use this primary source activity to engage students on the civilian experience.

✔ 10.) The Gettysburg Address Primary Source Analysis with Built-In Scaffolds! Students analyze the Gettysburg Address paragraph by paragraph!

✔ 11.) Civil War Baseball | Play America's Pastime with Civil War Era Rules. Enjoy a day outdoors as your class plays the baseball game that was invented to pass the time during the Civil War. Super fun!

✔ 12.) Abraham Lincoln and Civil War Analysis | Lincoln's Views Civil War and Abolition. Watch as students see the evolution of Abraham Lincoln and his views on slavery. Students begin understanding Lincoln just prior to being elected in 1860, then analyze a variety of primary source text to see how his thinking evolved.

✔ 13.) The Civil War Unit Test! This test contains 35 multiple choice and 3 extended response questions!

✔ 14.) Civil War "I Can" Statements & Learning Goals! Posters and Log for Civil War! Use the log and I Can Statements to chart student progress, learning, and growth. Keep students accountable with this resource that spans the entire unit.

This unit includes paper in-class versions and 1:1 Google compatible versions (to be used in conjunction with Google Classroom) for the vast majority of resources. Just follow the included instructions for how to access the Google version, then share the resource through Google or assign via Google Classroom. This will allow students to type directly into the document!

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Supplement the Civil War Unit with these awesome accessory resources:

✩ Andersonville Prison CSI Investigation

✩ Civil War Guided Unit PowerPoint and Guided Notes

✩ Civil War Crack the Code Activity | Crack the Vignere Cipher!

✩ Civil War Interactive Notebook! Engaging Resource on the American Civil War!

✩ Civil War DIGITAL Interactive Notebook

✩ Civil War Differentiated Primary Source Warmups! Easy Supplements for Civil War!

✩ Civil War Trivia Challenge! Students Play Trivia to Review Sectionalism and Civil War!

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