Westward+Expansion+Lesson+Plan+-+Portland+Middle+School


 * Westward Expansion Lesson Plan - Portland Middle School **

2) SSU the significance of conquest, settlement, and expansion of the Westward Expansion 3) SSU the benefits and consequences of Westward Expansion ||
 * ** CLASS: 8th Grade History ** || ** DATE: Monday, October 17, 2011-October 19, 2011 ** || ** UNIT: Westward Expansion (Manifest Destiny) ** ||
 * ** ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: ** What will my students be able to do or understand by the end of class? ||
 * 1) SSU how the Westward Expansion evolved the United States through means of transport and communications
 * ** ESSENTIAL QUESTION: ** What 1-2 major themes/ideas do I want to explore with students in this unit? ||
 * 1) Was Westward Expansion a justifiable an act?

2) Was it the United States’ “destiny” to move Westward? || 1) U4.2.3 2) U4.2.4 3) ||
 * ** MICHIGAN GLCE: ** Which three state standards does my plan address?


 * ** HOOK/INITIATION: ** What will you do to get the students invested in the lesson? ||
 * After the students finish their bellringer and have developed a hypothesis on what they believe “Manifest Destiny” is, I will bring up a picture of the painting by John Gast called //American Progress.// The students will compare their hypothesis to see if it matched what the painting describes. The students will then discuss the meaning, themes, and symbolism of the painting. ||
 * ** TEACHER ACTIVITIES: ** How will I convey the knowledge/skills of the lesson to help my students understand? ||
 * This lesson will contain Powerpoint about the significant events and people that were involved in Westward Expansion. Pictures and paintings that illustrate the expansion will help show what people thought of it and whether everyone in the United States thought Westward Expansion was a good idea. Discussing the “benefits” as well such as transportation, resources, expansion, etc. ||
 * ** STUDENT ACTIVITIES ** What will the students do to demonstrate their understanding? ||
 * The students will keep a journal as if they were moving west with their family. They will have to describe what they see, how they feel, and what it is like to live the life of traveling. Is there anyone else traveling with you? Are there already people living in the west? Writing about what they think would see will help them see what life was like. The class would use primary documents as sources so the students get the feel on how to write in their journals. ||
 * ** CLOSURE/SHARE BACK: ** How will the students share/interpret knowledge for others in the class? ||
 * The students will do a presentation on the Westward Expansion. They will choose a topic, person, event, etc. and teach it to the class in a 4-6 minute presentation at the end of the lesson. ||


 * ** BELLRINGER: **
 * Have the term “Manifest Destiny” shown to the students and have them come up with a hypothesis on what they think the meaning of that phrase means. **

How has your hypothesis changed from the beginning of class to the end? || ** ANNOUNCEMENTS: ** ||
 * TICKET OUT THE DOOR: **
 * ^  || ENI test Wednesday! ||
 * ^  || ** HOMEWORK: ** ||
 * ^  || Continue to write in journal ||