Westward Movement Unit-Model 5.6

L=TBC Model (5.6)

Mrs. Neuner’s 8^th Grade Social Studies Class, 1999-2000THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT IN THE AMERICAN PSYCHE: An in-depth unit focusing on both (1) the geographic expansion of the frontier from the Appalachians to the Pacific and (2) the West as both Stage and Actor for National Dreams and National Policy in our country’s adolescent years of 1800-1860. Special attention is given to the realities of the Westward Movement as perceived through the eyes of the Common Man’s Family. This unit features Strand Teaching, Constructivist concept development, Inter-Disciplinary content, MAPS-like assessment, and authentic assessment.

The formula is simple:

L = TBC

LEARNING =

THINKING and Background Info. +

BUILDING Knowledge and Concepts +

COMMUNICATING What Has Been Learned

Part 1. Thinking and Background Information: (2 - 3 Days)(Back to top)

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS to be Solved:

A Benchmark Lecture and whole-class CrossTalk to list the topics and main ideas of the unit and to identify problems to be solved

. ( See the following Table

MOTIVATION	ACTION	RESOURCES	PROBLEMS	NAT’L RESULTS	FAMILY RESULTS
**Reaction against the Eng.’s 1763 Demarcation Line	According to the 1783 Treaty of Paris, the "new line" would be the Mississippi River LA Purchase extends the "line" to Pacific Ocean.
Scientific Exploration Dream of a Northwest Passage	3. Lewis and Clark Expedition
Pure Exploration Trade **Quick Riches	4. Mountain Men 5. Fur Trade
New Start for Families in 1848 Nationalism **Manifest Destiny	6.Oregon Trail Santa Fe Trail California Trail Mormon Trail Pony Express
** Compromise and Balance between Slave States and Free States	7. 1820 Compromise 8. Compromises of the 1850's		National problems were carried to the West like a computer virus is carried to a Hard drive during a download.
**Desire for Expansion or a New Chance on Life in 1999-2000	9. CSILE discussion by PCMS students in 2000		In 2000 Americans can travel to no new geographic frontier. What "Frontier" or new chance on life do Americans have now?

2. BACKGROUND and VOCABULARY

One week of Direct Instruction by the teacher. Worksheets, skill development,

notes from text, and vocabulary assignments by the student ..... with quizzes, etc

Vocabulary: people, places, things ---skim >> >in context>>> definitions that will "grow"…some words already defined by teacher
Vocabulary Project: Each group must create a "Picture Dictionary" of the vocabulary words , read the indicated background text information, and answer the Structured Response question associated with each of the 15 'Vocabulary Words". These assignments, plus a political party comparison chart and Manifest Destiny poem interpretaion are due by the beginning of Part 3 of this unit.
Vocabulary Quizzes: Slider Quizzes and Picture Interview Quizzes
Leadership Within Cooperative Groups: Just-in-time instruction and advice concerning rotation of roles within coperative groups (5-6 students per group). .

Part 2. Building Knowledge and Concepts:(2 Weeks)

THE STUDENTS BECOME EXPERTS: (Back to top)

The students are problem solvers who research, work at Print Media Stations and Educational Technology Stations in order to get information and data which they think about, rebuild into a personal library of information and personal experiences. This is research as a preparation for teaching and presenting. … Not just finding the information, but discussing it, understanding it.

ROTATION TOPICS AND EDUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Rotation Activities: Each group will study and work with all four Unit Topics.-----Each group will choose both the sequence of topics to study and the particular educational activities within each "Rotation". These groups must finish their last "Rotation" at the deadline communicated by the teacher. Most choices about how long to work on each particular activity within a Rotation will be left up to the Group and its Leader. Some activities within a Rotation will be mandatory.

Leadership Rotations: As a group begins the educational activities within a Topic, one member of the group will act as the Leader. When the group moves to the work associated with the next topic, another member of the group assumes the role of Leader. This Leadership Rotation continues throughout the Topic Rotations.

