Lesson Plans & Teacher Guides

Lesson Plans

Petersburg National Battlefield has developed lessons to explore the state of the country prior to the Civil War including the experiences of southerners and northerners, the causes of the Civil War, the people who participated and fought in the siege of Petersburg, and people's perceptions of this period as reflected in the poetry, music, and literature.

Explore these lesson plans that accompany the field trips listed above.

If you would like to read more about the words of the soldiers, a bibliography will indicate the sources of their words.

 

Educators Guide

The mission of Petersburg National Battlefield is to preserve and protect the historical, cultural, and natural resources within the park in a manner that will provide interpretation, education, and enjoyment for the visitors.

Education plays a vital role in the accomplishment of this mission. We hope that you will join us in our outdoor classroom to learn why and how we care for this National Battlefield.

The battlefield is pleased to offer a variety of educational programs designed to teach students of all ages about the significance of the American Civil War through the perspectives of the soldiers, civilians, slaves, plantation owners, and medical personnel.

These programs are designed to enhance your classroom instruction and to fulfill the Virginia Standards of Learning objectives for the appropriate grade levels. Visiting the battlefield will give you a glimpse of the nine-and-a-half month struggle that took place here during the final stages of the Civil War, from June 15, 1864 to April 2, 1865. The five major railroads and the two major plank roads radiating from Petersburg made it critical to supplying Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, hence it was a strategic target for the Union Army.

In relation to these events, education programs are designed to enhance the military and human aspects of the campaign at Petersburg National Battlefield.

We also have numerous programs that we can bring to your classroom and traveling trunks that you can pick up to use in your teaching.

This link will provide you with a copy of the Educators Guide for 2011-12. Electronic copies are available for mailing now! If you would like a copy of the CD which includes other educator materials, please send an email with your name, your school, your address and the grade you teach to our education specialist, Ranger Leslie McClammy. This guide is designed to help you plan a field trip to the battlefield or to schedule a visit to your school. It contains reservation and fee waiver information, guidelines for your visit, program summaries, and background information on the siege of Petersburg.

Please call our education specialist Leslie McClammy at [phone], ext. 204 or email Ranger McClammy for any questions about these programs or to schedule a visit.