By: Dana Kehoe, Anna McGovern & Kristin Brenner
Unit Topic: Life during
the Civil War
Subject: Social Studies –
The Civil War
Grade: 5
Duration: 5 weeks
preferably during the
winter months so the
students can better
understand the harsh
conditions the soldiers
endured.
This unit is created for a
12:1:1 setting for students
who are emotionally and
behaviorally disturbed.
The school is located in a
low income section of the
Bronx. Students all qualify
for free lunch.
A majority of the students
are in the foster care
system and/or receive state
aid. 4/12 students struggle
with ADD/ADHD
attention issues and 6/12
take medicine for various
mood disorders.
Life
During
the Civil
War
Soldiers
Who
were
they
Life at
war.
Challgenges
they faced
Families
Life in
the
North
Life in
the
South
Similaritites
and
Differences
Contributions
they made
Challenges
they faced
Slaves
Key
Leaders
Robert E.
Lee
Abraham
Lincoln
Ulysses S.
Grant
 Life during the Civil War.
 The war affected everyone living in America at the time.
 Men/Soldiers because they were called to fight in
sometimes very harsh conditions.
 Of the soldiers, many men stood out as key leaders or
the war. They had to make very tough choices that
affected millions of people.
 Women and children who stayed home during the
war had their lives turned upside down when the men
left for war. Life was not easy for people living in the
North or the South during the time of the Civil War.
 The lives of Soldiers during the Civil War.
 Who went to war?
 Description of an average soldier in the North
 Description of an average soldier in the South
 Life at war
 Problems the soldiers faced.
 Missing their families.
 Illnesses/injuruies
 Staying healthy
 Going to battle.
 Key Leaders of the Civil
War.
 Leaders of the North
 Abraham Lincoln
 Biography
 War accomplishments
 Life after the war
 Ulysses S. Grant
 Biography
 War accomplishments
 Life after the war
 Leaders of the South
 Jefferson Davis
 Biography
 War accomplishments
 Life after the war
 Robert E. Lee
 Biography
 War Accomplishments
 Life after the war
 Family Life at home during
the civil war.
 Life in the North
 Contributions of women
 Contributions of children
 Changes to the North
 Challenges they faced
 Life in the South
 Contributions of women
 Contributions of children
 Changes in the South
 Challenges they faced
 Slaves
 What they felt
 The challenges they faced
 Contributions they made
to the war
 Voices of the Civil war
 Examine the similarities
and differences between
the lives of Confederate
and Union Soldiers.
 Similar/Different
backgrounds
 Similar/Different
challenges
 End of the war
 How they felt
 What they did
 Examine the similarities
and differences between
life at home in the North
and the South during the
time of the Civil War.
 Similar/different
changes that occurred
 Similar/different
challenges they faced
 End of the war
 How they felt
 What they did
 This unit is being taught in order to teach students
about the Civil War through the experiences of
soldiers, women, children, key political figures and
slaves. Through using firsthand accounts and primary
sources such as autobiographies, diary entries, and
photographs from varying perspectives, students will
gain an understanding of the Civil War from many
different, and sometimes opposing, viewpoints.
Key Ideas and Details – 1: Cite specific
textual evidence to support analysis of
primary and secondary sources.
 Key Ideas and Details – 2: Determine the
central ideas or information of a primary
or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of the source distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
 Craft and Structure – 6: Identify aspects
of a text that reveal an author’s point of
view or purpose (e.g., loaded language,
inclusion or avoidance of particular
facts).
 Text Types and Purposes – 2: Write
informative/explanatory texts, including
the narration of historical events or
technical processes.
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Research – 9: Draw evidence from
informational texts to support analysis
reflection, and research.
Comparison and Contextualization
Identify and compare multiple
perspectives on a given historical
experience
Identify similarities and differences
between historical developments over
time within a similar cultural and
geographical context
Connect historical developments to
specific circumstances of time and place
and to broader regional, national, or
global processes
5.RL.3 Compare and contrast two or
more characters, settings, or events in a
story or drama, drawing on specific
details in the text
 5.RIT.6: Analyze multiple accounts of the
same event or topic, noting important
similarities and differences in the point
of view they represent
 5.RIT.9 Integrate information from
several texts on the same topic in order
to write or speak about the same topic in
order to write or speak about the subject
knowledgeably.
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5.W.2: Write informative/explanatory
texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
clearly.
5.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details
and clear event sequences.
5.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
Speaking and Listening:
5.SL.4: Report on a topic or text or
present an opinion, sequencing ideas
logically and using appropriate facts and
relevant, descriptive details to support
main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
understandable pace.
 Social Studies
 ELA
 Text Types and Purposes – 2: Write
 5.RL.3 Compare and contrast two or
informative/explanatory texts,
including the narration of historical
events or technical processes.
 Research – 9: Draw evidence from
informational texts to support
analysis reflection, and research.
