"EYEWITNESS TO HISTORY"

Use this activity to prepare students for their field trip.  Several years ago the park produced a 12-min. video that provides a good overview to the First Battle of Manassas.  Produced in VHS format only (no DVDs), these tapes were sent to all Northern Virginia area schools and libraries for checkout.  The park retained a limited number of copies for loan (first-come, first-serve).  If interested, please contacting the park Visitor Center at (703) 361-1339 or send an inquiry to: email us

• Eyewitness to History

"A CALL TO ARMS"

Through a study of the 27th Virginia Infantry, this pre-visit lesson takes a look at who joined the Union and Confederate armies and why.  The focus of this lesson is on the motives for enlistment, origins/backgrounds of the soldiers and effects upon the communities from which they came. 

The name cards for the 27th Virginia are designed to be printed on Avery #5389 Laser Post Cards (4" x 6").  The enlistment certificate is actually a copy of a standard Union enlistment form.

• A Call to Arms
• 27th Virginia Enlistments
• Enlistment Certificate  

"RALLY ‘ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS!"

This pre-visit lesson looks at the importance of flags to the Civil War armies and the soldiers who served in the war. 

• Rally Round the Flag, Boys!

SCAVENGER HUNT WORKSHEET

This worksheet will be used by students when exploring the park museum.  Students will work in groups of two or three.

• Scavenger Hunt (Museum Worksheet)

"THE WAR GOES ON!"

This post-visit activity is directly tied to the "A Call to Arms" activiity.  Using primary source documents, this lesson takes a look at the soldiers during and particularly after the war.  This lesson also studies the effects of the war on the communities from which these men came.

The cards for this activity are designed to be printed on Avery #5389 Laser Post Cards (4" x 6").

• The War Goes On
• 27th Virginia Records After First Manassas

Student Activity Guide

The student activity guide contains many of the activities found in  "Baptism of Fire."  If using this activity guide independently of "Baptism of Fire," consider the following:

1. Do the activities related to flags.  They are simple, easy to use and apply to almost any perspective of the Civil War. 
2. With a little bit of research, apply the questions related to the 27th Virginia to most any other unit that served in Northern Virginia during the war.  Try to find a regiment or company from your local area to place the Civil War into context for your students.  The National Park Service's Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System allows you to search for regiments by state.
3. For the obituary lesson, pick a variety of officers or enlisted men who were killed during the war and have the students write an obituary for that particular individual.

• Baptism of Fire Student Activity Guide