Kristina Carssow Gateways Lesson Plan Lesson #2. Westward Expansion Geography Lesson Plan

Transcription

1 Westward Expansion Geography Lesson Plan Lesson length: Six to seven 50-minute class periods Lesson overview: Students will identify and explain the significance of major territorial acquisitions from 1783 to 1849 by creating a map and viewing video clips of how this westward expansion was accomplished in such a short time. The students will then demonstrate their knowledge by creating an illustrated timeline and participating in a paired assessment activity. TEKS Statements: 1(ABC), 6E, 12(AB), 30C, 31(CD) List of Materials: 1. Dry erase board maps (student set of 30), dry erase markers (blue, black, green) (located in trunk) 2. e-maps program for presentation system or desktop computer (located in trunk) 3. How the 13 States Grew video (located in trunk) 4. Copies of the acquisition map and notes page; video questions for teacher; illustrated timeline instructions (located in master binder in trunk) 5. colored pencils (7 colors) 6. markers 7. colored construction paper (81/2 by 14) 8. Access to KLRN video clip web site (klrn.unitedstreaming.org) Instructional Sequence Phase One: Engage the learner Students will use their U.S. map dry erase boards to activate prior knowledge of important rivers, landforms and important areas of land acquisition. They will be asked to label the following as their engage activity. 13 colonies (black) Treaty of Paris 1783 (black) Appalachian Mountains (green) Mississippi River (blue) Missouri River (blue) Atlantic Ocean (blue) Pacific Ocean (blue) New Orleans (black) Rocky Mountains (green) Students will also answer prior-knowledge questions on the blank side. (Facilitative Questions) What territory did the U.S. acquire in 1803 from France? What territory did the U.S. annex in 1845?

2 Why is New Orleans an important city? (Think of its geography) Which of the geographic elements above were BARRIERS to movement? Near which of the geographic elements above would people want to settle? Why? The teacher will then use the e-map program on the presentation system or computer or an overhead of the map to check students answers. They will also discuss the answers to the questions on the back. Estimated time: minutes Phase Two: Explore the Content These activities include hands-on experiences in which students explore the content further. Students receive little explanation and few terms at this point, because they are to define the problem or phenomenon in their own words. The purpose of this stage is for students to acquire a common set of experiences, both to articulate their own understanding and to understand another s viewpoint. Hands-on/minds-on activities prior to technical explanations Focus is on student observation and interaction with materials and each other 1. Discuss #1 facilitative question using a brainstorm circle map. Students will write down as many reasons as possible and then we will discuss as a class as launching pad for the westward expansion acquisition map. (Can work in pairs as needed) 2. Video: How the 13 States Grew (28 minutes): On the back of their circle map, students will complete the first two parts of the K-W-L chart before viewing the video. As they watch the video, they will fill in the what they have learned part of the chart. Students will also be told that the next activity will involve a game testing their memory of what happened in the video, so to pay close attention. Video will also be periodically paused and asked facilitative questions **Research based strategy (advance organizers) from Classroom Instruction that Works Estimated time: minutes Facilitative Questions 1. Why would the United States want to acquire land west of the Mississippi River? Think about what resources would be available that would encourage westward expansion. 2. How many states were created out of existing states? 3. Why was the French and Indian War so important to United States territory acquisition? 4. What plan determined how states would be created? 5. Why was the acquisition of Louisiana so important to the United States expansion? 6. What does Manifest Destiny mean?

