Browse lesson plans

Assessing the North Carolina Civil War effort

In this lesson plan, students read about the Civil War effort in North Carolina and complete a graphic organizer detailing how various groups within the state influenced the war effort.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)

By Jamie Lathan.

Civil War journals

This lesson integrates creative writing with Social Studies and enhances knowledge of the effects of the Civil War on people.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Gwen A. Jones.

Civil War Tribune

This lesson focuses on student creativity along with the writing process. Art is also incorporated in a unique way. Students will use their research skills to complete a creative writing project on the Civil War.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Aimee Adkins.

Confederate currency: An inflation simulation

Using primary sources from the Documenting the American South collection, students will engage in a brief simulation of inflation during the Civil War while learning about issues faced on the home front in North Carolina.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)

By Lewis Nelson.

Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate soldier

Students read the account of a private from Charlotte who served in the Civil War and grew tired of only hearing about the war from the perspectives of officers. After reading his experiences as a “man behind the gun” students will write their own point-of-view piece. They also have the opportunity to read other diary accounts from the war available through Documenting the American South.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Social Studies)

By Meghan Mcglinn.

Exploring first-person female narratives related to Sherman's march to the sea

This lesson plan uses first-person narratives from the Documenting the American South collection to demonstrate differences in perspective related to historical events, in this case, Sherman's march to the sea. It encourages students to compare the views of two southern ladies with that of a Union soldier.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Meghan Mcglinn.

"A female raid" in 1863: Using newspaper coverage to learn about North Carolina's Civil War homefront

In this lesson plan, students will use original newspaper coverage to learn about a raid on local stores by Confederate soldier's wives in March 1863 in Salisbury, North Carolina, and use that historical moment to explore conscription, life on the homefront, economic issues facing North Carolina merchants, the challenges of wartime politics, and the role of newspaper editors in shaping public opinion.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Kathryn Walbert.

Plan for a panel discussion regarding the validity of the Lincoln Administration

This lesson encourages students to investigate all sides of the issues within the context of the Civil War era. Students will become “experts” on the Lincoln administration and accept the responsibility of sharing their expertise with their classmates through oral communication in a panel discussion.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 Social Studies)

Who started the Civil War? Comparing perspectives on the causes of the war

This lesson plans presents the account of Rose O'Neal Greenhow, a confederate spy during the Civil War. Students are encouraged to find confirming and refuting evidence of her perspective on what caused the Civil War by browsing the Documenting the American South Collection of digitized primary sources.

Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Meghan Mcglinn.

Resources on the web

Civil War music

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students use popular Civil War songs to identify rallying songs, recruiting songs, popular entertainment songs, campfire songs, sentimental songs, or patriotic songs. Students will: compare and contrast lyrics... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts, Music Education, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Eastern North Carolina Digital Library

Digitization project encompassing collections pertaining to the history of eastern North Carolina. Included are images and videos from historic locations. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: East Carolina University Joyner Library

Engaging students in a collaborative exploration of the “Gettysburg Address”

In this lesson, students work together on inquiry-based projects in order to understand the message of Abraham Lincoln's “Gettysburg Address”. In this multi-genre activity, students will: explore the history and meaning of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Historical fiction: Using literature to learn about the Civil War

In this lesson, the teacher reads aloud a section of Connie Porter's Meet Addy, a book from The American Girls Collection® that tells the story of a young girl who escapes from slavery during... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

Lincoln goes to war

This lesson plan explores the decision-making process that precipitated the Civil War, focusing on deliberations within the Lincoln administration that led to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861. Students first review the situation... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 11 Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment

Myth and truth: The Gettysburg Address

By exploring myths surrounding the “Gettysburg Address,” this lesson asks students to think critically about commonly believed “facts” about this important speech and the Civil War. Students participate in a pre-reading writing activity... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 11 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

We must not be enemies: Lincoln's first inaugural address

The focus for this EDSITEment lesson plan unit is on the address given by Abraham Lincoln at his first inauguration as U.S. President. His address reflected contemporary events and set the tone for his presidency. This series of lesson plans aims to help... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment