District 11 Educational Support Services
Social Studies




Graphic Montage by
Pikes Peak Community College

Grade 8, Quarter 3: Westward Movement, Go West!
Duration @14 days

Overview                                                                              
View the Video Introduction. The United States went from 13 colonies on the Atlantic Ocean in 1776 to expanding all the way to the Pacific by the mid 1800’s. People began seeking new opportunities, new land, and new lives. Many began to move west seeking prosperity in the form of land or gold. What about those peoples already living there? What was the Native American civilization like before westward expansion? What was it like after westward expansion? How can we use primary sources to answer these questions?

Unit Rigor & Relevance Rating: Quadrant D Adaptation - provides opportunities to apply in and across disciplines, and to apply in real-world unpredictable situations.

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Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Maps, globes, and other geographic tools are used to acquire process and report information about the past and present.
  • Physical and human characteristics of places define regions.
  • Migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
  • Processes and resources of historical inquiry allow for interpreting the past and analyzing present day issues.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • How do maps of Native American settlements and migration increase understanding of history?
  • How did the regions change as Native American tribes migrated further west?
  • Which migration patterns/routes of Native American and other populations across North America were most used? Why?
  • What information about this migration is provided in different primary and secondary sources?

Standards-Based Indicators of Learning
Geography 1:
Interpret maps, globes, charts, and geographic databases.
Geography 2: Define and identify regions by describing physical and human characteristics of places.
Geography 4: Explain how migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
History 2: Identify, interpret, compare, and evaluate primary and secondary sources, including documents, eyewitness accounts, letters and diaries, literature, and newspapers.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Migrations of the Native Americans
   
Duration: 3 class periods

Standard G1:
Students know how to use and construct maps, globes, and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments.
District Indicator:
Interpret maps, globes, charts and geographic databases.
ISTE Technology Standard 2:
Communication and
Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

Enduring Understanding: Maps, globes and other geographic tools are used to acquire process and report information about the past and present.
Essential Question:
How do maps of Native American settlements and migration increase understanding of history?
Assessment:
Review maps of Indian Removal and identify information shown related to migration and resettlement

Activities
Interpret maps of Native American settlements and migration.
Territorial Expansion of the U.S., 1783-1898 (interactive maps)
U.S. Territorial Maps, 1775-1920 (color maps)
Determine where Native Americans lived (settlement), where they were moved (migration and resettlement) and why.

Resources
Creating America,
Chapter One; The American Republic, Chapter 1; History Alive! TCI
Chapter 14

Differentiation

Support:
Provide a peer to help identify information related to migration and resettlement. Pair ELL with "buddies" to assist with information.
Extension:
Create a map illustrating different Indian trails showing migration and resettlement.


Lesson 2: Native American Regions

Duration: 4 class periods
Standard G2:
Students know the physical and human characteristics of places, and use this knowledge to define and study regions and their patterns of change.
District Indicator:
Define and identify regions by describing physical and human characteristics of places.

Enduring Understanding:
Physical and human characteristics of places define regions.
Essential Questions:
How did the regions change as Native American tribes migrated further west?
Assessment:
Create a Venn Diagram or other graphic organizer to compare and contrast 2 or more Native American civilizations by region using physical and human characteristics. Write a summary of similarities and differences

Activities
Compare and contrast Native American civilizations in the regions of North America. Use maps of regions of Native American tribes; determine common and unique physical and human characteristics of the regions in which the people lived. For example: Northeastern Woodlands lived in/near forests (physical), hunted animals (physical) for food (human) and used wood from trees (physical) to build their homes (human).

Resources
Videos: Mountain West Region (1996) 20 minutes, item # 91496 (This is about Native American culture); Gone West: the growth of a nation (1998) 28 minutes, item # 29335; Lewis and Clark: Explorers of the New Frontier (2000) item# 92280
Differentiation
Support:
Give student a partially completed Venn Diagram and reduced work (no more than 2 regions).
Extension:
Create a PowerPoint presentation on physical and human characteristics of one native American civilization to present to the class.


