Our class spent the second semester bringing the Civil War to life by building a model of Fort Sumter. Led by fifth-grader Ruffin W., the students used books and maps to learn about the history of the Civil War and to design the site. The class also e-mailed back and forth with a park guide at Fort Sumter National Monument to ensure that the model was historically accurate. We learned that the ground was covered in oyster shells and the entrance to the fort is called a “sally port.” It was a great learning experience, and we had fun, too!