Thank you for your interest in Antietam National Battlefield. This overview of the park's educational programs and facilities is designed to assist you in planning your visit to the battlefield. You may want to enhance your students' visit by participating in a program led by a park ranger. Educational programs are curriculum-based, interactive, hands-on, and free of charge. We offer these programs year round to school groups, scout troops, summer camps, ROTC, and other educational groups. Many of these programs can be modified for college students and Elderhostel groups. Park rangers present the following school programs:

Angels of the Battlefield: During this role-playing activity students will re-create the battle of Antietam; dramatizing medical care, field hospitals, and Clara Barton's role as a nurse. Students will discuss how they might feel before and during the battle, and about the care they received afterwards. In the event of inclement weather, a modified version of this program can be done inside the Mumma Barn. Group size: 30 - 100 students. Time: 45 minutes. Grades 4-6.

Antietam National Cemetery Exploration: Students will have the opportunity to learn about history by exploring the Antietam National Cemetery with a park ranger. Students and rangers will work together to answer questions on a worksheet and to make personal connections to the soldiers buried in the National Cemetery. Group Size: Up to 50 students. Time On-Site: 45 minutes to 1-hour. Note: This program meets at the entrance to the National Cemetery (Stop number 11 on the driving tour map). Grades 5-12.

Civil War Soldier: A park ranger will discuss the life and times of a typical Civil War soldier; using clothing, leather gear and other soldier items. For younger students this program includes an interactive component utilizing a magnetic board on which students can dress a soldier. Weather and staff dependant, this activity generally includes a black powder musket firing demonstration by one of the park rangers. In the event of bad weather, this program will be moved indoors (without the firing demonstration). Group size: Up to 100 students. Time: 30 minutes. Grades 1-6.

Battlefield in a Box: A ranger will create a large representation of the battlefield on the ground that shows the roads, bridges and other features. Groups of students can be moved around the map to illustrate the movements of troops during the battle and to demonstrate the influence of terrain on the battle. This overview of the battle includes a degree of participation by selected volunteers from the audience. This program can be done indoors in case of inclement weather. Group size: Up to 75 students. Time: 45 minutes. Grades 6 and up.

Become a Civil War Scout: Advancing armies received intelligence from many sources, including spies, scouts, detectives, and civilians such as Harriet Tubman. In this activity students will assume the roles of Civil War scouts as they provide vital information to the advancing Union armies. Focusing specifically on the 1862 Maryland Campaign and the battle of Antietam, students, working in small groups, will complete activities that illustrate several types of intelligence and investigate different forms of Civil War espionage and information gathering. Afterwards they will compare their findings and General McClellan's after battle report to the actual troop numbers and movements. Group size: Up to 50 students. Time: 45 minutes to 1-hour. Grades 8-12.

Cannoneers to Your Posts: Students will participate in a Civil War artillery drill with artillery implements using one of the park's cannons. (No actual firing of the cannon). In case of inclement weather, this program cannot be moved inside. Teachers can request the ranger include the "You're the Gunner" math activity when presenting the program. For the math activity students make calculations related to Civil War artillery using information on projectile ranges and tables of fire. Group size:Up to 40 students. Time: 30 minutes, (50 minutes with additional math activity). Grades 5 and up.

Flags that Talk: Students will be divided into "signal stations," with each station comprising three or four students. Using signal flags and cipher discs, student will send, receive, and compose messages in the same way as Civil War armies. In the event of inclement weather, smaller groups can take part in this program inside the Mumma Barn. Group size: Up to 40 students. Time: 30 minutes. Grades 5 and up.

Map to the Past: Students will work with the park ranger to assemble a large interactive map of the battlefield. They will explore events on a time line and demonstrate how the battlefield map changed and remained the same from historic times to the present by adding and removing components (including monuments, buildings, and bridges) on the map. Afterwards the group will discuss the map and the future landscape of the battlefield, including how their actions today will help change or preserve the battlefield in the future. Group Size: Up to 30 students. Time: 30 minutes. Grades 1-5.

Mumma & Roulette Farms Trail: This trail combines social studies and environmental earth science. Depending on grade level, topics will include history, soil formation, succession, elements of the ecosystem, food chains, watersheds, habitats, habitat restoration, battlefield preservation, and many more concepts. The trail is .8 miles long and is not wheelchair accessible. Students are encouraged to wear sturdy walking shoes and to dress for the weather. Group size: Up to 30 students per group. Time: 1 hour. Grades 3-9. Click here for the 37 page trail guide (pdf 4.2 mb)

Mumma Cemetery Exploration: A ranger will lead the group to the Mumma Family Cemetery where students will work individually or in pairs to explore the cemetery and answer questions on a worksheet. Afterwards the group will discuss what they have learned with the ranger. In the event of inclement weather this activity cannot be done inside. Group size: Up to 50 students. Time: 30-45 minutes. Grades 5-8. Click here for exploration handout.

Sounds of Antietam: This activity helps students experience the events that occurred during many Civil War battles by adding sound effects to a narrative. Students are given "sound" cards, and make those sounds when cued by the ranger or teacher while they read a narrative. This activity can be done inside in case of inclement weather. Group size: Up to 50 students. Time: 15 minutes. Grades 4-6.

Travelling Trunk
Antietam National Battlefield is pleased to offer a travelling trunk "Life of a Civil War Soldier" designed for students in grades 3-6. Please contact us at 301-432-4567 or by e-mail to reserve the trunk. The trunk is free to use, we do request that teachers pay for the return shipping.

Planning Your Visit
Antietam National Battlefield Mumma Farm Education Center: All education programs, except for the National Cemetery Exploration, take place at the historic Mumma Farm (stop number 6 on the driving tour route). The classroom is available for watching the video, "Antietam Visit", a 26-minute film on the battle. For 7th grade students and older the 1-hour "Antietam Documentary" is also available.

Battlefield Tour
A nine-mile, bus accessible, eleven stop tour road takes you through the battlefield. Rangers will provide you with a tour map. The battlefield tour takes about an hour and a half, giving students time to walk Bloody Lane and to Burnside Bridge. Students and teachers may enhance their self-guided tour by using the "Antietam: People and Places" handout. Click here to download handout. (pdf, 8.2 mb)This includes stories specific to each stop on the route and is especially suitable for school groups. The battlefield tour is designed for you to do on your own or a private guide can be hired through our bookstore at (301) 432-4329 or WMIA@hughes.net. Another self-guided driving tour to complement your visit is "Contradictions and Divided Loyalties: Slavery on the Antietam Battleground." Click here to download handout. (pdf, 2.3 mb)This handout also follows the driving tour route.

During Your Visit
When planning your trip, please keep in mind: 1) there are drinks and light snacks available in the visitor center bookstore; 2) you may picnic on the grass, but there are no formal picnic facilities; please bring your own trash bags; 3) in case of inclement weather, most programs can be modified and presented in the Mumma Barn; 4) there are rest-rooms at the Mumma Farm Education Center; 5) for groups who stop at the park visitor center, please make sure your groups are properly chaperoned.

Reservations are required for visits by school groups participating in ranger-led activities. Spring trips should be scheduled as early as possible. Staff cannot accommodate groups of less than 15. You may request your ranger-led program by calling or e-mailing us. Please contact the park rangers at (301) 432-4567 for reservations or for more information about your visit or you can e-mail us.

Fee Waiver
Educational groups are entitled to a waiver of the park entrance fees if they are making an educational visit to the battlefield. Please contact the rangers at the education center for more information.