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History of the United States! Semester-Long American Civil War Course!
Class Experience
US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
Learn all about the US Civil War from someone who has been teaching it to this age group for 2 decades! There will be fifteen immersive sessions that will cover the lead-up to the conflict to the end of the war, Reconstruction, and the long-term effects of the I teach by using slides, original photographs, video clips, discussions and more. There will be question/answer periods and both group and individual opportunities to offer answers and opinions about the subject. I encourage...
15 lessons//15 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1The Era Between the Revolutionary War and the US Civil WarWhat events occurred between 1783 and 1861? Louisiana Purchase Lewis and Clark Expedition War of 1812 Battle of the Alamo Trail of Tears The Mexican-American War The Gold RushWeek 2Lesson 2Introduction to the Civil WarSlavery John Brown The Underground Railroad Bleeding Kansas The Election of 1860 SecessionWeek 3Lesson 3Weapons, Technology, and Uniforms of the Civil WarThe rifled musket Minie bullet Civil War artillery and types of ammunition Cavalry during the Civil War Communication modes Uniforms of the Civil War...it might not be what you think!Week 4Lesson 4Opening shotsLincoln vs Davis The North and South, in brief Advantages of the North Advantages of the South The Shelling of Fort Sumter The First Battle of Bull RunWeek 5Lesson 5The Battle of ShilohConfederate withdrawal opens the door for the Union Preparations Actions at Shiloh Church, the Peach Orchard, Water Oaks Pond, and the Hornet’s Nest A Union Victory, but at a high costWeek 6Lesson 6The Battle of Antietam Creek (Sharpsburg)The bloodiest day in American history McClellan takes Command The qualities of Lee The Three phases of the battleWeek 7Lesson 7Fredericksburg and the Emancipation ProclamationBurnside takes over Marye's Heights Richard Rowland Kirkland Richmond saved due to Union bungling Lincoln frees the slaves, and the ramifications of this decisionWeek 8Lesson 8The Homefront during the Civil WarEconomy in the North Farming in the North Cities in the North Economy in the South Slavery in the South Plantation life Farming in the South Cities in the SouthWeek 9Lesson 9The Battle of ChancellorsvilleHooker takes over Pincer Plan Confederates outnumbered Zoan Church engagement Fighting around Chancellorsville Hooker withdrawsWeek 10Lesson 10The Battle of GettysburgTaking control of the Mississippi Splitting the Confederacy in two The tide turns (kind of) at Gettysburg The 20th Maine at Little Round Top Pickett's Charge (and Pettigrew's, and Trimble's) What was Lee thinking?Week 11Lesson 11The Vicksburg CampaignThe Importance of Vicksburg The Mississippi River The Campaign Grant’s tactics The siege Pemberton’s surrender Vicksburg fallsWeek 12Lesson 12African Americans during the Civil WarFrederick Douglas Bureau of Colored Troops Service & casualties Prejudice in the military Segregated units 54th Regiment Black service pay The danger of being capturedWeek 13Lesson 13Naval Battles of the American Civil WarThe Battles of Forts Henry and Donelson Battle of Hampton Roads The Capture of New Orleans The Siege of Charleston Harbor The Hunley and the Housatonic CSS Alabama vs. USS Kearsarge The Battle of Mobile BayWeek 14Lesson 14The End of the WarFinal battles The Confederate surrender at Appomattox The death of a president Reconstruction Long term effects of the Civil WarWeek 15Lesson 15Civil War ObscurePicnics at Bull Run? Mourning Glow in the dark wounds? Arlington's history Harriet Tubman's raid Elephants in the Union Army? The largest snowball fight in history
- Students will develop a greater knowledge of the American Civil War, including why it occurred, the importance of it and the long lasting effects after its completion.
0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Mastery Evaluation
Frequency: available upon requestFeedback: available upon requestDetails:Certificate of Completion
Frequency: available upon requestDetails: I'd be happy to issue a certificate of completion if requested.
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
I have been teaching military history to elementary students since 2001 and parents have appreciated the approach I use given the age of the students. I try to keep our study away from the more age inappropriate topics, such as The Holocaust, harsh treatment of POW's, etc. It is not that these topics aren't important, it's just that the age range for these lessons (8-14) is a bit on the younger side, so I feel that they are better left to teachers of older grades. When I do get questions about the more disturbing aspects of the war, I might answer along the lines of, "these soldiers went into this country and did not treat the people there well," instead of giving specifics. Having said this, please be aware that these classes are about warfare and military history. One aspect of this is to talk about weapons from the corresponding era, and to discuss advancements in military technology. I don't handle any firearms personally, but we do discuss weapons and technology and I show pictures and videos when appropriate. If your learner is sensitive to this kind of subject, and may get frightened or upset upon seeing a picture of a rifle, cannon, tank or bullet, then this may not be the class for them. This is a class about military history, and there is no way to avoid this, so please take this into account before signing up.
There are many sources that I use for this course. Primary documents such as the Emancipation Proclamation and the Gettysburg Address will all be referenced in this course. There are also many books and websites that I use as well, such as YouTube, where I carefully vet age-appropriate videos for the learners. Some examples of books that I will use include: The Battle Cry of Freedom by James MacPherson The Civil War by Shelby Foote The Civil War by Ken Burns, Geoffrey C. Ward, Ric Burns
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Manhattanville College
Bachelor's Degree from State University of New York College at Fredonia
Hello, my name is Michael DiMinno and I have been teaching for over 20 years. I hold a Master's degree in Elementary Education and spent most of my tenure as a classroom teacher. Over the past 3 years I have shifted to remote small group...
Group Class
$25
weekly or $375 for 15 classes1x per week, 15 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-15
5-11 learners per class