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http://slaverystories.org/home
I particularly liked that this database had not only written but oral narratives. I would use this database during Black History Month in conjunction with my introduction of biographies of famous black Americans.

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/index.html
This is another database that I would use in conjunction with biographies and Black History Month. I liked that it was both written and oral and had links to newspaper articles.

http://altchive.org/private-voices
Collection of letters from soldiers. Particularly liked the explanations or words and phrases that were used in the letters so that they were easier to comprehend. I would definitely use this with fifth graders during their study of the Civil War.

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I am a librarian and see each class only 40 minutes per week. Of these 40 minutes 15 are used to select and check out books. Therefore I do not have the time to undertake an extensive lesson unless I do it collaboratively. I am also limited to the use of ten computers.
The purpose of the lesson is to help fifth grade students realize the trauma and effects of war on the soldiers who experienced it. The lesson will be immersed in their study of the Civil War.

Title: "A Letter to My Loved One"
SOL VS 1, and 7 English 5.7 & 5.8
Length of lesson: 2 - 3 weeks

Procedure: The classroom teacher will introduce the lesson explaining the end product (letter). Read the non fiction book "Voices of the Civil War Stories From the Battlefields" by Jason D. Nemeth (librarian). Read the fiction book " A Soldier's Heart" by Gary Paulson. (classroom teacher)
Field trip to the American Civil War Museum and The White House of the Confederacy to view the exhibits of battle flags, uniforms, personal effects, weapons, etc. (classroom teacher).
Product: Using the information they learned from the field trip and the experiences they heard in the book write a letter to a loved one (parent, sweetheart, sibling, best friend)  from the perspective of a soldier experiencing battle, being on the march, in prison, etc. (classroom teacher)

Suggested reading:
Civil War Books
Non fiction

The Biggest Battles of the Civil War –Kolpin, Molly (AR 5.3)

Heroes of the Civil War – Wittman, Susan S. (AR 5.3)

Voices of the Civil War Stories from the Battlefield – Nemeth, Jason D. (AR 5.1)

Fiction

Across Five Aprils – Hunt, Irene (AR 6.6)

Behind Enemy Lines True Stories of Amazing Courage – Doyle, Bill (includes one story about the Civil War) (AR 5.0)

The Journal of James Edmond Pease: A Civil War Union Soldier – Murphy, Jim (AR 5.7)

The Journal of Rufus Rowe: A Witness to the Battle of Fredericksburg – Hite, Sid (AR 5.9)

A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin – Hesse, Karen (AR 5.3)

A Time to Dance Virginia’s Civil War Diary – Osborne, Mary Pope and Will (AR 5.1)

When Will This Cruel War Be Over? The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson – Denenberg, Barry (AR 6.6)

Which Way Freedom? – Hansen, Joyce (based on actual facts) (AR 4.5)

Evaluation: Rubric (joint effort)

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A collaborative lesson with fifth grade classes during Black History Month when I emphasize biographies of famous black Americans.

Title: My Underground Railroad Journal
SOL VS 1 and 7 English 5.7 & 5.8
Length of lesson: 3 -4 weeks

Procedure: The classroom teacher will introduce the lesson explaining the end product (6 page journal). Read the book "A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman" by David A. Adler (librarian) and "If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad" by Ellen Levine (classroom teacher).
Field trip to Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the  Civil War Soldier ( in particular the slave quarters and exhibit on slavery in America.
Students will then chose the character they wish to create their journal about, either runaway slave or conductor. In diary form they will describe their journey from the plantation/farm to freedom along the Underground Railroad. The journal must chronicle at least 6 days describing in detail their surroundings, weather, time of day, and the events that happen along the way including any fellow passengers. After writing and editing they will create a 6"x 11" "leather journal out of a paper bag to include at least 6 separate pages tied together with twine.

Suggested reading:
Civil War Books
Non fiction

Great Women of the Civil War – Kolpin, Molly ( AR 4.8)

Heroes of the Civil War – Wittman, Susan S. (AR 5.3)

Voices of the Civil War Stories from the Battlefield – Nemeth, Jason D. (AR 5.1)

Fiction
Across Five Aprils – Hunt, Irene (AR 6.6)

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl – Hansen, Joyce (AR 5.0)

The Journal of Rufus Rowe: A Witness to the Battle of Fredericksburg – Hite, Sid (AR 5.9)

A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin – Hesse, Karen (AR 5.3)

Message in the Sky Corey’s Underground Railroad Diary – Wyeth, Sharon Dennis (AR 4.0)

Pink And Say – Polacco, Patricia  (AR 4.9 )

A Time to Dance Virginia’s Civil War Diary – Osborne, Mary Pope and Will (AR 5.1)

When Will This Cruel War Be Over? The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson – Denenberg, Barry (AR 6.6)

Which Way Freedom? – Hansen, Joyce (based on actual facts) (AR 4.5)

Suggested database: http://altchive.org/private-voices

Evaluation: Rubric (joint effort)

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A library lesson with third grade students during Black History Month.

Before teaching this lesson create a wooden box using the exact measurements of Henry’s box ( two feet/eight inches deep, two feet wide, and three feet long).

Title: Henry's Freedom Box

Procedure: Read the book - "Henry"s Freedom Box A True Story of the Underground Railroad" by Ellen Levine.
Students may use the box to realize Henry's confines while in the box.the Use the databases (below) to learn more about Henry and to show the book Henry wrote about his life.

http://www.craftingfreedom.org/brown/video.php

http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/brownbox/brownbox.html

https://www.virginiahistory.org/collections-and-resources/virginia-history-explorer/resurrection-henry-box-brown

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026403/1849-06-23/ed-1/seq-1/