Teaching the Civil War with Technology

The following scenario is made possible by American Civil War Augmented Reality, a project created by Pennsylvania history teachers Jeff Mummert (Hershey High School) ,  Art Titzel (Hershey Middle School), and Jay Vasellas (Red Lion High School):

An 8th grade American History class is visiting Gettysburg.  After spending the morning walking the battlefield learning about the battle the students travel to the David Wills House on the Gettysburg Square.  Once they enter the House they are provided a brief overview of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, David Wills, and the aftermath of the battle.  Students  are then  provided tablet pc’s loaded with an augmented reality app entitled “Whose Father Is This?” that will help them assist Philinda Humiston and her 3 children find their beloved  Amos, a soldier for the 154th New York volunteer regiment that was missing after the battle.  Using clues given by the app on the tablet students are directed to points of historic interest around Gettysburg to help them solve the mystery.  As they get close to a clue their app triggers information in the form of letters, newspaper articles, photos, and further clues.  Eventually, the students are guided to the National Cemetery and Amos Humiston’s grave.  At the grave the app triggers a video explaining the mystery of Amos Humiston and how it led to Philinda Humiston opening an orphanage in Gettysburg for the children of deceased soldiers.  Students are then directed to where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address and the app triggers an audio of the address.  The debriefing focuses on how their experience relates to the message of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

The American Civil War Augmented Reality Project (ACWAR) aims to make visits to historic sites more interactive and engaging for all visitors, but especially for students.  Providing students the opportunity to interact with one another on challenging, problem solving tasks is the key to student engagement and learning.  ACWAR aims to create these engaging learning opportunities for students to use at historic sites.

In addition, ACWAR intends to “unlock” the local history and human interest stories related to the Gettysburg Campaign that often gets overlooked by a focus on the purely military aspects of the battle. Students interested in military tactics may be naturally engaged by battlefield tours, but what about the rest of the students who wonder “how much longer until lunch”?  What will make a larger impact on students–passively listening to a guide talk about Gettysburg troop movements, or working with peers to solve an interactive mystery related to the lives of real people involved with the battle.  Augmented reality is the vehicle to this engagement.  If designed correctly the apps and products developed by ACWAR will focus on the story and learning opportunities, and not be focused on  the technology.

With increasing competition in the tablet pc market, and the increasing market share of smart phones, augmented reality applications will play a larger role in our lives.  In addition, the sesquicentennial of the Gettysburg Campaign make the present the perfect time  for ACWAR to be partnered with historic sites to change how students view history.  Recently, the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg and the augmented reality firm Winvolve have become partners.

Despite the exciting partnerships the problem remains money.  Tablet pc’s need to be purchased in order to test and fine tune the apps on real people.  Without monetary support the full potential of ACWAR will never be realized.

Consider contributing to the ACWAR Kickstarter campaign.  Kickstarter is a micro financing site that helps fund projects through individual contributions.

For more information check out the following ACWAR social media sites:
Blog
Facebook
Twitter

Posted under Applications

The Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) will be showing it’s annual coverage of ranger led battlefield walks on July 1 – 5. These shows can also be watched live using the PCN Online Link from their website.

The complete list of walks is available at:
http://www.pcntv.com/battlewalks2010pr.html

Additionally, you can also view clips from previous years’ walks on the site. Here are a few examples:

• The Rose Farm
• Pickett’s Charge
• Cemetery Hill

These clips can easily be used to help supplement any classroom discussion on the battle of Gettysburg.

Enjoy.

Posted under Videos

As you know, I love looking at Civil War era photographs and I have discussed the site Virtual Civil War before.  Mike Lynaugh is a professional photographer who has created a collection of photographs of Civil War battlefields and reenactments know as Virtual Civil War.

And on this the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, I’d like to share one of my favorite collections.  Mike’s Gettysburg Gallery contains some incredible photographs of the battlefield as it looks today. What a great way for you to tour the battlefield with your students. Or art teachers can use the photographs to discuss some of the techniques the Mike uses to create these terrific photographs.

Here are two of my favorites:

This is a close up of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (PVI) monument on Oak Ridge. This is Sallie Ann Jarrett, the mascot of the the 11th PVI who was present at Gettysburg and got left behind when the 11th fell back through the town. Sallie stayed on the field, behind enemy lives with the dead and wounded of the 11th. More on her for another post.

My other favorite is this one of an extreme close up of the Virginia Monument showing the details that go into creating such a magnificent monument.
Be sure to check out Mike’s other galleries such as Antietam, Harper’s Ferry and Manassas.

