If I were teaching 8th grade this week...

I just loved my 8th graders so much last year. They truly were such a wonderful group that continued to raise the bar. Each day I had to ask myself how can I extend their learning? They truly kept me on my toes and kept me accountable for the highest level of instruction. I LOVED IT! Additionally, what is so amazing about teaching history now is it is much more than just memorization, it is putting it into context, validating sources, and looking at diverse perspectives. There is so much more to gain when teaching it this way. Students can thread together patterns from the past and connect it to the future.
At the end of the year, my students did a "Top 8 of 8th." Hearing their takeaways was a highlight of my year. One of the memories most cherished by the students was our simulations, class games, hyperdocs, projects, and conversations. Because we are out of the classroom right now, we cannot do some of those things (wahhhh). However, something we did do in the classroom are hyperdocs. Hyperdocs are an essential component because it allows teachers to differentiate instruction for students and students can work at their own pace. I love the website here which is all about "teachers giving to teachers." Yes! Giving!
I love this military hyperdoc here that focused on the Civil War, however, students should have a strong grasp of the causes of the Civil War. We do several class activities leading up to this point, but a good refresher is this Khan Academy link here and review on quizlet here.
Okay, so back to the hyperdoc. Students simply make a copy of the here and then they are able to build up their knowledge on the Civil War guided by the investigative question to further research how the tactics and strategies used in the Civil War affected later wars. After they are well-versed in the Civil War, this is a great time for students to talk to relatives who may have knowledge of military history or personal experience as a service member. This "eye witness" to history will help students really understand an additional layer and personalize history. Once students see the impact that history still has on us today, they understand the significance of knowing it.
A few resources to share:  I love this book as a reference. The icons, images, and note style make the content matter approachable to students. Chapters to reference would be chapter 22, 30,32, 35, and 43.
Of course, my students know how cheesy I am and how I love to play music, songs, and games to help make history FUN! Flocabulary has a great song here and also a fun review game here. Below is a picture of me (dressed as Grant) during one of our simulations.

Check the ratings for parent preference, but I enjoy the following movies to help solidify understanding of the Civil War. 

Glory link here

Gettysburg here

America: Story of Us Episode 5 here

Ken Burns: The Civil War here