Students research Civil War battles and use their notes to create a class encyclopedia.
Record the list on the board and encourage volunteers to locate the battle sites on a current map or on a historical map of the Civil War. If any part of the Civil War was fought near your community, ask students if they have ever visited one of the battlefields. Have them describe what they saw and what they learned of the battle and its significance in the war. Point out that Civil War battles were fought not only in cities and at major forts, but also on farms, in small towns, along rivers, and on the ocean. Tell students that they will research selected Civil War battles and record information in a class encyclopedia.