Monument to The Shaw 54th Regiment by

Augustus Saint Gaudens, Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Katie Hickey Snyder Boston Trip 2009 Lesson Plan

Unit: Civil War

Abstract: Students examine in detail this bronze relief, located in the Boston Commons in Boston Mass. to explore the artist’s interpretation of the historical contribution of both Shaw, and the entire 54^th regiment.

Essential Questions/Enduring Understandings: In what unique ways did Colonel Shaw and the 54^th regiment contribute to the Union’s war effort?

Assessment: Rubric for Bio Poem

Setting the Purpose: Given the fact that most war memorials depict one subject, why did the artist make the choice to include both Shaw and the men of the 54^th in his work?

Analysis of local primary source:

http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/lesson790/look-and-think-worksheet.pdf

Use this document to explore the bronze relief.

Ties to national primary source : http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/pdf/scoop_shaw.pdf shows the original mold housed in Washington DC, with kid friendly, useful information on the 54^th and Shaw.

Suggested Procedure:

1. View Boston Primary source, Monument to The Shaw 54th Regiment by Augustus Saint Gaudens, Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts, USA as a class, using the LCD projector or a SmartBoard

2. Analyze the document using the look-and-think worksheet http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/lesson790/look-and-think-worksheet.pdf

3. If using a SmartBoard, highlight different aspects of relief as suggested in look-and-think worksheet using SmartBoard markers

4. Read http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/lesson790/activity-2-worksheet.pdf and and http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/pdf/scoop_shaw.pdf as a class

5. After exploring the monument and reading the information about Shaw and the 54^th, complete the following graphic organizer based on your impressions of Robert Shaw http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/f/feb05_unit_BiographyChart.pdf

6. As a final assessment, ask children to write a bio poem based on the life of Robert Shaw. Use the template below

Line 1: a one-word topic, such as the subject's name (noun)

Line 2: two describing words (adjectives)

Line 3: three action words (verbs)

Line 4: a four-word phrase

Line 5: a synonym or equivalent for the topic

7. The poem may be assessed using the following rubric:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?&screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1235870&

Annoted list of materials and resources for the lesson:

· LCD Projector, Smartboard or computer lab

· Paper, pencil

· Markers