Gettysburg Battlefield Logic Puzzle

Students must use the process of elimination, problem solving, and logic to successfully label the important points during the Battle of Gettysburg such as Little Round Top, Cemetery Ridge, Culp’s Hill, and 15 others.
 
Lesson:

1. Introduction: Why Gettysburg? (5–10 minutes)

Begin with a short discussion:

  • Why do you think Gettysburg is considered one of the most important battles of the Civil War?
  • Have you heard of any famous places within the Gettysburg battlefield?
Explain that students will “walk the battlefield” through a fun and interactive map labeling activity to learn about famous spots like Cemetery Hill, Little Round Top, and the Peach Orchard.

2. Brief Overview: Key Gettysburg Sites (5–10 minutes)

Provide a brief explanation of 5–7 key landmarks:

  • Cemetery Hill: Critical high ground held by the Union army
  • Little Round Top: Site of dramatic Union defense led by Col. Joshua Chamberlain
  • Pickett’s Charge: Lee’s failed final assault on the Union center
  • Devil’s Den: Rocky area of fierce hand-to-hand combat
  • The Wheatfield and The Peach Orchard: Sites of heavy casualties
Use visuals or a digital map to give context before starting the activity.

You can use our Gettysburg Interactive Battlemap.

3. Activity: Labeling the Gettysburg Map (20–25 minutes)

Distribute the activity and project the blank map. Tell students that the landmarks such as ridges and hills are displayed as gray blobs, and the roads and pikes are narrow parallel lines. Do the first few with students such as:

  • “The first clue says the road that leads northwest from Gettysburg is the Chambersburg Pike. Can someone show me that road?
  • “The road that leads due north of Gettysburg is the Carlisle Road. Due north means exactly north. Which road is that? ”
  • “The ridge northwest of Gettysburg is called McPherson Ridge. Where is McPherson Ridge?
Encourage students to work carefully and use clues to place each label accurately. Tell students that some landmarks cannot be revealed until others have been labeled. Allow students to work individually or in pairs.

4. Review & Discussion (10–15 minutes)

After all labels are in place, review the answers together using the projected map.

  • Discuss: Which locations seemed most important to the battle's outcome?
  • Why do you think the terrain was so important at Gettysburg?
  • Which site would you most want to visit and why?
Other Uses:
Morning Work - The activity takes most students about 30 minutes to complete, making it an ideal solution for morning work.
Homework - This activity is a great way to assign homework in social studies or language arts.
Collaborative Learning - This is a perfect activity for pairs of students to work together.
Display and Complete - This is a challenging activity and may require demonstration. You can project to the whiteboard and complete as a class.
Share - Allow students to read their responses to the class.