Civil War Resource
Unit
Joshua Howell
Todd Biehle
Table of Contents
 Introduction
 Content
 Objectives
 Activities
 Evaluation
 Instructional Resources
Introduction
 To help the students better understand the reasons
for the Civil War and what each side was fighting
for, our third grade class will study and scrutinize
old literature, newspapers, letters, and books
regarding the subject. We will also use
multimedia tools to enhance the presentation
methods incorporated in the unit. The unit will
last two weeks and will be taught during the
social studies time slot. The students will be
going to different areas of the school and the
community to seek out and bring back
information.
Content
Slavery
On the first day of the unit the class will
focus on the real cause of the Civil War.
The students will brainstorm ideas about
slavery and put them on a Venn diagram to
compare and contrast the viewpoints of the
North and South.
Content
Confederacy VS. Union
On the second, third, and fourth day the students
will expand upon the Venn diagram to include the
states located in both the North and the South.
They will identify which section of the country
was the Confederacy and which was the Union.
While focusing on the separation of the country,
the students will also create maps outlining the
aforementioned divisions. The students will list
how the government proposed to handle the
issues of the days as well.
Content
Emancipation Proclamation
On days five, six, and seven the students will
focus their activities towards the Emancipation
Proclamation. The students will chart what the
EP proposed, and who created the speech. The
students will also discuss the effects it had on the
southern way of life and what effects it had on
the country’s slave population. Day seven will
focus the students attention on the vocabulary
and which side the terms related most to.
Content
Battles and Living Conditions
On days eight through twelve the students will
draw battlefield maps, design their own army
gear (modernize their clothes), and do research
on the letters and correspondence between
families, generals, and the government. The
students will experience the music, recreation,
and food of the time period as well during this
time.
Content
Surrender
Day thirteen will focus on the surrendering
of the Confederate Army by General Lee.
The students will discuss the aftermath of
the surrender and will create their own
terms of surrender for the southern army.
Content
Review
The students will review on Day fourteen
and will study for their upcoming test.
Vocabulary
Abolitionist / artillery / bayonet / blockade /
carte de visite casualty / cavalry /
Confederate States of America /
contraband / democrat / draft /
emancipate / Emancipation Proclamation
enlist / Federal / infantry / rebel / Union /
Yankee
Activities
Make a timeline of Civil War events
Have students draw illustrations of the Battle of Gettysburg
Have students write a Civil War biography
Use illustrations and photos to create a collage of Civil War events
Field Trip to Gettysburg
Dress up as Civil War participants
Cook and eat classic Civil War chow
Discuss why people owned slaves
Have a slave debate – half of class North and half South
Compare the reasons Europeans came to America with the reasons
Africans came to America
Activities
Make a map of the troop movements from 18611863
Make a map of the Underground Railroad
Measure the distances from the start to the finish of
the Underground Railroad
Create a chart to measure total land used by the
North and the South
List why certain forts were strategically placed
where they were
Activities
Set up a store using Civil War era prices and money
Identify goods and services provided for the armies
Discuss how cotton fields were treated during the
war (crops as well)
Categorize economic activities discussed during
this unit on the Civil War
Make duplicate Civil War currency
Activities
Read Civil War Journals and Newspapers
Discuss how groups were organized for the
promotion of the goals of the North or the
South
Examine Civil War issues that would have come up
in a city or army meeting
Compare and Contrast the government setup for the
Union and the Confederacy
Discuss the hierarchy of the army
Objectives
The learner will determine why slavery was
prevalent in the southern regions of the
United States
The learner will explore the historical
developments that occurred in the Civil
War Era
The learner will investigate documents
related to the Civil War
Objectives
The learner will investigate the influence of
geography on the sites selected for forts
and battlefields
The learner will plot on a map troop
movement patterns
The learner will develop map reading skills
and abilities
Objectives
The learner will use maps and globes to point
out specific sites (battlefields, cities…)
relative to other places
The learner will locate information at other
locations outside of the school
The learner will itemize the cost of goods
and services available in the Civil War Era
Evaluation
1. What state was not a part of the
Confederacy?




