What Your Child Is Learning in Unit 5 "The Nation Divides and Reunites"

In this unit, your child will learn about the United States before, during, and after the Civil War. He or she will read about two of the issues that divided the country -- slavery and states' rights -- as well as the difficult period of healing.

Activities You Can Do at Home to Support Your Child's Learning

Chapter 11 Causes of the Civil War

• Encourage your son or daughter to read a book or watch a movie or television program (Ken Burns's "Civil War" is one possibility) that deals with slavery in the United States. Discuss the impact of slavery on all Americans.

• If possible, visit an historic site of the Civil War or a museum that has artifacts from the Civil War period. Talk to a guide or read museum materials about the importance of the site or artifacts. Discuss with your child how studying historic sites and artifacts can help you learn about the past.

Chapter 12 A Nation Divided

• Help your child understand the extent to which the Civil War divided families. The issue of slavery divided some families; states' rights divided others. Sometimes these differences resulted in family members fighting one another on the battle field. Discuss with your son or daughter some issues that divide families today.

• Locate books in a library, visit museums, or watch movies or documentaries that portray the significant events in the African American civil rights movement. Work with your child to make a timeline of these significant events, beginning with Reconstruction and going up to today.