Students’ Resources
Bolotin, Norman. Civil War A to Z: A young Person’s Guide to Over 100 People, Places and Points of Importance. New York: Dutton, 2002. This book, containing over one hundred thirty references to people, events and dates from the Civil War is a handy reference to have available in the classroom.
Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. New York: Clarion, 1987. This Newbery Award winning book is a fascinating study on Lincoln filled with images of Lincoln and his times which nicely compliments this unit.
Herbert, Janis. The Civil War for Kids: A History with 21 Activities. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 1999. This intriguing book brings the Civil War to life through informative pages and interactive activities, among them re-enacting battles, making hard-tack and assembling a Civil War first aid kit.
Holmes, Catherine. How to Draw Cool Stuff: A Drawing Guide for Teachers and Students. New York: Library Tales Publishing, 2014. Students and teachers will enjoy this step-by-step illustration guide on how to draw everything from ribbons and flags to sneakers and bird cages. It will serve a nice addition to the unit as artwork and illustrations can be used in many of the activities.
Stancheck, John. Eyewitness: Civil War. New York: DK Children’s Publishers, 2000. This book, part of the popular DK Eyewitness series, breaks down the conflict into categories and provides images of objects that will be useful in this unit.
Swanson, James L. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. New York: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2007. This YA version of Swanson’s adult best seller is used directly in our Read 180 text and provides and exciting narrative of the night that lies at the heart of this unit.
Teacher Resources
Hoskins, Janet. Biographical Objects; How Things Tell the Stories of People’s Lives. London: Routledge, 1998. In an interesting study in which objects become biographical signposts, Hoskins examines how material possessions shape our perception and understanding of ourselves.
Keckley, Elizabeth. Behind the Scenes, Or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Rockville: Wildside Press, 2013. An excerpt from this book is used in my Read180 unit. Written by a former slave who later became the dressmaker and confidant of Mary Lincoln, this book not only gives readers a glimpse into the Lincoln White House, but is also a testament to a woman who went on to fight for civil rights activist.
.Kotrosits, Maia. The Lives of Objects; Material Culture, Experience, and the Real in the History of Early Christianity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2020. This study of material culture focuses on how human interactions with materials has shaped beliefs and values across cultures.
Mulready, Cyrus. Object Studies: Introductions to Material Culture. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023. This teacher/student friendly textbook on material culture is an easy read that leads to lessons on exploration of our world through materials that surround us.
Prown, Jules David. An Introduction to Material Culture, Theory and Method in Winterthur Portfolio, Volume 17, No. 1, Spring, 1982, pp1-19. This article utilized at the start of our seminar served as a valuable introduction to material culture theory and method.
Reynolds, David S. Walt Whitman’s America; A Cultural Biography. New York; Vintage Books, 1995. This book is a thorough study of the life and times of Walt Whitman.
Swanson, James L. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. New York: Harpers, 2007. This fascinating study of the hunt for John Wilkes Booth begins with Lincoln’s second inaugural address.
Whitman, Walt. The Complete Poems. New York: Penguin Classics, 2004. This complete collection of Whitman’s poems includes the poet’s O’ Captain! My Captain! which was used in this unit.
Websites
https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/
https://fords.org/
https://www.loc.gov/
https://www.lostinnewhaven.org/
https://npg.si.edu/home/national-portrait-gallery
