Whether you are visiting Carter House, Carnton or Rippa Villa, touring the battlefield, or teaching in the classroom – these educational resources will provide an interactive experience for your students.
Looking for specific information to use in your classroom, but do not see it here? Contact our Education Coordinator, Jenny Peach, with any further questions at (615) 905-0692 or jenny@boft.org.
Lesson Plans
These lesson plans can be used in your classroom or while you are visiting Carter House and Carnton!
Hidden Stories: Home education resources from The Battle of Franklin Trust
Soldiers’ Stories at Carter House: This lesson can be done in the classroom or at Carter House. If you are in the classroom use the map provided. If you are at Carter House, have the students use the map and walk around the Carter property.
Lesson Plan
Map & Answer Key
Location Guides
Want to visit more than just Carter House, Carnton, or Rippa Villa? Visit these free sites with your students.
Want a guide? Battle of Franklin Trust can provide one – just ask!
Books for the Classroom
Lizzie’s War by Margie Thessin
Want an easy-to-read fiction book on the Battle of Franklin? Lizzie’s War is perfect. The book is filled with real people and real events that took place in Franklin, TN surrounding the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. Lizzie is the same age as your students, so her perspective is very relatable.
Available in the gift shops of Carter House and Carnton and online at store.boft.org
Bullets and Bayonets: A Battle of Franklin Primer
An all-encompassing book on the Battle of Franklin and the Civil War. From the stories of Federal and Confederate soldiers to the kinds of artillery used at the battle.
Available in the gift shops of Carter House and Carnton and online at store.boft.org
Confederate Winter by Kurt Vetters
Confederate Winter tells the story of a young boy caught up in the Civil War’s last days. He has to solve issues in his relationship with his father, his understanding of the true nature of the Civil War, and his struggles with slavery. This novel, recommended for 6th grade and up, helps students comprehend hard realities of the Civil War and learn about Middle Tennessee’s role in the Western Theater.
Click here for a Study Guide for Confederate Winter by Kurt Vetters.
Freedom Spring by Kurt Vetters
Told from the perspective of a young ex-slave near the end of the Civil War, this book emphases the role of slavery in the politics of the war, the importance of U.S.C.T. troops in the U.S. Army, and the Western Theater at the end of the war.
Available in the gift shops of Carter House and Carnton and online at store.boft.org
American Battlefield Trust’s Animated Battle of Franklin Map
Are your students having trouble understanding troop movements or visualizing a Civil War battle? This 11 minute video is the perfect introduction to the Battle of Franklin. It provides great background information as to why the Battle of Franklin occurred as well as what happened on November 30, 1864.
Images & Maps