3 7. Why was the annexation of Texas so troublesome? 8. With which territorial acquisition did the U.S. now reach from sea to shining sea. 9. Why did many not want to buy Alaska from the Russians? Did they make a good or poor decision? 10. How did the United States acquire Hawaii? 11. What is unique about Washington D.C.? Phase Three: Explain After students have explored the content students and/or the teacher can provide technical explanations and terms for what is being studied. The teacher may present the content via lecture, demonstration, reading, or multi-media. Students then use the information to describe what they have experienced, and they begin to examine mentally how this explanation fits with what they already know. Emphasis is on student rather than teacher explanation Students connect explanations to evidence Teacher encourages students to explain observations in their own words before connecting experiences to knowledge 1. Using the acquisitions map and chart, the students be put in pairs or groups of no more than four and each student will be given a copy of the acquisitions map. Students will be told they will be playing the memory game based on the video How the 13 States Grew. Each group will have 20 minutes to discuss and come up with the name of each territory, the year it was acquired and how the territory was acquired. Students will be told that if there is a conflict in the group, to write down all information given and see who s right when we check. When the students are finished the teacher will go over each territory acquisition by showing a video clip of it. Students will be told to check their work after each clip. After all the clips are shown, the teacher will pass out the notes chart and will go over the important information and video questions with the students providing the answers. The teacher will map out each acquisition using the e-map program. All videos are segments of the United States Expansionism video unless otherwise noted. Treaty of Paris and Northwest Ordiance (1:04): (The Revolutionary War segment) Louisiana Purchase (1:19) Florida (1:11) Annexation of Texas (2:13) (From Texas Debates Joining the Union segment from Lone Star Legacy: The Texas Republic and Mexican War video) Oregon territory (1:01) Mexican Cession (2:13): (The Mexican War segment) Gadsden Purchase (part of above clip) **Research based strategy (cooperative learning, note-taking) from Classroom Instruction that Works

4 Facilitative Questions 1. Why was the land east of the Mississippi important to the United States, after the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783? 2. What two things were significant about the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory? 3. Why is the acquisition of Florida important to the United States westward expansion? 4. What does annexation mean? 5. Why would the Oregon territory be important in terms of Manifest Destiny? 6. How did the United States acquire the land of the American Southwest? 7. Why would the land of the Gadsden Purchase be important to the United States? Estimated time: two 50 minute class periods Phase Four: Elaboration This stage allows students to elaborate on their understanding of the content. Students are given opportunities to further explore and explain content. Interaction between the students is essential during the elaboration stage. By discussing their ideas with others, students construct a deeper understanding of the content. Multiple or varied opportunities for students to apply newly learned content Students utilize newly learned content in different contest Students will summarize by creating an illustrated timeline. For each territory acquisition students will create an illustration that will help them remember the territory and its significance. Students may work individually or in pairs. It will be created on large construction paper. **Research based strategy (cooperative learning) from Classroom Instruction that Works Estimated time: 50 minutes (finish for homework) Phase Five: Evaluation This stage is designed for the students to continue to elaborate on their understanding and to evaluate what they know. Evaluation of student understanding should take place throughout all phases of the instructional model. The evaluation stage is where the teacher determines the extent to which students have developed a meaningful understanding of the concept. Students demonstrate an understanding of cited TEKS and performance standards Methods for evaluating student progress toward objectives are evident throughout the lesson Evaluation assists teachers in diagnosing what students know as well as what they do not know Students will use their U.S. map dry erase boards to assess their knowledge of important rivers, landforms and important areas of land acquisition that were studied. Students will be

5 paired up and each student will have a dry-erase board. One student will be in charge of labeling key territorial acquisitions and landforms on the map side of the board while the other student will be responsible for answer the questions on the blank side of the board. Students will be graded based on content but extra credit will be given to the first two pairs finished. **Research based strategy (cooperative learning) from Classroom Instruction that Works When students are finished, they will trade boards with another group and the map and questions will be graded in class using e-maps program. Label and number territories based on when acquired (1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd, etc.) Treaty of Paris 1783 (black) Appalachian Mountains (green) Mississippi River (blue) Missouri River (blue) Atlantic Ocean (blue) Pacific Ocean (blue) New Orleans (black) Rocky Mountains (green) Louisiana Purchase (black) Annexation of Texas (black) Oregon Territory (black) Mexican Cession (black) Gadsden Purchase (black) Florida (black) Answer the following questions on the blank side of the board Why is 1803 important? The acquisition of which territory led to a war? Which territory was acquired for railroad use? Which two territories were acquired from Great Britain? The acquisition of Louisiana was important for access to which geographical element? Which territory was a result of a war with Native Americans and then cession from Spain? Estimated time: 50 minutes