Needham 7th Graders Learn History With Civil War Reenactment

NEEDHAM, MA — Seventh graders at Monsignor Haddad Middle School (MHMS) had a little more interactive approach to learning about the Civil War on Thursday. The class took Greene's Field in Needham and turned it into a battlefield, reenacting the assault of Pickett's Charge from the Battle of Gettysburg.

Confederate General George Pickett led his men in this famous charge on Cemetery Ridge as part of Lee’s attempt to attack the center of the Union line. Union soldiers waited as the Confederates marched up the hill, only to annihilate them on the Ridge. Six thousand soldiers, half of Pickett’s Division, were killed in one hour of fighting.

Preparation for this reenactment began a few weeks prior as the students visited Gettysburg, Pennsylvania as part of the seventh grade’s annual "Exploratory Week" trip to Philadelphia. While at Gettysburg the students saw firsthand where this famous battle was fought, and were able to better envision what it would’ve been like to be a soldier on either side. After returning home, the students were assigned roles as either Union or Confederate soldiers, or even General Lee or Colonel Chamberlain.

Middle School religion teacher Michael Kiessling assumed the role of military chaplain and administered last rites to the "fallen." The presentation concluded with a reading of the Gettysburg Address.

"The seventh grade’s study of the Civil War is a uniquely immersive experience," said social studies teacher Emily Spence. "On our field trip to Gettysburg, the students learn about the events of the battle, and actually get to stand in the spots where the fighting took place. Upon our return, they assume the roles of those involved in the battle and reenact the events the final day. Students have the opportunity to connect to a Civil War soldier and imagine how they felt — the pride of fighting for one’s home and beliefs and the fear and great sense of loss that comes with war."