 Identify and compare multiple
perspectives on a given historical
experience
 Identify similarities and differences
between historical developments
over time within a similar cultural
and geographical context
more characters, settings, or events
in a story or drama, drawing on
specific details in the text
 5.RIT.9 Integrate information from
several texts on the same topic in
order to write or speak about the
same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably.
 5.W.3 Write narratives to develop
real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique,
descriptive details and clear event
sequences.
 Life was difficult for many people during the Civil War
in many different ways.
 Although the North and South disagreed upon a lot
during the Civil War they both found similar
hardships during the war.
 The war affected everyone living in America in some
way.
 Specific challenges faced by the soldiers in the North
and South.
 Specific challenges faced by women and children on
the home front.
 Challenges and contributions made by slaves during
the Civil War
 Key leaders and their contributions to the Civil War.
 Find similarities and differences among the challenges
faced by the people in the North and in the South at
the time of the Civil War.
 Create a piece of writing that describes how the
soldiers felt during the war by citing specific
challenges they had to overcome.
 List key leaders and their contributions to the Civil
War.
 Describe how the Civil War affected everyone in the
country.
 What were some of the
challenges the Union soldiers
faced during the Civil War?
 What were some of the
challenges faced by the
Confederate soldiers faced
during the Civil War?
 The Confederate and Union
armies disagreed upon a lot, but
what are some things you think
they would both agree upon
about the war? Why do you
think that?
 With the men away at war, what
kinds of problems do you think
their families had to deal with
back home?
 The Civil War had a lot to do
with slavery in our country.
Pretend you are a slave during
the Civil War. How do you feel
about the war?
 Who do you think would make a
better general for the American
army after the war, Ulysses S.
Grant or Robert E. Lee? Explain
your answer
 What are some challenges
shared by families in the North
and the South?
 Purpose: For students to review
their understanding of a primary
source and explain how
photography/photographs are
important in learning about the
Civil War.
 Students examine a variety of
photographs from the Civil War.
 Students will explain what they
learned from the photograph
through answering questioning
prompts. -Students will get into
groups and discuss
similar/different things that they
felt about the photograph (life at
war, happy/sad times, etc.)
 Materials: Photographs,
Checklists, Smartboard and
Notepad, Teacher made
worksheets.
 Differentiation: The groups
will be differentiated based on
the student’s ability in writing
and answering questions. The
pictures will be distributed
based upon level. Students who
need more assistance will be
given checklists and
conversation prompts.
 Purpose: For students to
identify that soldiers dealt
with hardships in different 
ways, one of these ways being
having a pet.
 Students will identify various
problems that soldiers faced 
on a day to day basis.
 Students will identify why a
soldier may have owned a pet.
 Students will discuss what
pets would be ideal to have
for a soldier.
Materials: Smartboard,
internet video, hen activity,
horse and dog articles, KWL
chart
Differentiation: Students
will be given different
worksheets depending on if
they are higher achieving
students or struggling
students. The variety of
worksheets includes writings,
drawings, lists, and picture
choosing.
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Purpose: For students to make a
decision based upon data
analyzed in a resume and their
prior knowledge on the topic.
Students will be given resumes
of two candidates to run the
Union army.
In pairs, students will analyze
the resumes and fill out a
graphic organizer.
The students will decide which
candidate they think is best fit
for the job.
The teacher will reveal if they
came up with the same answer as
Abraham Lincoln.
 Materials: Resumes of Ulysses
S. Grant and Robert E. Lee,
Graphic Organizer, Post its,
Chart paper, markers.
 Differentiation: Students will
be paired based on their levels,
lower level students will be
working with higher level
students in order to receive
assistance when needed, lower
level students will receive a
checklist to complete the
activity.
 Purpose: For students to exhibit
speaking and listening skills by
creating an argument as to why
they should lead the Union.
 This activity is a follow up to
Analyzing Data as Abraham
Lincoln.
 Students will be given an
identity of either Ulysses S.
Grant or Robert E. Lee.
 Based upon their resumes,
background knowledge on the
topic, and research they will
come up with an argument as to
why they are better fit to lead the
Union army.
 Materials: Computers, internet,
books on Ulysses S. Grant and
Robert E. Lee, graphic
organizers, notebooks, pencils.
 Differentiation: Students who
need extra assistance will work
with higher level students. These
students will also be given
assistance in research, as well as
various graphic organizers to
meet their needs.
 Purpose: For students to gain an
understanding of the hardships
faced by women and children in
the Civil War.
 Students will be broken into
groups.
 Groups will be given a letter to
examine from either a woman or
a children’s perspective from the
time of the war.
 Students will discuss in groups
the challenges faced by the
person in the letter.
 Students will then be paired
with a person who had a
different perspective and fill in a
Venn Diagram comparing and
contrasting the two.
 Students will present their work.
 Materials: Letters from women
and children during the time of
the war, venn diagram
worksheets, post its for taking
notes, pencils.
 Differentiation: The letters will
be tiered based on the groups
needs and reading abilities.
 The students will include their
 Purpose: For students to create
a post card from a slave to a
family member who has been
freed in the North.
