“Picturing the Past” Post-Program Requirement - Option #1
Connie Wolcott
Caroline County/Lockerman Middle School
What Civil War image will I introduce to my students? Why have I selected this image?
The Civil War image that I plan to introduce to my students is the Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Memorial to Robert Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment, which is located at the National Gallery of Art. Since I will not be able to take my students to see this memorial this year, I will be introducing it in the classroom. I selected this memorial for several reasons; the role of African Americans during the Civil War is part of my curriculum and because I want my students to appreciate the tribute that the artist was making to these brave solders who were willing to sacrifice their lives in the Civil War.
What does it depict?
The memorial depicts Colonial Robert Gould Shaw and his regiment as they were marching through Boston on May 28, 1853 on their way to fight in the Civil War. It is a so realistic that you can very easily form a picture in your mind of the 54th marching through the streets of Boston. In fact, the lifelike realism and attention to detail that the artist used to make this memorial will help to make the Civil War come alive to my students. Even though we read about the role of African Americans in the Civil War and especially the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, a visual is always a great hook to get the students excited to learn more about history.
At the time the image was created, what message might the artist have been trying to convey? What message does the image convey now?
I feel that the artist was trying (and succeeded) in conveying the bravery and determination of these soldiers as they were marching into the unknown of war. The memorial is a masterpiece for the way it portrays the men of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment and the sacrifice they were willing to make for their country. Today the message continues to convey a reverence for the sacrifice that is made in times of war.
Using the Image in my Classroom
** I will be using this image after I have taught a background lesson about African Americans during the Civil War and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment.
Introduction: (taken from NGA/Shaw Memorial –Teaching Resources-Lesson Plans)
1. Brainstorm ways that we remember people and events in history.
(paintings, songs, movies, books, murals, sculptures, memorials, statues)
2. Ask: What are some ways that we remember the Civil War?
(books, primary sources, songs, movies, art)
3. Tell students that public sculptures, such as a memorial, are a way of remembering the Civil War. There are many public sculptures throughout the United States and especially in Washington D.C. that depict people and battles of the Civil War. One of the most well-known and inspirational memorials of the Civil War is the Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ Memorial to Robert Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment at the National Gallery of Art.
Lesson:
1. Using a document reader, I will project the image of the Shaw Memorial on a screen.
Students will write their initial reaction to the Shaw Memorial and share with the class
Class Discussion Questions
* What does this sculpture tell you about the military during the Civil War?
* Examine the faces of the men in this memorial. Saint-Gaudens used realistic detail when sculpturing this memorial. What can you learn about the men of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment by studying this image? What emotion is in the faces of the men?
* What characteristics did the men who served in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment possess? How does this memorial relay these characteristics to its audience?
* How did the artist Saint-Gaudens show the heroism of this military regiment and their commander in the Shaw Memorial?
2. Have students choose one of the figures in the Shaw monument. They are to examine that figure, describe it and write a dialogue of what that particular figure might be thinking at the time. Remind students that the scene is of the 54th marching through Boston on their way to fight in the Civil War.
3. Have students work in groups of 3-4 to write a short one-act play. Each student can use the description and dialogue they wrote in #2 as well as their background knowledge of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment to incorporate in their short play.
4. Students will perform their short one act play for the class.
Extension Activities
1. > watch the movie “Glory”
> complete a compare/contrast chart showing the movie and the memorial
> have students write a paragraph to tell which they think best represents the story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment
2. > have students design their own memorial to the Massachusetts 54th Regiment
3. Language Arts * this would be for a higher ability reading group
> read several poems that have been written about the memorial
Robert Lowe’s “For the Union Dead”
Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s “Robert Gould Shaw”
Charles Ives’ “Moving, Marching. Faces of Souls”
John Berryman’s “Boston Common”
Ask: Which poem best tells the story of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment? Explain.
