Lesson Plan: They Wept

Was America discovered or conquered?  What were the costs and benefits of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?  What were the attitudes and behaviors toward the Native American population? This project based lesson is designed to allow students to use a variety of technology tools to research the trail of tears, influencing factors and the key players involved.  The activities are designed to motivate students while allowing them to be in charge of their learning.  Teachers may elect to have students create all activities, place them in groups and allow them to select from the various choices or follow the instructions as provided.  Try the lesson, modify it to meet the needs of your students and contact the author with ideas or suggestions for improvement.

Author: Gail Holmes

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Curriculum Alignment

State/Local Curriculum Objectives: Grade 11 Goal 2 Objectives 2; Grade 4 Goal 2 Objective 2.01
NCSCOS
Grade 4
Goal 2:  The learner will examine the importance of the role of ethnic groups and examine the multiple roles they have played in the development of North Carolina.
Objective 2.01:  Locate and describe American Indians in North Carolina, past and present.

Grade 8
Goal 1:  The learner will analyze important geographic, political, economic, and social aspects of life in the region prior to the Revolutionary Period.
Objective 1.02:   Identify and describe American Indians who inhabited the regions that became Carolina and assess their impact on the colony.

Grade 11-12
Goal 3:  The learner will identify key events and evaluate the impact of reform and expansion in North Carolina during the first half of the 19th Century.
Objective 3.05:  Compare and contrast different perspectives among North Carolinians on the national policy of Removal and Resettlement of American Indian populations.

Goal 5: The Era of Expansion (1828-1848): The learner will analyze the cause and effect of Jacksonian Democracy and Manifest Destiny.
Objective 5.03:  Assess the actions of Andrew Jackson in dealing with issues such as: internal improvements, states’ rights, and Indian removal.

NETS – Teachers

  1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
    1. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
    2. model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
  2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
    1. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity.
    2. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.

NETS – Students

  1. Creativity and Innovation
    1. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
    2. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
  2. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
    1. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
    2. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
    3. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to analyze the political freedoms available to American Indians.
  2. Students will be able to analyze the effects the Indian removal act had on the Native Americans.
  3. Students will be able to trace the route of the trail of tears.
  4. Students will be able to discuss the treaties between the US and Native Americans prior to removal.
  5. Students will be able to identify the events leading to the forced relocation.

Time Required and Location

5 – 45 minute sessions


Materials Needed

Materials Needed:  A computer, software: Google Earth, Google Docs. Pillow case or sack.

Technology Resources:

  • Hardware – computer, Speakers, Headset with microphone
  • Software – United Streaming, Google Earth, Photostory3

Participant Prior Knowledge

Students Share reading list with students and have them check out books from library.  Students should be introduced to photostory3, audacity, google earth and google docs.  The lesson can be completed within suggested time constraints if tutorials have been explored prior to start.  It will be necessary to download some software to the computer hard drive.


Activities

PowerPoint Presentation

  1. Pose the question . . . What if . . . You were forced to move from your home never to return and had 5 minutes to gather your belongings in a pillow case . . .  What would you take?
  2. Open the PowerPoint lesson to provide an overview of the Trail of Tears.
  3. Place a pillowcase on the floor in the middle of the classroom. Students are asked to write down all the things they would place in it if they were forced to move from their homes.  Give students five minutes to record all items.  All items listed by each individual student should be able to physically fit into a pillowcase.  Students should place their list in the pillow case.  Teachers remove lists from pillow case and discuss items listed.
  4. Essential Question:  Was America discovered or conquered?  What were the costs and benefits of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?  What was life like for the Native Americans prior to the forced removal? What were the attitudes and behaviors toward the Native American population?

Teacher Tube Collaborative Groups

  1. Essential Question:  Was America discovered or conquered?  What were the costs and benefits of the Indian Removal Act of 1830?  What was life like for the Native Americans prior to the forced removal? What were the attitudes and behaviors toward the Native American population?
  2. Show the TeacherTube video “Trail of Tearshttp://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=98091&title=Trail_of_Tears and follow up with a discussion (focus on essential questions during discussion)

Point Counter Point

Part I: Research

Student should read and analyze one or more of the following documents related to the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Next, divide students into three member groups. Group members will either provide an overview, point or counterpoint for the removal of the Native Americans.  Group 1, Overview of Indian Removal, Group 2. Point- Justify Indian Removal (point), Group 3. Negate Indian Removal (counterpoint).

