Gettysburg

On May 9, 2003, the Takoma Park eighth grade took a trip to Gettysburg, PA. The Battle of Gettysburg was a three day battle lasting from July 1, 1863 to July 3, 1863, during the Civil War. The Conferdeate and Union forces faced each other and after three days of bloody fighting, the Union (the North) won.

[students who were examining a cannon turn around to smile at the camera]   [students climb a memorial to get a birds-eye view of the battlefield]

The students did a variety of activities.  Packets were distributed in the students' World Studies classes, requiring them to formulate ten "key questions" that they then had to find the answer to; take notes on various authentic artifacts on display; and analyze the military strategies of the Confederate and Union forces by plotting unit locations on a map.  After they had a little while to walk around the museum, the students were treated to a display of the "Electronic Map"-a large scale model of the 200 acre Gettysburg battlefield that had certain parts light up to show where the different elements of the battle were.

[this is what the Union army saw...] [this too...]

Students then headed to General Picket's Buffet for lunch.  The food there was generally given the "thumbs up" by hungry children and adults alike.  A salad bar, lunch line and dessert table were available.

[students smiling after a delicious lunch]   [teachers can enjoy lunch too]   [we're full...]   [yummy]   [there was a nice souvenir store in the restaurant too]

Following the refreshing lunch, students piled back on the buses for more "museum time".  When they had completed the artifact and key question sections of their packets, all buses went on the "bus tour" to view the landmarks of the battle. 

[a monument on the battlefield]

Little Round Top, the large hill that gave the Union an advantage; the peach orchard, where General Dan Sickles of the Union army hid against orders; Devil's Den, where a 'demonic' rattlesnake was once said to hide; and Cemetery Hill, home to both a national cemetery and the cemetery belonging to the town of Gettysburg, were all stops on the tour ride.  The students were able to complete the last segment of their packets-the map section. 

After a long day, the tired students got back on their buses a final time and began their 1 and a half hour bus ride that would take them back home.