Composite Activities - Mandatory: Think of a composite picture. A composite picture is a finished graphic put together from many separate pictures. Each group will complete these educational activities by "putting together" information and concepts learned throughout the several educational activities within the Topic Rotations. The Composite Activities are:

A completed Concept-Problems Chart (see part one above)
Nat'l Geographic Music Analysis

Composite Activities - Choice: Each group will choose one of the following:

Read Streams to the River(novel about Sacajewea)–write illustrated journal of Lewis and Clark expedition from Sacajewea’s point of view
Read Streams to the River (novel about Sacajewae)–create a Children’s Book about the Lewis and Clark expedition
Upon Completion of Rotation Topics 1-2-3-4, create a Trails Board Game, which when played teaches concepts and life experiences of the Trails West

2. THE STUDENTS REFLECT

Students reflect on what they have learned and individually apply the acquired concepts and understandings to the new problem posed in a CSILE (collaborative writing) Discussion.

CSILE Discussion: "In 2000 Americans can travel to no new geographic frontier. What "Frontier" or new chance on life do Americans have now?"

3. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES CHART:

MOTIVATION - ACTION	MAIN CONCEPTS	PRINT MEDIA ACTIVITIES	MAP ACTIVITIES	MULTI-MEDIA ACTIVITIES	PROJECTS	ASSESSMENT
1. NO MORE DEMACATION LINE ---LA PURCHASE	Freedom to move Nat'l Security **No European influence or presence in North America	** Time Tunnel 5 W’s	**How the US Grew	**Lewis+Clark HS		**MAPS-like Structured Response Quiz
2. LA PURCHASE LEWIS AND CLARK	Scientific Expedition N. W. Passage	Lewis and Clark newspaper Web Quest	**LA Purchase Map	** Find Sacajawea--a Hyperstudio game		**MAPS-like Structured Response Quiz
3. Mt. Men	Pure exploration Fur Trade **Myth of the West	Web Quest America Moves West…Mt. Men take a peek at the future	**Trails West Map	**Elbow Room		**MAPS-like Structured Response Quiz
4. Wagon Trains West	New Start for Families Manifest Destiny	Diaries Anthology Web Quest Oregon Trail Diary –a Case Study Oregon Trail Blazers — a Case Study Black Cowboys 5W’s Self-Guiding Tour of Oregon Trail-5 W’s	**Edit a Timeline	Oregon Trail -4- CD Game West Slide Show **Oregon Trail HS	Explore Westward Movement (Arch) Museum Great American Desert --Proof	**MAPS-like Structured Response Quiz
5. Bigger Nation - Bigger Problems	Free-Slave Balance New Chance or Old Problems?	** Special Lecture # 2				**MAPS-like Structured Response Quiz
6. Desire for Expansion or a New Chance on Life in 1999-2000	**			CSILE discussion by PCMS students in 2000

THE TEACHER MANAGES all these opportunities for students to explore and to build knowledge and concepts

Part 3. Communicating What Has Been Learned: (1 Week) (Back to top)

1. THE EXPERTS REPORT THEIR FINDINGS AND SOLUTIONS:

The students engage in informative cross-teaching activities in which they share, usually with graphic boards, their knowledge of details and understanding of concepts.

Cross Talk: on Concepts Chart

Play Trail Board games (created by other groups)

Complete CSILE (collaborative writing-chat) Discussion

2. THE WORKSHOP: STUDENT PREPARES TO TEACH:

The students create multi-media presentations in which they demonstrate the quality of their knowledge of details and understanding of concepts.

Each group now refers to itself as a family; the members play the various parts of a family.

Each group (family) chooses a part of the Oregon Trail to write a skit about…5 min. in length…Write dialogue and plan action. Choose scenery (computer generated) and choose background music and sound effects.

3. THE CONVENTION:

The students, acting as informed experts, give formal presentations to their peers in other (expert) groups or other classrooms on the team. The students communicate to each other the concepts and understandings they have learned.

Each group acts out and films its skit… the composite film being an entire "play" of the Oregon Trail experience

Each class watches the completed film …. Thus the filmed "play" becoming the cross-teaching resources.

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