Ohio
Tennessee
Georgia
South Carolina
Evaluation
2. What does emancipate mean?




To free from slavery
To place into slavery
To join the armed services
To shoot a gun
Evaluation
3. What officer of the Confederacy
surrendered to end the Civil War?




Colonel Sanders
Captain Hook
Captain Bogey
General Lee
Evaluation
4. What continent did most of the slaves
come from?




Asia
Antarctica
Australia
Africa
Evaluation
5. Who was President when Civil War
started?




George Bush
Herbert Hoover
John Hancock
Abraham Lincoln
Short Answer
1. List the states of the Confederacy and the
states of the Union.
2. What was the main reason for the start of
the Civil War?
Essays
1. If slavery was no longer illegal, would
you own slaves? Why?
2. Do you think Abe Lincoln made the right
choice when he emancipated the slaves of
the south? Why?
Teacher References
 Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War - Volumes I
through III - Benson Lossing – John Hopkins
University Press, Boston 1997
 The Visual Dictionary of the American Civil War
– John Stanchak – Dorling Kindersley 2000
 Civil War Era Activity Book – Linda Milliken –
EduPress 1996
Student References
 Ghosts of the Civil War – Cheryl Harness –
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers,
New York 2002
 The Tin Heart – Karen Ackerman – Macmillan,
1990
 Mountain Boy - Anna Catherine Josephs Raintree LB, 1985
 Jefferson Davis – Zachary Kent – Childrens LB,
1993
Student References
 The Story of the Surrender at Appomattox Court
House – Zachary Kent – Childrens LB 1988
 Lincoln: A Photo biography – Russell Freedman,
Houghton, 1987
 The Story of Sherman’s March to the Sea –
Zachary Kent – Childrens LB, 1987
 Clara Barton: Healing the Wounds – Cathy E
Dubowski – Silver LB 1991
Student References
 The Golden Book of the Civil War – Bruce
Catton – Golden Press, New York 1960
 Behind the Lines: A Sourcebook on the
Civil War – Carter Smith, ed – Millbrook
LB, 1993
 A Month of Seven Days – Irene Hunt –
Silver Burdett, 1993
Media References: CD- ROMs
 American Journey: History in your Hands
– This is a CD ROM which covers the political and
military leaders as well as civilians on the home-front
recorded in letters and diaries. There is also accounts
of major battles linked to a map.

American History Inspirer: The Civil War CD
ROM, Tom Snyder, 1997
– This is a fast paced game which intertwines geography
and history. It takes students on a scavenger hunt
through time to introduce key events and trends during
the Civil War era.
Media References:
Games/Simulations
 Civil War Map game: Civil War Game, Educational Materials
Associates.
– This is a strategic game in which the students will pretend they
are in the Civil War and they are trying to plan routes they would
take during the war. This game not only works on the children’s
communication skills but their ability to read maps.
 U.S History Baseball game, Christopher Lee
– This is a fantastic board game which tests a students knowledge
on important people, places, dates and events from Columbus to
the 1980s. We can manipulate this game so that it is solely about
the Civil War
 Fun Activities in American History, Zenger, 1990
– This resource kit consists of 15 different exercises which will
enhance the students knowledge of any historical event in
American History. The activities include: History Bowel Quiz
Games, Divided class or Team Quiz game, Word searches, map
activities, famous quotes, Unit Review puzzles, and crossword
puzzles.