Lesson 3: Migration of the US and other Populations

Duration: 4 class period
Standard G4:
Students understand how economic, political, cultural and social processes interact to shape patterns of human populations, interdependence, cooperation and conflict.
District Indicator:
Explain how migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
Workforce Technical Skill: TECH 5.1- demonstrates computer literacy-uses key boarding skills, computer programs, and understands basic computer operations
Workforce Communication
COM1.0 Demonstrates the ability to receive and relay information clearly and effectively.
COM1.4 writing-organizes and effectively presents ideas and information in writing
COM1.5 interpreting-delineates and analyzes oral and written information and synthesizes information into a conclusion
COM1.7 persuading-communicates ideas to justify position, overcome resistance and convince others

Enduring Understanding:
Migration and immigration affect the location and distribution of human activity.
Essential Questions:
Which migration patterns/routes of US populations across North America were most used? Why?
Assessment:
Compare and contrast migrations of two or more groups: reasons, routes, encounters. Examples: Mormons and miners

Activities

  • Describe patterns/routes of American Indian relocation (Trail of Tears), European migration, Spanish influence, Chinese migration, Gold Rush; identify the importance of the Erie Canal, Oregon Trail, and Santa Fe Trail

  • Write a paragraph explaining migration and immigration, and providing historical/ current examples of each.

  • View the Video: Native American Removal (14:30)

Writing Connection: After watching the video, consider the perspective of Native Americans. Read each prompt below, and choose one to write about. Review the Grade 8 Writing Rubric and use it as a guide to help you write a response to your chosen prompt. Compose your response in a word processor first, then copy and paste your response into the WIKI. Be sure you use standard English. Your response will be read by students from other middle schools, and you will be reading responses written by other students across the district.

1. How would feel if someone forced you and your family to move from the place that had been your family home for hundreds of years? Copy and paste your response here in the Question 1 WIKI.

2. How did the pioneers moving west justify their taking of land from the Native Americans?
Copy and paste your response here in the Question 2 WIKI.

3. Compare the Native American migrations to those of another group such as the Mormons or the Chinese. How are the two alike and how are they different? Copy and paste your response here in the Question 3 WIKI.

4. What would you have said to a pioneer to discourage him or her from trying to take over land that belonged to Native Americans? Copy and paste your response here in the Question 4 WIKI.

Technology Connection: After posting your response, comment on another student's posting and explain why you agree or disagree with their response. Communicate like a professional. Your comments will be reviewed by your teacher as he/she evaluates your work on this assignment.

Resources
Creating America
, Chapter 13; The American Republic, Chapter 10; History Alive! Chapter 16. Video: Colonizing the American West (1996) item # 29323. Video: Expansionism (1996) 35 minutes, item # 93036
Differentiation
Support:
Allow dictated responses or oral presentation to the teacher on paragraphs explaining migration. Write in native language then translate migration patterns to English.
Extension:
Create a map of migration patterns/routes of various populations.


Lesson 4: Why Move West? Analyzing Primary Sources

Duration:
3 Class Periods
Standard H2:
Students know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry.
District Indicator:
Identify, interpret, compare, and evaluate primary and secondary sources, including documents, eyewitness accounts, letters and diaries, literature, and newspapers.

Enduring Understanding:
Processes and resources of historical inquiry allow for interpreting the past and analyzing present day issues.
Essential Questions:
What information about migration is provided in different primary and secondary sources?
Assessment:
Select one primary source and one secondary source that revealed information about how people migrating across America felt about their experiences. Identify and display these sources, then describe the emotions in your own words.

Activities
Analyze primary and secondary sources related to people who migrated and their reasons for doing so. Use all or part of the attached lesson Images of the West;

Resources
Video: Westward I Go Free (12:02)
Video: Westward Expansion: Mountain Men and Gold Seekers (27:02)  
Video: Westward Expansion; the Pioneer Challenge (17:00)
Video: Oregon Trail (1999) 16 minutes, item # 91664;Computer simulation --see your LTE;  primary source material Digital History Website (scroll to the bottom of the home page for link to primary sources) and the Westward Expansion Website.

Rand McNally Westward Expansion Map 1800 - 1850

Differentiation
Support:
Allow dictated responses or oral presentation to the teacher on the assessment.  Write in Spanish then translate migration patterns to English.
Extension: Create a map of migration patterns/routes of and other populations.

Parent Resources:
During this study your child will be exposed to the progressive and darker side of our history. The triumphs of westward expansion, personal stories of triumph over adversity are seen against the dark backdrop of the removal of Native Americans from their land. This presents a powerful opportunity to discuss with your child ethical and political issues. Discuss other examples that you have seen in history and share with your child thoughts and perspectives on controversial issues from history. The videos are also available for you to watch by having your child use his or her login and password.