Children during the Civil War

You are a child during the times of the Civil War. In this lesson you will learn about their duties on the home front as well as create letters to write to your loved ones that are fighting in the war.

The Task

Your job as students is to explore different resources that I have provided you to better understand the role of children during the Civil War. You will view a ten minute video about life on the home front as well as read speeches from Abraham Lincoln to add to your research.

Students- you will be using the information you gather to write letters to your loved ones that have went off to fight in the war.

After writing your letters you will present them to the class. These will be on display at our Family History Night.

The Process

Read all directions before you begin your activities.

Activity One:

You are going to break up into groups of three to click on the links I have provided to do your rearch. The following details are what I want you to reflect on while doing your research.

1. Daily jobs
2. Weather conditions
3. Tools used
4. Time of day chores took place
5. What was their water source
6. What was their food source
7. Did they have crops?
8. Did they have farm animals?
9. How did they collect food?
10. Did they have any business's they had to take over for income?
11. Were there any siblings left at home to help?

Activity Two

Read a Abraham Lincoln speech and keep in mind these details when taking notes:

1. Where did the speech take place?
2. Was there a crowd?
3. Were the people for or against Lincoln?
4. What is one quote from his speech?
5. What was your feelings when listening to his speech?

Activity Three

We will arrange you into groups different than what you had before and you will read your speeches to each other and your fellow students will give their insight on your speech and you can make any changes you may want to after this.

Activity Four

Reading letters from the home front. Each student will read their letters to the class.

These letters will be avaliable for your parents to view at Family History Night.

Your presentation will be graded on the following:

1. Details in the speech
2. Clarity of presentation
3. Sentence formatting
4. Group participation
5. Work is done in a timely manner
6. Presentation is well planned and informative

After doing research, viewing the video, and also reading speeches from Abraham Lincoln the student will have a better understanding of the life on the home front for children during the Civil War.

Useful websites on children during the Civil War on the home front:

On the home front during the Civil War:

http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/education/programs/on-the-homefront-during-the-civil-war/

Children on the Home Front....Keeping things going:

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/children-in-the-civil-war/Children-on-the-Civil-War-Home-Front.html

Children's roles during the Civil War:

http://whitehillp4.tripod.com/thepittifulhomefront/id3.html

Video:

How the Civil War affected the economy and everyday life in the North and South:

http://study.com/academy/lesson/how-the-civil-war-affected-the-economy-and-everyday-life-in-the-north-and-south.html

Abraham Lincoln Speeches:

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/February/abraham-lincoln-speeches.htm

Objectives:

• To learn about events on the home front for children during the time of the Civil War and the roles they played.
• To learn to analyze research in primary resources to gather the information they need to compose their letters
• To learn as writers how to incorporate factual material into a letter.