Project Based Learning

1. By Michael Faletti, Unit 4, Activity 2, Cohort 3
Project Based Learning

2. Learning Strategy: Project Based Learning (PBL)
Grade: 10th-12th Grade
Class: History
Project: Students will visually recreate/depict a Major Civil War battle from a list of
battles provided by the teacher using pictures and their own explanation of events.
They will have to put their final report into a powerpoint presentation and then upload
their presentation into a youtube video.
Objective: To get the students comfortable creating powerpoint presentations and
then learning how to upload presentations to youtube. Also, to see how much the
students learned in the Civil War unit.

3. Project Instructions
● Students are to select a Major Civil War battle from the list provided by the teacher.
● After selecting a battle, they must research it and physically recreate/depict it by using pictures of the
battle with an explanation of the events that occurred during the battle. They can visually show how the
battle scene looked before and after the battle.
● Students must use a powerpoint presentation for their project and then upload the finalized
presentation onto youtube.
● The teacher will provide instructions on how to upload a powerpoint presentation to youtube. The
teacher will demonstrate how to upload a project to youtube.
● The powerpoint presentation must be a minimum of six slides.
● Students must use at least three sources. At least one online source and at least two hardcover
sources.
● Their sources must be properly cited in APA Style with a bibliography at the end of the project.
● Students must explain how their battle impacted the Civil War short term or long term.

4. Students Can Select a Major Civil War Battle From the
Following List
● First Battle of Bull Run
● Battle of Shiloh
● Battle of Antietam
● Battle of Gettysburg
● Battle Vicksburg
● Battle of Fredericksburg
● Battle of Chancellorsville
● Battle of Chattanooga
● Battle of Spotsylvania
● Battle of Cold Harbor
● Battle of Appomattox Court House

5. Example #1/Before Battle
-Here is an example of what students could write about while using a picture to visually show what
happened before the battle. Below is a picture of Gettysburg before the battle began and a map of the battle.
Student Explanation: The picture to the left is a picture of the town of Gettysburg, PA just days before the
bloody battle began. It depicts a very quiet and nice little town, but nobody knew that this would be the site
of one of the bloodiest battles of the entire Civil War. This picture also shows the quiet before the storm. The
picture to the right shows where the battle occurred and where each army was stationed.

6. Example #2/After Battle
-Here is an example of what students could write about while using a picture to visually show what happened
after the battle. Below is a picture of Gettysburg after the battle was over and the National Cemetery.
Student Explanation: The picture to the left shows just how horrific the Battle of Gettysburg was. It shows a
few of the 51,000 casualties from both sides combined in the battle. The picture to the right shows the
Gettysburg National Cemetery where most of the casualties of the battle are buried. The cemetery is also
meant to honor those that lost their lives fighting for their country.

7. Bibliography Example/APA Style
Gallagher, Gary W. (2012). The Antietam Campaign. Chapel Hill, NC.
UNC Press Books.
Hankinson, Alan. (2013). First Bull Run 1861: The South’s First Victory.
Oxford, UK. Osprey Publishing.
Owens, Mackubin Thomas. (2013 June 30). The Great Battle of Gettysburg.
Retrieved from http://www.nationalreview.com/article/352377/great-battle-
gettysburg-mackubin-thomas-owens
Trudeau, Noah Andre. (2010). Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage.
New York City, NY. HarperCollins Books.

8. Why Design This?
● To give Students a hands on approach for showing their understanding of
the Civil War.
● Students will be able to tell their own story of the Civil War using pictures
from major battles.
● To see the students creativity instead of just telling them to write a report
on a battle. They are often told to write reports and this would be
something different for them to work on.
● To get students more comfortable using technology in the form of youtube
and a powerpoint presentation.

9. Deeper Learning
● Gives students a visual description of events.
● Students will learn what kind of affect the Civil War and many of the battles
had on our country even today.
● To let the students know and understand that behind every picture there is
a story to tell.
● Students will learn that many great people gave their lives for their country
so that we can have the kind of lifestyle that we have today.
● They will also learn, sadly, that many times it was family member versus
family member fighting and killing each other depending on what state you
lived in.

10. Conclusion
● Students will be able to write and depict major Civil War
battles.
● They will learn how to use powerpoint presentations
and learn how to upload videos to youtube.
● After this project they will have a better understanding
on how to cite documents in APA Style.
● They will get a better understanding that pictures are a
huge part of history and have been key in depicting the
past.
● Finally, they will learn that the past impacts the future.