Fifth grade had an amazing trip to Gettysburg.  We arrived at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center and went through the Museum.

Then we watched a movie narrated by Morgan Freeman, The Birth of Freedom. Afterwards we experienced the Gettysburg Cyclorama. This is a massive painting of Pickett’s Charge on the decisive third day of the Battle. Before movies, IMAX, and virtual reality, there were cycloramas.  Cycloramas would depict epic battles and historic places while surrounding a person in a 360- degree, hand-painted canvas longer than a football field and taller than a four-story building. The Cyclorama at Gettysburg was created by French artist Paul Philippoteaux in 1884. 

After lunch, the fifth-graders were met by two park rangers.

Thomas Holbrook took a group of fifth graders and turned them into soldiers of the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment. Students were marching as soldiers and practiced commands such as forward march, company halt, double time and more. The fifth grade soldiers marched over a mile through the wet fields of Gettysburg. 

Barbara Sanders took a group to learn about the field hospital.  At the field hospital they said the army oath of allegiance and the hippocratic oath; the latter is still commonly said by many health professionals.  Students then had the opportunity to set up a medical camp; complete with a tent, stretcher, and an operating table. Through various role-playing exercises students were able to step into the world of the medical professionals who worked at Gettysburg during the battle.