Gettysburg National Military Park - For Teachers (U.S. National Park Service)

National Park Service

Young visitors participate in our "Join the Army" program.

April 24, 2008

Dear Educator:

WELCOME to a new school year! It is an exciting time at Gettysburg National Military Park, and in addition to opening a new museum and visitor facility that includes classrooms, films, and computer interactives, we are again offering curriculum-based education programs– for elementary, middle, and high school – and quarterly teacher workshops for YOU! We invite the participation of your entire district. . . please pass along and post the enclosed information for your colleagues!

RESERVATIONS FOR SPRING 2008 student programs will be processed from a random drawing scheduled for September 24 and 25, 2007. Please note: 1.) There is no separate reservation mailing for the spring season, and late reservation requests will be considered if space permits. 2.) All spring programs are two hours in length – morning programs beginning at 9:30 a.m. and afternoon programs beginning at 1:00 p.m.

A QUARTERLY TEACHER WORKSHOP SERIES is offered this year, that will include “Senior High Connections”, a Teachers’ Premier event of the new museum and visitor center, as well as a summer “camp” for educators on the life of a Civil War soldier. For further information on the workshops, go here.

CLASSROOM STORYTELLING programs for Kindergarten through 3rd graders will be in full swing in January and February. This year’s program, “Animal Fates and All the States”, will feature Civil War stories about animals and soldiers from several states who met at Gettysburg. And finally . . .

TRAVELING TRUNKS on the life of the Civil War Soldier are available once again and can be reserved through the trunk lottery. Please see the enclosures for more information to reserve a trunk.

We also have a new group activity designed for students while visiting the new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg. Further information on this activity is posted on our While At The Park page.

RESERVATION REQUESTS should be sent to the Student Program Office, Gettysburg National Military Park, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Suite 100, Gettysburg, PA 17325. After all are processed, we will send a confirmation package, with information to prepare your students for the visit. All of us at Gettysburg National Military Park send our best wishes for a fun and successful school year!

Barbara J. Sanders
Education Specialist

(NPS)

STUDENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT GETTYSBURG

Gettysburg National Military Park offers a series of education programs for school groups that visit the park, designed for the enrichment of your students' understanding of the battle and its consequences. These two hour ranger led programs are only available for approximately six weeks in the Fall (October through November) and eight weeks in the Spring (March through May), and require participation in our September program lottery drawing. Check our Plan A Field Trip page for information and descriptions of these programs.

TRAVELING TRUNKS

If your class cannot get to the battlefield, Gettysburg National Military Park is pleased to offer you and your students our Civil War Traveling Trunk. Through various clothing items, military accoutrements, pastime activities, photographs, literature and music, students will be able to appreciate what the daily life of a Civil War soldier was actually like. The curriculum and clothing that is in the trunk is targeted for the 5th Grade student but it can be made adaptable for students in grades 4 to 8. You may set up the six learning stations in your classroom or use a common room so that the whole school can become involved.

So, how do you reserve one of our trunks? Check the Traveling Trunks page for more information!