Civil War

Civil War Lesson Plans: Elementary

The following lesson plans have been created by educators for classroom use in grades three through six.

The Elementary Curriculum is a set of nine standards-based lesson plans and one final exam. Below are the Curriculum Lessons along with additional selected lessons, all of which fit within our Civil War Goals for Elementary Students.

Sections of the Curriculum:

Pre-1861: Disunion

Students will be able to identify the causes of the American Civil War.

Curriculum Lesson Plan: Pre-1861: Disunion (Elementary)

The Country Goes to War

Students will be able to describe the state of the nation and sequence the first events of the Civil War.

Curriculum Lesson Plan: The Country Goes to War (Elementary)
A Civil War Overview Lesson Plan

Antietam and Emancipation

Students will be able to state the meaning and impact of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Curriculum Lesson Plan: Antietam and Emancipation (Elementary)
Civil War Play Lesson Plan

Life at War

Students will be able to describe the day-to-day life of a Civil War soldier.

Curriculum Lesson Plan: Life at War (Elementary)
Civil War Animal Mascots
The Common Civil War Soldier Lesson Plan

The Home Front

Students will be able to list examples of work done on the home front and describe how news traveled to the home front.

Shifting Tides

Students will be able to discuss the effects of the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, paying particular attention to the Gettysburg Address.

Curriculum Lesson Plan: Shifting Tides (Elementary)
Joshua Chamberlain Lesson Plan
Gettysburg Address Lesson Plan

Bringing the War to an End

Students will be able to list and discuss the sequence of events leading to the end of the Civil War, paying special attention to the election of 1864.