Teach the events leading up to the Civil War. Discuss as a class (using class history books, overhead projections and other available materials) what events lead to the Civil War, for example, the Dred Scott decision, the formation of the Republican party and the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Divide the class into small groups of two to five students and assign each group a different event. Ask them to discuss as a group the event and why it contributed to the beginning of the Civil War. Instruct them to summarize their discussion and present it to the class.
Teach the different ideologies of the Union and the Confederacy. Divide the class into two sides, one group representing the Union and the other representing the Confederates. Ask both groups to make a list of the things that it believes. Instruct the students to write their lists on the board. Discuss as a class why there were disagreements.
Assign each student a different Civil War personality, such as Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Ulysses S. Grant, for a long-term project. Ask the students to research their personality to find their role in the Civil War. Instruct them to summarize their findings in a short essay.
Discuss as a class how the Civil War came to an end. Break the class into small groups and ask each group to create a short skit highlighting one event that led to the end of the war. Each student must a play a role or narrate. Have the groups present its skit to the class when completed.