Decisions in War

This analytical reasoning worksheet is designed for students in Grades 6 and 7 to deepen comprehension, ethical thinking, and evidence-based writing through Across Five Aprils. Learners evaluate difficult choices made by key characters-such as Bill’s decision to fight for the Confederacy or Jethro’s responsibility to remain at home-and determine whether those decisions were justified, using textual evidence, moral reasoning, and careful interpretation to support their conclusions.

Learning Goals

• Character Motivation & Conflict (Grades 6-7)
  Students analyze why characters make specific choices during times of war and pressure.
• Ethical Reasoning in Literature
  Learners evaluate moral dilemmas involving loyalty, duty, belief, and consequence.
• Evidence-Based Argumentation
  Activities require students to support opinions with specific details from the text.
• Perspective & Empathy Development
  Students consider multiple viewpoints shaped by personal values and historical context.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with middle school ELA and social studies standards.
• Discussion-Ready Format
  Prompts naturally support debate, written response, or Socratic-style discussion.
• Encourages Higher-Order Thinking
  Moves beyond recall to judgment, justification, and ethical reflection.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Ideal for literature units, homework, discussion preparation, or assessment.
• Printable & No-Prep
  Easy to implement in classroom or homeschool settings.

This Decisions in War worksheet helps students thoughtfully examine how individuals respond to moral challenges during conflict. By judging character choices and defending their reasoning with evidence, learners strengthen close reading, ethical analysis, and argumentative writing skills. Whether used in a classroom or homeschool environment, this printable resource provides meaningful practice connecting literature, history, and moral reasoning.

This worksheet is part of our Across Five Aprils collection.