Media References:
Videos/DVDS
The Civil War, PBS
– This 11 hour box set of 9 videos can be used to give
the students views into America’s bloodiest and most
tragic war. It includes archival photographs, diary
entries, and primary sources.
War Between the States Parts 1 and 2.
Mastervision
– This two tape set gives an extremely comprehensive
view into the major historical events of the Civil War.
It covers everything from the time period prior to the
declaration of war to the South’s Surrender and the
reconstruction period.
Media References:
Videos/DVDS
Causes of the Civil War, Video Cassette,
Schlessinger, 1996
– This video cassette gives an in-depth view into the
various causes of the Civil War. It also gives some
view into the North and South’s view points on the
topics.
The Civil War, Video Cassette, Schlessinger, 1996
– This videocassette gives a brief synopsis into the
major events of the Civil War. It also discusses the
various important Generals and political leaders who
played important roles in the Civil War.
Media References:
Videos/DVDS
Animated Heroes Classics: Harriet Tubman Schelssinger
1991-97
– This animated video gives the student brief view into
the life of Harriet Tubman and shows how Harriet
Tubman became one of the most important historical
figures in American history.
Uncle Toms Cabin, Multimedia Studies in American
Drama / CUNY, Video, Guide and Paperbacks
– This classic book and video gives the children a view
into the life of slaves in the south. It has become one
of the most widely used books when teaching
students about the lives of slaves in the south.
Media References:
Videos/DVDS
Across Five Aprils and Civil War Diary.
Video and books.
– This book gives the children a view of the
effects of the Civil War on everyday life. It is
written from the point of view of young
children.
Media References:
Posters
 Emancipation Proclamation, Teacher’s Discovery
– This is a poster which contains the entire text of Lincoln’s great
speech. It is laminated and has a picture of Lincoln in the
background.
 The Civil War Poster:
– This is a map that covers most of the major Campaigns,
fortresses, battles and troop movements.
 Famous People of the Civil War Bulletin Board poster
pack, McDonald
– This bulletin board poster pack contains various posters of major
military and political leaders who played a role in the Civil War.
Media References:
Posters
 Civil War – Young Soldiers: Photo Collection, Jackdaw
Publications, 1999
– This collection contains various photos of young soldiers from
both the Confederation and Union. This would be a great tool for
students to see that most of the people who fought in the Civil
War were normal young children.
 The Battlefields of the Civil War Map, National
Geographic Society
– This map does an excellent job in plotting out the major
battlefields of the civil war. It also gives dates and other
important historical information on the battles.
Media References:
Posters
 Civil War Timeline, Knowledge Unlimited,
2001
– This is a very comprehensive timeline which covers
the time period shortly before the Civil War through
all the major battles and ending during the
reconstruction period after the south surrendered.
Media References:
Literature/Books/ Reproducible:
American History on the Screen: Glory: The
Resource book with reproducible pages,
– This is a great tool for teachers to use to
extend the students knowledge of the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. It takes the
important historical information from the
movie Glory and gives the students an
opportunity to further expand their knowledge
through various worksheets and hands on
activities.
Media References:
Literature / Books / Reproducible
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry: Footsteps – African
American History Cobblestone, 1999 Paperback
– This is a great book that covers the 54th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry. It gives the children an in-depth
view of the life of the soldiers in the 54th infantry. It is
a relatively short book, but is extremely informational.
Facsimile Newspapers: The Civil War News, McDonald,
2000
– This is a collection of facsimile newspapers from the
Civil War era. They look very authentic, like we
would expect newspapers from that time period to
look, and give information about the war and national
concerns/events relative to the specific date.
Media References: Literature /
Books / Reproducible
 Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark Twain.
– This is an excellent book based in the time of the Civil War. It
can give the children's a perspective of live during the war from a
young child’s view.
 Famous Americans: 22 Short Plays for the Classroom, Scholastic,
1994
– This book gives everything from dialogue, well set scenes, and
clear stage directions. It covers a large number of famous
historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Rosa Parks.
 Read Aloud Plays: Civil War, Scholastic, 1998 – 99
– This book contains many plays which take place in the Civil War.
Some of the subjects of the plays include: Secession, Gettysburg,
the surrender at Appomattox, and the Reconstruction.