C is for Civil War: Resources for Early Elementary

The Civil War is an often talked about subject matter in our household. My husband is a buff when it comes to that era of history and if you get him really going on the topic, you just may not get him to stop.

I also grew up not far from Fredericksburg, Virginia so many of the war’s battlefields were places that I toured and explored throughout much of my life. Every visit to see my family includes a stop at one of the historical sites. We really enjoy it.

 

Teaching this subject matter, particularly to younger students can be a delicate matter depending on how much detail you want to go in to about the severity of the casualties, but if you are looking to provide an age appropriate introduction, the following Civil War resources for early elementary students would work well:

Books:

1.  Civil War Kids 150: Fifty Fun Things To Do, See, Make, And Find For The 150Th Anniversary
2. The Journal of James Edmond Pease a Civil War Union Soldier (My Name is America)
3. Civil War Days: Discover the Past with Exciting Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes
4. You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Nurse During the American Civil War!: A Job That’s Not for the Squeamish
5. When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864 (Dear America Series)
6. The Civil War for Kids: A History with 21 Activities (For Kids series)
7. Eyewitness Civil War (DK Eyewitness Books)
8. You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Civil War Soldier!
9. What Was the Battle of Gettysburg?
10. If You Lived At The Time Of The Civil War

Crafts/Activities:

1. Make a handkerchief doll from It’s So Purdy
2. Make hardtack and johnny cake from The Christian Science Monitor
3. Make a “housewife” like the soldiers carried from Education.com
4. Make candles from Scholastic.com
5. Make a drum and mallet from A School of Fish
6. Make berry ink from Hurrayic
7. Sing Civil War era songs from Musicanet
8. Make a war board game from ehow

Printables:

1. Civil War Copywork from Write Bonnie Rose
2. Printable Timeline Organizer from Book Units Teacher
3. Civil War Word Search from About.com
4. Civil War Lapbook from Homeschool Share
5. Civil War Paper Dolls from Education.com

Virtual Field Trips:

1. Gettysburg, PA virtual tour
2. Overview of battlefields
3. Fort Macon virtual tour

Games and Other Resources:

1. Gettysburg Battle App
2. Free Complete Civil War Curriculum
3. Civil War Soldier Experience
4. Flight to Freedom game
5. Underground Railroad game

This is all really just a scratch on the surface. This topic has many rabbit trails to be followed if you are so inclined, but these Civil War resources should give you a great start to introductory lessons for your children.

 

 

Come back next week to see what new resources we have to share while we learn all about the  letter D during the ABC’s of American History.