Problem Based learning about Civil War Era Issues, Events, and Lifestyles

1. The Civil War Battlefield Park
Problem-Based Unit
• You are park rangers in Caledonia Battlefield
Park, a park that commemorates issues and
events around the time of the Civil War. As
park rangers, it is your job to make sure that
park goers (students of Caledonia Middle and
others) come away from the park with a much
greater understanding of some facet of the
Civil War Era.

2. • You should interpret these ideas and events in
a way that is historically accurate in a
particular place and time, interesting to the
audience, and appeals to the senses. You
should never lose sight of the fact that your
audience members are your customers, and
you should always do your best to be pleasant
and engaging. Silliness is not an option.

3. Rubric Components-as decided by
students according to project
guidelines
• Accuracy- Primary and good secondary sources, right
time period
• Covers topic thoroughly
• Simple to understand
• Decency (of that time)
• Seriousness (maturity) in attitude and action
• Participation-doing what needs to be done
• Authenticity-costuming, set, language used
• interesting
• Safety
• Willing to compromise

4. Rubric Components-additional from
instructor
• Being on time with needed information
• “ “ “ “ “ materials
• Punctuality on day of performances-in the
right place at the right time
• Prepared for performance-knowing
lines, having costume, props, etc.

5. How do we interpret history?
• http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/2003/spring/y
awhat.pdf

6. What are some events/issues that we
can do?
• You already have some good ideas that we
have discussed in each class.
• Some that will not be repeated this year are
the field hospital, Lincoln’s Assassination, The
USS Monitor and CSS Virginia Battleships, and
The Second Great Awakening.
• You may not try to recreate a battle scene.

7. Proposed Ideas
• A general store/ dry goods store, complete with
items that would have been sold and at the prices
they would have brought
• School during the time period-needs a particular
time and place, who would have
taught, attended, what it would look like, etc.
• Music from the era. Musicians perform.
• Abolitionist rally.
• The 54th Massachusetts Regiment-There are so
many ways to go with this. Needs something
specific.

8. • Photography in the Civil War- A new medium of
art at the time, and Matthew Brady was the most
famous photographer. He was an interesting
character, and the process was far different from
today. Also have talked about setting up posing
places for students to have pics made.
• Andersonville- The Civil War prison camp with the
most horrible reputation. How bad was it, and
why was it that way? Were Southerners alone in
the way they treated the enemy? Lots of
interesting things to do with this.

9. • Sherman’s Neckties- Southern railroads were
demolished as part of Sherman’s
“March to the Sea.”
• The Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse-
Lee surrenders to Grant at the end of the War
• Spies on one or both sides make interesting
characters.

10. 1st Period-Dry Goods
• What was sold? Prices?
• Who did they sell to? Where?
• What did they look like?
• How did they design and stock the store?
• Did they have more than one store or section
of a store (like convenience stores have gas
and food)?
• What about transportation to the store?

11. • Music
– What kind of music did they play?
– What kind of instruments would have been used?
– When did they play?
– Were they in a group or solo?
– What did they wear?
– Who are these people?
– Memorized or read?

12. • Guys on the porch-
– What did they sit in?
– What did they talk about?
– How long did they stay?
– Who are these characters? People who fought in
the war? Older folks? Business owners?Younger-
planning to go to war?
– When? Before war? During war? After war?
– How did they talk? Were they proper in their
language?

13. 3rd-Photography
• What kinds of outfits did they wear?
• What did the camera look like?
• How were pictures printed?
• How did they set up for a picture?
• How much did it cost to get a picture made?
• How do we take pictures of students and make it
look authentic?
• What is the design of the space we will use?
• What was the process of developing a picture?

14. Spies
• Who or what did they spy on?
• What was the spy attire?
• Who were famous spies?
• Where would they have been?
• What kind of spy gear did they use?
• When did they start?

15. 4th-School House
• How would students be grouped? Age, gender?
• How many kids in a class?
• What gender would the teacher be?
• What were punishments/consequences?
• What kind of visuals did they use?
• How many hours of school did they have?
• How did they get to school?
• What utensils did students use?
• Where did they eat lunch?
• How did they get their lunch?
• Where did they wash hands?
• How many books did students have?
• What subjects did they learn?
• When was this? During war
• Where was this?
• Would it be private or public?

16. 54th Massachusetts Regiment

17. Andersonville
• How many prisoners and how many guards?
• How were they housed?
• What did they eat?
• How were they treated?
• What did they look like?
• What did they do in the prison?
• What did women do?
• What kinds of jobs did they have?
• What did they wear?
• How did prisoners act toward guards? Language used, too
• How did guards act toward prisoners?
• What happened to Andersonville after the war?
• How did they take care of medical problems?