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Fort Ward offers a comprehensive educational kit called Life During the Civil War, designed for use by teachers in elementary through high school grades. This varied program contains a wide selection of materials to be explored by students in visual, tactile and audio form. A Teacher’s Guide Notebook contains lessons and exercises to be selected by the teacher for use in the classroom on themes such as the common soldier, photography during the Civil War, civilian response to military occupation, music during the war, and the role of women and African American soldiers.

The rich array of teaching resources includes primary source documents such as letters and soldiers’ narratives, photographs, slides which portray life in camp, and a music cassette tape of Civil War songs. Hands-on reproduction objects in the soldier’s haversack and lady’s purse are also featured. Through Life During the Civil War, students learn about the experiences and views of soldiers and civilians in both the North and South. The different sections of the program feature exercises, games, suggested reading lists and follow-up activities. Life During the Civil War may be borrowed by local teachers for two weeks for a fee of $15.00, or three weeks for $20.00. To make a reservation for the kit, please call 703-838-4848.