Teaching Lincoln’s Assassination and Legacy
Elementary School
Get started with primary sources by taking a close look at John Wilkes Booth’s Diary. Learn how to become a history detective and uncover clues in historic photographs. A penny or a dollar for your thoughts! Lincoln is right there on both forms of money. Use these activities for large or small group discussions on why Lincoln remains an important and influential American figure!
Educators and students can select from the following themes:
- Lincoln’s Assassination – Understand the events leading up to and following April 14, 1865.
- The Investigation and Trial – Dive into the search for John Wilkes Booth and the trial of the conspirators.
- Lincoln’s Legacy – Analyze Abraham Lincoln’s lasting impact on America today.
Each theme includes a short narrative video, a teacher’s guide and a 20-minute student-managed activity in Google Slides. Designed to build critical thinking skills, these activities explore primary sources and feature engaging discussion questions. The notes section on the first slide includes a Student Note Catcher and a Teacher Answer Key.
Lincoln’s Assassination
John Wilkes Booth’s Diary
Student Activity (20 min): Why did John Wilkes Booth assassinate President Abraham Lincoln? Some of the answers can be found by taking a close look at a primary source, John Wilkes Booth’s diary. By asking critical questions about the creation of historical objects, students will gain a greater understanding of how historians evaluate the reliability of primary sources.
Teacher Resource: How does John Wilkes Booth’s diary connect with the broader historical context in which it was written? This resource explores the division of states during the Civil War and the varying perspectives of people who lived in the border states.
Investigation and Trial
Looking for Clues
Student Activity (20 min): Investigate like a historian! Students will exercise observational skills through visual analysis of several images. By closely examining historical photographs, they will discover how people reacted to President Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre.
Teacher Resource: Newspapers and letters serve as an excellent starting point to understanding how people in 1865 reacted to the murder of President Abraham Lincoln. Examine several different accounts from communities around the country and how they responded upon learning the news.
Lincoln’s Legacy
Why is Lincoln on Money?
Student Activity (20 min): This lesson explores the impact of Abraham Lincoln’s legacy through his representation on American currency. Students will evaluate facts from Lincoln’s life and determine why he remains one of the most respected presidents.
Teacher Resource: Placing someone’s image on currency is a way of memorializing their actions and impact on the nation. This resource describes the process involved in deciding who is represented on US currency and why President Lincoln was chosen for the $5 bill and penny.
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