Lesson Plans
Remote learning is a challenge. That’s why the National Museum of Civil War Medicine has decided to do our part to assist teachers, parents, and students. Our staff has prepared several lesson plans based on Maryland educational guidelines. Click the titles below to download or print them. Please contact Tracey McIntire at tracey.mcintire@civilwarmed.org with any questions or special requests. Don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback and to let us know if you found them useful.
If you’re not an educator by trade, never fear! These lesson plans give step-by-step directions, and all necessary worksheets are included. They can be changed so that they fit within every child’s needs and grade level. These can be used in conjunction with what is being taught in the classroom or if you want to expand your child’s knowledge of Civil War Medicine. Don’t hesitate to contact Tracey McIntire at tracey.mcintire@civilwarmed.org with special requests, questions or feedback.
Emancipation – 4th and 8th Grade
One of the greatest legacies of the Civil War was the destruction of legalized slavery in the United States. This lesson plan has students take a close look at how the Emancipation Proclamation impacted free and enslaved African Americans in Maryland.
Food and Nutrition – 4th and 8th Grade
Civil War soldiers’ diet was often poor. This lesson plan focuses on the nutritional value of that diet by asking students to compare it with their own.
Jonathan Letterman – 4th and 8th Grade
This lesson plan gives students an up close look at Jonathan Letterman the innovator behind emergency medicine as we know it today.
Amputation – 4th and 8th Grade
This lesson plan emphasizes the importance of the war’s most common surgical procedure – amputation. Students will learn why it saved as many lives as it did.
The Emotional Impact of Amputation – 4th and 8th Grade
The effects of amputations lasted far beyond the day of the procedure. Students will be placed in the soldiers’ shoes to get a sense of what they felt.
Civil War Prosthetics – 4th and 8th Grade
Students will learn the direct connection between Civil War prosthetics and those still being made today in this lesson plan.
Language: Then and Now – 4th and 8th Grade
By closely reading the Civil War letters of Peleg Bradford, students will be tasked with determining the ways language has changed from the Civil War to today.
Triage – 8th Grade
Our modern method of prioritizing the sick and wounded began during the Civil War. This lesson plan for 8th graders highlights the many similarities between triage today and in the 1860’s by putting students in the shoes of medical professionals throughout the years.
Civil War Hospital Diets – 4th and 8th Grade
This lesson plan highlights the type of food given to patients at Civil War hospitals and encourages students to evaluate the nutritional value.
Primary Sources: Antietam Surgeons – 8th Grade
The Civil War produced a wealth of letters, diaries, and official reports. Students will closely examine several sources, debate their merits, and describe what we can learn from each.
Ambulances – 8th Grade
The Civil War produced a more efficient system of emergency medicine. This was especially true of the Ambulance Corps. Students will be asked to study primary sources and determine how we still benefit from Civil War medical innovation.
Civil War Hospitals – 4th Grade
The unprecedented health care crisis of the Civil War demanded a complete overhaul of the existing hospital system. Students will study different types of Civil War hospitals and be asked what similarities and differences they note between 19th century and modern hospitals.