PS: I also have a special photo of the 11th PVI monument as my desktop wallpaper.

Posted under Websites

The Gettysburg Cyclorama, officially known as the “Battle of Gettysburg” Cyclorama, is a 360 degree circular painting that depicts Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863. According to the Gettysburg National Military Park, it’s one of the last remaining cycloramas in the United States.

The Gettysburg Cyclorama was created by the French artist Paul Philippoteaux. Starting in 1882, Philippoteaux spent several weeks sketching the battlefield in order to accurately depict the climatic charge. Philippoteaux also had the opportunity to interview several veterans of the battle in order to obtain their thoughts on how the battle transpired.

Over the next 18 months, Philippoteaux and his assistants created the massive work and finally the “Cyclorama of the Battle of Gettysburg” opened in Chicago in 1883. He then went on to paint a second version to be shown in Boston in 1884 again to tremendous acclaim. This Boston version of the painting would eventually come to reside in Gettysburg in 1913. The National Park Service in Gettysburg purchased the painting and placed it in the visitor in 1962. The Gettysburg Cyclorama is 359 feet long, 27 feet high and weighs an estimated 3 tons.

Currently the Gettysburg Cyclorama is undergoing restoration and will be moved to the new visitor center in 2008.

Thanks to the Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation, you can download hi-res TIFF images of the painting and restoration project. These hi-res images allow you to zoom in and see parts of the painting in great detail, including some of the damage and the on-going restoration.

Ideas for the classroom:

• Have your students think about if they were Philippoteaux in Gettysburg in 1882, what types of questions would you ask, what would you be sketching, what would you be looking for?
• What would be some of issues related to creating a painting of this size?

• Have your students view a portion of the painting and have them sketch a section.

These are just a couple of ideas. What ideas do you have for integrating this into your classroom?

Until next time…
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References:
Heiser, J. (2005, Dec). The gettysburg cyclorama. Retrieved July 17, 2007, from Gettysburg National Military Park Web site: http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/gettcyclo.htm

Posted under Lesson Ideas, Miscellaneous

Discussion of the urgent need to provide teachers with the tools necessary to effectively teach the American Civil War is hardly new.  The study of history is at risk and with it invaluable reading, writing, and problem solving skills.  As part of our mission, the Civil War Preservation Trust strives to expand knowledge and appreciation of our rich American Civil War history.  It is essential for our organization and society that we foster the study of history in order for the development of future scholars, historians, and preservationists.

For these reasons, and in partnership with Virginia Tech’s Center for Civil War Studies, we are proud to offer the ninth annual CWPT Teacher Institute, a highly acclaimed, free professional development that focuses on the American Civil War.

This year’s program will be held July 16–18, 2010 in Hagerstown, Md., when teachers will partake in lectures, workshops, discussions and battlefield tours. Through this experience, teachers will gain a greater knowledge of the Civil War and acquire new methods and techniques for passing that knowledge on to students.

The CWPT Teacher Institute is an intensive three-day experience that prepares teachers to deliver thoughtful, engaging instruction.  Teachers will attend their choice of nine workshops presented by teachers, education professionals and historians.  The workshops will provide teachers with a deeper understanding of the complex content of the Civil War while presenting the latest techniques for history instruction.

Teachers will take part in lectures presented by three world renowned authors and historians: James “Bud” Robertson, Gary Gallagher, and Jeff Shaara.  Attending teachers will also take part in a panel discussion on Using Technology to Teach the Civil War. The panel will bring together popular blog authors: Jim Beeghley, Kevin Levin, Eric Miller,, and Rob Shenk, director of web development at CWPT.

This year’s excursion will focus on Gettysburg National Military Park, allowing all attendees to tour the new museum and visitor center, with its exhibits and multimedia presentations, view the newly restored Cyclorama, and tour the National Cemetery where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.  In addition, teachers will attend their choice of three battlefield tours: Little Round Top with National Park Service  Ranger, Scott Hartwig, Pickett’s Charge with National Park Service Ranger, Matt Atkinson, and Then and Now Photography with historian Garry Adelman.

The Teacher Institute is offered free of charge to teachers, but they or their school districts must pay for lodging and transportation to the event. Through the generosity of several CWPT Trustees and independent donors, we are able to offer scholarships to help defray the costs of attendance for selected educators. The support of our partners is essential to carrying out CWPT’s mission; we thank our trustees and members for their commitment to education.

Register for the Teacher Institute »

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