Teaching and Mapping the Geography of the Meuse Argonne Offensive: Lesson Plans, Interactive Maps and 3-D Imaging

Section 1: Overview of Teaching and Mapping the Geography of the Meuse Argonne Offensive
Section 2: Introduction
Section 3: Where? Why There?
Section 4: Geography is War, A Case Study of the Argonne Forest and the Lost Battalion
Section 5: A Virtual Field Trip: The ABMC monuments and Meuse-Argonne Cemetery
Section 6: Lesson Plans, Interactive Maps and 3-D Imaging

Teaching and Mapping the Geography of the Meuse Argonne Offensive is a six section educator resource designed to help teachers and students, alike gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the achievement, service, and sacrifice that occurred on the hills, fields, roads, towns, and farms of the Western Front between September 26th and November 11th 1918. Below are the classroom ready resources to include lesson plans, interactive maps, and 3-D imagining to help you and your students see and analyze what our doughboys experienced, sacrificed, and achieved during World War I.

Lesson Plans

  • It's Now or Never! the Meuse-Argonne Offensive: In this activity students use ArcGIS online to interactively explore a layered map showing the phases of the American advancement during the Meuse Argonne Offensive.  They will also look at a variety of embedded primary source photographs from the battlefield.
     
  • Where? Why There? The Meuse-Argonne: In this activity students use ArcGIS online to explore the physical and human features of the Meuse Argonne battlefield. The goal is for students to gain an appreciation for the challenges the American Expeditionary Forces faced in the Meuse-Argonne.
     
  • Geography is War: The Lost Batallion: In this activity students analyze primary source accounts from the Lost Battalion to understand its role in WWI, the impact of terrain and geography on those attempting to rescue them, and how the men overcame these difficulties and were able to hold their position.
     
  • Honoring Service, Achievements, and Sacrifice: A WWI Virtual Field Trip: In this activity students take a virtual “field trip” to the Meuse-Argonne battlefield to explore the sites and images. During this “tour” students have the opportunity to see 3-D visualizations of WWI tunnels, trenches, bunkers, and ruins; follow a go-cam video showing where American dough boys once fought; and learn why ABMC monuments and cemeteries were established along the Western Front.

Interactive Maps

3-D Imaging

Credits

Curriculum and GIS Mapping
Chris Bunin, Albemarle High School, Charlottesville VA
Teresa Goodin, Joseph T. Henley Middle School, Crozet VA

3-D Imaging, and Teaching and Technical Expertise
David Hicks, School of Education, Virginia Tech
Todd Ogle, Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Solutions, Virginia Tech
Thomas Tucker, School of Visual Art, Virginia Tech

PREVIOUS SECTION 5– A Virtual Field Trip: The ABMC monuments and Meuse-Argonne Cemetery