This unit is designed to illuminate the remarkable strength and dedication of women during the Civil War. This study provides the background information necessary to allow students in the middle and upper elementary grades to view the remarkable, vivid lives of slaves, spies, abolitionists, nurses, soldiers, mothers, daughters, teachers, and protectors of home and ideals during a turbulent period in American history. This study reveals the way women have influenced and even changed the course of society by their experiences, as documented in diaries, letters, and children’s literature. A strong evidence of commonality is disclosed in the written expressions and feelings of these women.
This unit is structured into three interwoven categories: I. The lives of Euro-American women, II. The lives of African American women, III. The times as seen through the eyes of the female child. At the center of each group, the limelight will be on a limited number of documented lives which parallel the uncounted experiences of many. An educator facilitating this unit will be equipped with opportunities in each section for widening personal perspectives, as well as expanding the hearts and minds of his or her students. This unit provides an integrated approach to learning history by providing opportunities to expand the students’ skills in reading, writing, social studies, and math. The children will be engaged in reading while integrating history with the other objectives designated by the Curriculum Frameworks of the New Haven Public Schools.
(Recommended for Writing, History, Social Studies, Women’s Studies, and Reading, grades 3-8)
