The Civil War through a Child's Eye

The Civil War through a Child's Eye

Micki Caskey and Paul Gregorio

Overview

The Civil War through a Child's Eye lesson focuses on the use of historical fiction and primary sources to expand students' perceptions of the Civil War era.  Literature and photographic images reflect, communicate, and influence human perspectives of historical events.  Specifically, the unit helps students to view the Civil War era through a child’s eye, rather than from an adult perspective.  Following an introduction to the Civil War using photographic, daguerreotype, and non-fiction sources, students read Paul Fleischman’s Bull Run in Readers Theater format.  Next, students examine and interpret primary source images of Civil War era children.  Then, students reveal their understanding of a child’s perspective in a literary portrait.  In sum, this lesson integrates reading, writing, and US history standards.

 

Objectives

Students will:

  • Use primary and secondary source materials to explore perspectives of the Civil War
  • Read historical fiction as an introduction to multiple perspectives of the Civil War
  • Analyze and interpret images from the American Memory collections
  • Make inferences about how children were affected by the Civil War
  • Create a literary portrait that conveys a child’s perspective of the Civil War era
Time Required 5-6 class periods
Recommended Grade Level Grades 6-8
Curriculum Fit This lesson is designed to respond to National Content Standards for Literature, Reading, and U.S. History as well as the American Association of School Libraries Information Literacy Standards for Student Learners.
Resources Used

American Memory collections:

 

Lesson Overview | Teacher's Guide | Student Page | Images

 

The Library of Congress | American Memory
  
Questions? Contact us
Last updated 9/12/2002