Books
Author: Avi
ISBN: 1423105184
Grades: 4+
After his father is killed during the Civil War, thirteen-year-old Tom takes on a job to at the ironworks to support his family, and finds himself a target of ruthless spies when he begins assisting with the ironclad ship the "Monitor." This piece of historical fiction would be a great way to teach about Monitor vs. Merrimac, and to help students view the war through the eyes of a 13 year old boy.
ISBN: 0670036382
Grades: 6+
As the Civil War breaks out, India, a young Southern girl summons her sharp intelligence and the courage she didn't know she had to survive the war that threatens to destroy her family, her Virginia home, and the only life she has ever known. I think this book would be great for helping students understand the Southern perspective in the war.
Author: Rodman Philbrick
ISBN: 9780439668217
ISBN: 9780439668217
Grades: 5+
Young Homer Figg follows his underage brother into the thick of the Civil War, hoping to find him and save him, but winding up instead in the thick of the Maine regiment which saved Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. It's funny and tragic at the same time, which I think my students could connect to.
ISBN: 0375858660
Grades: 5+
A thought-provoking novel about three young people whose lives become intertwined: a Union drummer boy who dreams of dying gloriously for his country, a young Confederate soldier who he befriends, and an escaped slave who finds work in the Union camp for a surgeon. This would be a great view for teaching students perspective and revealing the humanity on side of this great war.
Behind Rebel Lines
Author: Seymour Reit
ISBN: 0152164278
Grades: 5+
Set in 1861, young Emma Edmonds decides to chop off her hair, wear men's clothing, and enlist in the Union Army. Posing in turn as a slave, peddler, and washerwoman, Emma becomes a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death at every turn behind Confederate lines. Although fictional, I think this would be an interesting POV on the war that might especially appeal to girls.
Behind Rebel Lines
Author: Seymour Reit
ISBN: 0152164278
Grades: 5+
Set in 1861, young Emma Edmonds decides to chop off her hair, wear men's clothing, and enlist in the Union Army. Posing in turn as a slave, peddler, and washerwoman, Emma becomes a cunning master of disguise, risking discovery and death at every turn behind Confederate lines. Although fictional, I think this would be an interesting POV on the war that might especially appeal to girls.
Websites
Animated Maps and Timelines
Grades: Teachers, grades 6-12
This awesome website features animated as well as non-animated timelines/battle maps for each of the major Civil War battles. There are currently 14 animated maps and over 50 detailed battle maps that do not contain animation. Each of the animated maps include a video clip, a timeline, and placemarks indicating troop positioning in the battle depicted. The narration is very well done and the animation is beautiful. Even the non-animated maps are some of the cleanest and most detailed maps I have ever seen.
Pennsylvania Civil War 150
Grades: 6-12
Pennsylvania Civil War 150 offers interactive timelines, interactive maps, artifact displays, and a neat interactive soldier display. Through the interactive soldier display, students can see how a cannon was loaded and fired, examine the intricacies of a Union uniform, and watch soldiers act out common field commands such as "charge bayonets."
Teaching the Civil War with Technology
Grades: For teachers
This website provides teachers with lesson plans, tools, tips, and strategies for teaching the American Civil War. If you click on their blog, you will find dozens of resources and they are still posting new things every couple of weeks. Another cool aspect of this website it the podcasts created by U.S. history teachers. They cover so many unique topics within the Civil War that would be great for teachers learn from.
Videos
The Gettysburg Address Animated
Grades: 6-12
This reciting of the Gettysburg Address uses text and images to illustrate the themes being described. I wish I would have located this resource prior to having my students memorize the address this year! The imagery starts out slowly, but really gains momentum around the middle of the video. Beautiful and powerful video!
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9zHNOjGrs
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzTrKccmj_I
Grades: 8-12
Okay, so I may be partial to John Green's "Crash Course" series! I always come back to these videos, because they are so well done. They are brief (usually around 10-12 minutes) and almost always funny. I recommend using these videos in upper middle and high school classes to review material that has already been taught. If you used them as an introduction, students might get lost due it the fast-paced nature of the videos.
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