Civil War Soldiers

Civil War Soldiers - Experience Summary

Students learn about the experiences of Civil War soldiers, including the role of African American soldiers in the North and the South. Then, students read about women who served as soldiers during the Civil War and prepare a biography about one of the women who served.

Objectives:

Explain African Americans’ contributions to the war effort in the Union army and behind Confederate lines.
Describe conditions for Civil War soldiers.

Scene 1 — Engage

Student Activity

Students view an image related to the Battle of Bull Run and read background information about who fought in the Civil War and why many men joined the Union or Confederate armies. They respond to a word cloud prompt by sharing brief reasons men might have chosen to join the military.

Teacher Moves

Ask students to share selected word cloud responses and highlight motivations such as bravery, patriotism, preserving the Union, abolishing slavery, defending homes, and protecting the Southern way of life, including the right to own enslaved people.

Scene 2 — Explore

Student Activity

Students read about the difficult conditions Civil War soldiers faced and use the article Civil War Soldiers and the video Soldier Life: The Civil War In4 to learn more about daily life in camp and in battle. They post to a collaborative wall describing hardships soldiers experienced, then watch Confederate vs. Union Soldiers and complete a two-column graphic organizer comparing Union and Confederate soldiers.

Teacher Moves

Invite students to share examples from the wall, drawing out details about deadly battles, disease, medical treatment, lack of supplies, harsh living conditions, boredom, and long training. Use student responses to reinforce similarities and differences between Union and Confederate soldiers.

Scene 3 — Explain

Student Activity

Students read an explanation of the role African Americans played in the Civil War on both the Union and Confederate sides, including the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation and enlistment in the Union army. Using the video Black Soldiers – The Civil War In4 and the articles African Americans in the Civil War and Massachusetts 54th Regiment, they complete a concept map recording key facts about African American soldiers in the war.

Teacher Moves

Use student responses to identify understandings and misconceptions, and to guide follow-up discussion.

Scene 4 — Elaborate

Student Activity

Students read about women who disguised themselves as men to fight as soldiers in the Civil War, using The Women Who Fought in the Civil War and Women Soldiers of the Civil War to learn about specific individuals. They select one woman soldier to research further and write a brief biography describing her role in the conflict.

Teacher Moves

If time allows, invite students to share their biographies with the class.

Scene 5 — Evaluate

Student Activity

Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.

Teacher Moves

Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.