Young children stand behind and a railing and look at a tower of books.
Photo by Gary Erskine.

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 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

Video (3 min): Get to know the history of Ford’s Theatre and the events surrounding end of the Civil War and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

John Wilkes Booth’s Diary

A nineteenth century leather-bound diary open to a tide chart for December 1864, along with a page filled with hand-written notes.
Photo by Carol Highsmith.

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.

Download Student Activity
Google Slides

Investigation and Trial

Video (2 min): After shooting President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth fled into the night, sparking a twelve-day manhunt. Find out where he went, who helped him escape and what happened when he was finally caught.

Looking for Clues

A faded 19th-century letter written in cursive.
Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

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.

Download Student Activity
Google Slides

Lincoln’s Legacy

Video (2 min): The clothing we wear can reveal something about who we are. Lincoln’s tall hat is iconic, but his black wool coat tells its own story. Discover how it became a symbol of his vision for America.

Why is Lincoln on Money?

Zoomed in image of a five dollar bill, with Abraham Lincoln's head in the middle.

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.

Download Student Activity
Google Slides

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