 After reading a book about a
slaves perspective in the South,
student’s will be instructed to
create a post card to a freed slave
in the North, telling them about
their struggles.
 Students will draw a picture on
the front of the post card of what
plantations looked like at this
time.
struggles in their post card, as
well as ask the freed slave in the
North specific questions about
what their life may be like.
 Materials: Book about a slave
from the South, post card
template, pencils, internet,
computers, markers and crayons.
 Differentiation: Students will
complete the post card based
upon their writing abilities.
Some students will write more
than others, some students may
use different forms of research
other than the book and their
memory.
 Purpose: For students to
make connections between
the Union and Confederate
Soldiers.
 The students will be assigned
a fictional Confederate or
Union Soldier.
 They will be instructed to
create a Facebook profile for
their soldier based upon what
we have learned about Civil
War soldiers. The teacher will
show the students an
appropriate example.
 Students will need to create a
name, age, ethnicity, as well
as come up with interests,
beliefs, and other facts based
upon which side they are
fighting for.
 Materials: Facebook
template, internet and books
to do research, pencils,
crayons.
 Differentiation: The writing
will be based upon students
ability. Some students will
write more than others and
some students will be given
assistance with research.
 Purpose: Students will review
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facts they have learned about the
Union and Confederate Armies.
Students will be broken up into
groups of 4.
They will choose an army to join:
Union or Confederate
Students will be asked to come
up with an idea for a TV
commercial that will convince
the public to join your side of the
war.
-Students will write a script of
their commercial.
 -The students may use various
resources including books and
the internet to research why
soldiers joined the army.
 -The students will act out their
commercials.
 Materials: Books and the
internet to research, graphic
organizers, pencils, papers,
example scripts.
 Differentiation: Each student
will be given a role in their group
to allow for equal participation.
The teacher will distribute the
roles based upon the students
needs and abilities.
 Purpose: For students to relate
to one specific identity we have
talked about in the unit and
create a diary for their identity.
 Students will choose an identity
that they found most interesting
throughout the unit.
 The students will research and
name their identity that they
have created.
 The students will create multiple
diary entries from this personal
explaining their experiences
throughout and after the wall
and how they felt.
 The students will dress up/ make
props for this identity and
present their diary to the class.
 Materials: Internet, Computer,
and books to research, diary
entry writing pages, checklists,
dress up costumes.
 Differentiation: Lower level
students may write three journal
entries while higher level
students will write at least five
journal entries. Students who
need will be given assistance
with research.
 Anticipation Guide
 Analyzing Data
 Writing pieces in the
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student’s writing journal
Debates
Research
Graphic Organizers
Letters/Post cards
Television Commercial
Diary Entries (Final
Culminating Project)
 Pre-Assessment: The students will complete an
anticipation guide based upon a book about the Civil War.
The students will then check their answers with the
evidence found in the text. The students will discuss which
pieces of information seem interesting to them and what
they would like to learn more about.
 Midline: The students will be assessed on their debate
based upon information they have learned and researched
involving Civil War leaders Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E.
Lee.
 Endline: The students will be assessed on their culminating
project, a collection of diary entries from a specific
viewpoint of the Civil War. This will be differentiated based
upon student needs and will be graded on a rubric.
 http://www.nps.gov/gegr/index.htm
 General Grant National Memorial, New York, NY, FREE
 http://www.green-wood.com/2010/education-and-school-programs/
 Green Wood National Historic Landmark, New York, NY, FREE
 http://www.hmns.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&i
d=493&Itemid=515
 The Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX, $3.50 per
student
 http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/rosem/502/Virtual%20Field%20Trip/spl
ash.htm
 Virtual Civil War tour
 http://www.civilwar.org/education/teachers/curriculu
m/civil-war-curriculum/middle-school/lesson-plansmiddle.html
 Curriculum ideas and lessons
 http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/the
mes/civil-war/lessonplans.html
 Civil War photograph lesson plans
 http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/classroom/activities.html
 Civil War classroom activities
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http://www.besthistorysites.net/index.php/am
erican-history/1800/civil-war
Includes key components of the Civil War
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http://www.civilwar.org/maps/
Includes stationary maps and animated maps
of the Civil War
http://www.historynet.com/causes-of-thecivil-war
Causes of the Civil War
http://www.ket.org/civilwar/primary.html
Describes how the Civil War affected specific
people
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl18
61.html
Civil War time line of events
http://www.history.com/interactives/civil-war150#/home
Interactive site about the battles
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http://www.archives.gov/research/military/civ
il-war/photos/
Photos of the Civil War
http://www.civilwar.org/photos/3dphotography-special/
3D photos of the Civil War
http://www.civilwar.org/landpreservation/land-saved/
Lists and maps preserved Battlefield land
http://www.pbs.org/civilwar/film/video.html
Video clips of the Civil War
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/freem
ovies/civilwar/
BrainPOP interactive video on the Civil War
http://ehistory.osu.edu/uscw/features/people/
list.cfm
Biographies of people from the Civil War
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/cwlove/
Letters from Civil War soldier