Part II: Collaboration 

The overview group will collaborate to create an overview of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The point group will collaborate to create points for removal of the Native Americans and the Counter point group will collaborate to create counterpoints against removal.  (This can be done in discussion groups or through google doc if computers are available).  Students will return back to their original 3-member groups to share and create voice threads.  If computers are available they will use a google doc to discuss and share ideas within their groups.  If computers are not available, they will work in small groups to discuss topics and create a T-Chart to display results.  If computers are available, each group will rotate to the different voice threads, listen to recordings and add a point and or counterpoint.

Blog:

Option 1:  Students write in first person a daily blog considering treaties, court cases, issues confronted during the trip from their home to Oklahoma and life after arriving in Oklahoma according to research and lessons studied in class. See Blog Rubric

Option 2:  Students write in first person a daily blog considering treaties, court cases, issues confronted during the trip from their home to Oklahoma and life after arriving in Oklahoma according to research and lessons studied in class. See: Blog Rubric

Podcast:

Materials: microphone, software: Audacity

  1. Considering the information learned from the study of the removal of Native Americans, students should select and analyze one of the major players listed below and create a podcast to share that person’s view on the removal of Native Americans.  Students analyzing the same person should be grouped and using the rubric provided, critique each other’s work. Students return to whole group and present podcasts to class according to teacher instruction.

2.    Review document:  Creating A Podcast.

 

Major Ridge

 

Chief Black Hawk

 

 

President Andrew Jackson

 

 

John Ross, Chief of the Cherokee

 

John C. Calhoun

Chief Joseph
Chief Justice John Marshall 

General Winfield Scott

Samuel WorcesterJohn G. Burnett

Google Lit Trip

Materials Needed:  Book: Sample Google Lit Trip; (http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/K-5/K-5.html) Software: Google Earth

Resource: Video: Soft Rain

Pre activity: Share reading list with students and have them check out books from library.  (See Reading List document)

Directions: Using the literature studied, guide students as they create a lit trip of the locations referenced in the book. Demonstrate google earth, how to create a path and how to measure distance from one location to another. (Review directions for creating a google lit trip).

Photostory:  (Review Creating A Photostory)

Pre activity: Share reading list with students and have them check out books from library.    (See Reading List document.)

As a culminating activity students should create a multimedia presentation using photostory3 and selected literature.  All projects should be shared and discussed with class. (See Soft Rain Photostory sample)


Assessment

Discussions, Blogs, Observations, Peer Assessments and Projects:  Google lit trip, Photostory3, Voicethreads, Podcasts. These assessments continuously monitor student progress; provide feedback; assess thinking processes, performances, and products; and reflect on learning throughout the learning cycle.


Critical Vocabulary

Indian Removal Act of 1830, Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson, John Marshall, Treaty of Holsten, Sovereign Nation


Modifications

Provide a variety of reading levels for literature list.

Provide students with assistance from resources teachers.

Allow student extended time to complete projects.

Create additional projects for advanced students in the event they should complete assignments prior to deadline.

Create mentor partners to provide support to students having difficulty completing projects.


References

Andrew Jackson call for Indian Removal

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/4350

Cherokee Removal

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-newnation/10.0

http://anpa.ualr.edu/digital_library/indianvoices/indianvoices.htm

http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/html/collections_tot.html

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/ntreaty.asp

http://www.essortment.com/all/whatisindianr_rhin.htm

http://www.studworld.com/indian_removal_act_of_1830.htm

http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/IndianRemovalAct.htm

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/2959.html

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/dwe/16338.htm

http://everything2.com/node/1521140

http://digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/us12.cfm


Supplemental Information

Literature:  Soft Rain – Cornelia Cornelissen. Use this as a sample to guide students through creating vodcast using photostory3 and google lit trip. Share rubrics and checklist

Nortel Learnit website contains videos that can be used as tutorials for students and teachers to assist in creating podcasts. You can also view the tutorials included.


Comments

Have students research trail of tears prior to beginning of lit trip. Ask culturally reflective questions to actively engage students in discussions.

Have students read selected literature in preparation for completing google lit trip. Have students storyboard before beginning photostory3.   Provide handout of step by step instructions for completing trip.  Guide students through the creation of a google lit trip.


Author Info

Gail Holmes is a 2009 Kenan Fellow employed in Guilford County in Greensboro North Carolina.  She has 31 years of experience and is a certified Business Education Teacher and Media Specialist working as an Instructional Technology Specialist in Guilford County’s Enrichment Region.  This project was developed as a model to share technology rich student centered lessons. The most important lesson learned from this project is the importance of having students story board prior to beginning the projects to ensure that the lessons are completed in a more timely manner.  Providing students time to research, collaborate and use digital tools for learning can provide the students with the motivation and tools to become global learners in the 21st century.  Rubrics, blogs and checklists provide ongoing assessments to better monitor student performance and empower them with the skills to think at higher levels and become self-directed learners.