The United States is rich with history. Visiting landmarks, museums, and historical sites throughout the country can bring depth and meaning to your history lessons. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to take students on field trips. Thankfully, with so many incredible resources online, you can take your students on virtual field trips!
Below, I have compiled a list of my favorite Civil War virtual field trips for middle school students.
1. Visit Major Battlefields of the Civil War with the American Battlefield Trust
- Overview: In these virtual tours, students visit historic battlefields from a 360° panoramic viewpoint. Each tour includes several “scenes” for students to explore. Within each scene are clickable “tour points” that reveal historical information, photographs, primary sources, and more! Here are just a few of the battlefields students can visit:
- Grade Level: This virtual field trip would be ideal for grades 6+. Navigating between “scenes” and reading through each “tour point” might be difficult for younger students.
- Time: 30-60 min. (per battlefield tour), depending on how many “scenes” the battlefield has.
- Suggested Learning Objective: Define key details from major battles of the Civil War.
- Teacher Tips:
- Take the time to look through the tour ahead of time.
- Create a “tour guide” for students to fill out as they explore. Here are some examples!
- K-L chart. Before completing the virtual tour, students write down all of the things they already know about the battle. After exploring the battlefield, students write down facts they have learned.
- Fold a piece of paper so it has the same number of sections as scenes in the battlefield tour. In each section, students write down one thing they learned from each scene of the tour.
- I recommend utilizing the Learn section of this website! Scroll down to Battle Overviews to access articles describing each of the major battles of the Civil War. You can also find these detailed articles from the virtual tour webpage – just click on the battle name under “Related Battles.”
2. Visit the Andersonville Prison in Georgia
- Overview: From PBS Learning Media, students will take a virtual field trip to visit the Andersonville Prison in Georgia. This field trip includes journal entries, photographs, videos, and 360° tour experiences.
- Grade Level: 8+
- Time: 30-60 min.
- Suggested Learning Objectives: Reflect on what life was like for prisoners in the Andersonville Prison. Explain Georgia’s role in the Civil War.
- Teacher Tips: Once you have launched this virtual field trip, you can access a User Guide in the top right corner of the screen. This guide includes lesson plan ideas, a link to an online textbook with related articles, discussion questions, extension activities, and much more!
3. Take a Virtual Field Trip to The Ford’s Theater
- Overview: The Ford’s Theater offers a LIVE virtual field trip. A museum curator will visit your classroom via Zoom (or whatever platform your school uses).
- Grade Level: 6-8
- Time: 45-60 min.
- Suggested Learning Objectives: Analyze primary sources to investigate President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
- Teacher Tips: Teachers are required to sign up in advance for a specific date and time. I would recommend making this a grade level experience! Here is a link to the FAQs for more information.
- This website also offers several digital programs. Each program includes a teacher’s guide, graphic organizers, and an interactive website experience. You can even copy the activities into Google Classroom so the entire program can all be completed online! Here are some of the programs offered:
4. Visit the National Museum of the United States Army
- Overview: This particular virtual field trip is called, The Civil War Soldier’s Load: Technological Innovations. Students will meet with a museum educator to explore the gear, weapons, and personal items that soldiers used during the Civil War.
- Grade Level: 4-12
- Time: 60 min.
- Suggested Learning Objectives: Identify uniforms, weapons, and equipment used by Civil War Soldiers and describe their functions. Describe how Soldiers using the objects carried out the U.S. Army’s mission. List examples of new technologies used during the Civil War and describe how mission requirements drove innovation. *These objectives are taken directly from the field trip description on the website.
- Teacher Tips: To participate, you can either sign up for a presentation from the museum’s public event schedule, or request to schedule a personal field trip time that fits your group’s schedule.
5. Visit the National Civil War Museum
- Overview: From artifacts to manuscripts and documents, to photographs and video presentations, students will be enthralled as they walk through the timeline of the Civil War. In this virtual field trip, a member of the museum’s educational staff will teach about various Civil War topics. They can also give presentations about specific topics that relate to what you are learning in class!
- Grade Level: 5+
- Time: 60-120 min.
- Suggested Learning Objectives: Objectives can vary based on your preference. Examples include: Recognize the timeline of events in the Civil War; Understand the effects of the Civil War on the nation and its people.
- Teacher Tips: To schedule a virtual field trip, you must email the museum educator, Diane DiFebo, at educator@nationalcivilwarmuseum.org. You can take a 360° “sneak peek” of the museum grounds here. There are also several educational and fun videos you can watch online!
Free Battles of the Civil War Activity
Field trips across the country (and, sometimes, even just a few miles away!) are not always possible. But we are fortunate to live in a time when technology allows us to take our students on virtual field trips! I hope these Civil War virtual field trips for middle school students bring excitement to your classroom.
As you take your students on a virtual tour of historic Civil War battle sites, add further insight with this free Battles of the Civil War Activity.
In this activity, students will analyze 8 primary and secondary sources to uncover facts about some of the most important battles of the Civil War. Sources include maps, letters, photographs, newspaper articles, and more.
Students will take on the role of historians as they walk around the room searching for clues in the sources to find the missing information about these significant battles.
I even include a reflection page for students who finish quickly!
Download Your FREE Battles of the Civil War Activity
More Civil War Resources
Looking for additional resources to help you teach about the Civil War?
- 3 Week Civil War Unit: This all-inclusive unit provides interactive lesson plans that will keep your students engaged and help them learn the information in a meaningful way.
- Civil War Primary Sources: An outline of 5 (additional) primary sources, complete with teaching suggestions. I have also created a compilation of primary sources for several other US History topics as well!
- Civil War Timeline Worksheet: A simple timeline activity to help your students connect the events together in a meaningful way.
- Civil War Videos: 7 of my favorite educational and age-appropriate videos for teaching the Civil War to middle school students.
- Civil War Picture Books: 7 worthwhile picture books to help bring the Civil War to life in your classroom.
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