Distance Learning Opportunities

WWII – War in the Pacific

History/Language Arts
(TT, OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  Students will learn the causes of WWII, examining the attack at Pearl Harbor and the American public's reaction.  While studying the role of the Battleship New Jersey in the Pacific, your class will analyze the effect that the Iowa class ships had on the morale of the average sailor, those on the home front, and the enemy.  Through interpretation of artifacts and primary source documents from the era, students will evaluate the effectiveness of the propaganda of the time, comparing and contrasting it with examples from today.  Short video clips of oral histories from those who served will enhance the educational experience, as well as clips of the battleship's 16” guns in action. 

Korean Conflict / Cold War

History/Language Arts
(TT, OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  Students will learn the causes of the Korean Conflict and the dynamics of the United States ' involvement in the early Cold War period.  They will also study the perspective of the sailors aboard the USS New Jersey, which was in commission from 1950 through 1957, through primary source documents, artifacts and pictures from the era.  Recorded oral histories of men who served during that time aboard the battleship will supplement the class' learning.  Included with this class are pre-lesson materials and assessments which require students to evaluate decisions made by US officials and analyze the response of the average citizen.

The Vietnam War – The Conflict and Controversy

History/Language Arts
(TT, OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  ``Objective, non-controversial history that everyone can agree on doesn't exist with the Vietnam War,'' (Ronald Spector, chairman of the history department at George Washington University .)  Students will have the opportunity to examine the basis for this controversy and the era in which it occurred.  The class will also analyze political cartoons from the time period and evaluate their effect on the American public.  Primary source documents, songs and poetry, as well as oral histories from those who served will be included in the lesson. 

Beirut Crisis – Past and Present

History/Language Arts
(TT, OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  The Battleship New Jersey entered the Beirut Crisis in 1983 after the bombing of the Marine barracks in Lebanon .  This class will examine the battleship's role in that war as well as the causes of the conflict.  Through primary source documents from those aboard the New Jersey , as well as an oral history from a former resident of Beirut , students will evaluate the effectiveness of the methods of dealing with the Lebanese conflicts in both 1983 and in 2006.  Preparatory materials for this class will include maps of the area which will aid students not only in a better geographic understanding of the Middle East, but will also demonstrate where lines have been drawn  to divide ethnicities and members of various religious beliefs. 

New Jersey Heroes

History/Language Arts
(TT, OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  Students will learn about the sacrifices of New Jerseyans who served aboard the Battleship New Jersey and the dedication of those who contributed to her creation.  Your class will examine primary source documents, utilize letters and poetry, as well as view oral histories from these hometown heroes – from first hand accounts of the battleship at war, to the stories of those who were proud to pound her rivets into place.  This class also provides the opportunity for analysis of the roles that New Jersey-born women and minorities played in a time when equality in the workplace was uncommon. 

Buoyancy and Battleships – How Boats Float

Science/History
(OP, DL, OB )

Class description :  Students will learn about the physical principals involved in keeping a 45,000 ton battleship afloat.  Buoyancy, equilibrium, and drag will all be explained through hands-on activities that will have all age groups entertained and engaged.  They will analyze why a steel ship doesn't sink and how submarines dive and return to the surface.  Although science is the focus of this lesson, historical moments in the New Jersey ' s past come to life, such as passing through a typhoon in the Pacific during WWII. 

What Good is a Parabola, Anyway?

Math/History
(OP, DL, OB )

Class Description:  Students will examine how the Battleship New Jersey aimed the 16 inch guns with the assistance of a quadratic equation.  These guns are capable of firing a 2000 pound projectile up to 23 miles and landing that shell within 30 yards of the intended target.  This is amazing when one realizes that the equipment used to aim the guns was designed in the 1930's before GPS, digital computers, or Radar, and is still accurate enough to be used without change today.  This is all accomplished with the use of parabolas, which is also applied in this class to hands-on activities such as a quarterback throwing a football or a batter hitting a baseball.  A video segment which demonstrates the 16 inch guns in action, 360 degree looks at applicable areas of the ship, as well as a life-size replica of an actual shell (over 5 ft. tall!) serve to enhance the educational experience. 

How Energy Changes Form

Math/Science
(OP, DL, OB )

Class Description:  How does water taken on the ship convert to power to make it run?  Students will discover the scientific principles behind these activities on the battleship.  Sea water was used for all the basic energy needs of the sailors – from heating and cooking, to propelling the ship through the ocean.  Students will experience through virtual reality areas of the ship which are responsible for the processes necessary for the conversion of these resources.

Mechanical Advantage

Math/Science
(OP, DL, OB )

Class Description :  When a projectile weighing 1,900 lbs needs to be moved, without the use of machinery, how is it accomplished?  Through the use of simple machines, work is carried out throughout the ship on a daily basis.  Fun, hands-on activities are used to teach students the fundamentals of mechanical advantage.   Students will also have the opportunity to listen to real-life examples of how these machines were used as told by the men who worked on the New Jersey .