Trail of Tears Lesson Plan               

Created by Franci Frisch

 

  

Grade Level    4^th Grade

 

MN Standards:

 

I. U.S. History, E. Growth and Westward Expansion, 1801 - 1861.  The student will demonstrate knowledge of western expansion, conflict, and reform in America

IV. Historical Skills, A. Concepts of Time.  The student will acquire skills of chronological thinking.

VII. Government and Citizenship, A. Civic Values, Skills, Rights and Responsibilities.  The student will recognize the importance of individual action and character in shaping civic life.

 

Objectives of Lesson/Learner Objective

  

-                      Students will be able to explain the process that led up to the removal of the American Indians from their homeland

-                      Students will be able to identify three (3) main reasons for the removal of the American Indians

-                      Students will be able to create and use timelines to represent at least six (6) events and people involved

-                      Students will be able to identify five (5) key people who were involved in the Trail of Tears

 

Materials Needed/Preparation

 

-           Samuel’s Memory by Michael Rutledge

-           The Trail of Tears by Michael Burgan      

-           Trail of Tears Vocabulary PowerPoint

-           Trail of Tears Vocabulary worksheet

-           Trail of Tears Vocabulary fill-in-the-blank

-           Trail of Tears Chapter Quiz

-           Trail of Tears Route Map         

-           Timeline Self-Assessment Rubric

-           Trail of Tears Crossword Puzzle

-           Miscellaneous magazines

-           Construction paper of various colors

-           White roll paper

-           Beads

-           Feathers

-           Miscellaneous pieces of Indian looking material scraps

-           Crayons/markers

 

      Online Resources:

http://www.ngeorgia.com/history/nghisttt.html

http://cherokeehistory.com/samuel.html

http://members.tripod.com/~kirbyTD/totimgsindex.html

www.nps.gov/trte/

www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2722

www.georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/trailtea.htm

Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Snappy Launch

 

-                      Teacher will read “Samuel’s Memory” by Michael Rutledge.  This is the story Samuel Cloud, retold by his great-great-grandson.  Samuel turned 9 years old on the trail and this is his story. 

 

 Procedure/Instructional Method Steps

 

Constructivist instructional method - Teacher will read Samuel’s Memory and The Trail of Tears.  The students will discuss what led up to the removal of the American Indians – Westward Expansion, discovery of gold, greed, etc.  The teacher will present the Trail of Tears route map and discuss. The teacher will present a completed timeline to demonstrate how to create one.  Then the students will work in cooperative groups to create timelines to be mounted in the hallway.  The teacher will assign group topics (The Europeans, Battles, Treaties, People, The Trail). The teacher will assign student roles: group leader, researchers (2), and recorders (2).  Students will use the online references provided and "The Trail of Tears" book by Michael Burgan to locate their timeline information.  Once the students have gathered all the information they need to create their timelines, each student will take turns adding information to the group timeline and decorating it.  The students will complete vocabulary worksheets and Trail of Tears crossword puzzle.  At the end of the lesson, the students will write at least three paragraphs answering the question: "If you were to travel back in time and knew that you would be a part of the Trail of Tears, who would you want to be - a Cherokee or a settler; male or female; child or elder?  Why?

 

Vocabulary:

 

-           Removal – to take something or someone out of their place 

-           John Ross – 1790 – 1866 - He was the principal chief of the Cherokee Indians

-           Elias Boudinot – 1800 – 1839 - Cherokee publisher and supporter of Major Ridge

-           Plantation – a large area of land where crops, usually tobacco or cotton, are grown

-           Mandatory – something that is required

-           Impatient – not able to wait or to be restless

-           Dispense – to pass or hand out items

-           Migration – people or animals moving from place to place

-           Andrew Jackson – 1767 – 1845 - seventh president of the United States and a major player in the removal of the

            Indians

-           Sequoyah – 1760 – 1843 - Sequoyah created the Cherokee written alphabet

-           Exiled – a person who is forced to move from their home

-           Coerced – to force someone to do something they don’t want to do or shouldn’t do

-           Systematically – to be organized

-           Confinement – to keep something within particular boundaries, sometimes by force

 

Classroom Management: Routines: Materials distribution/clean-up, Movement, Transitions

 

-                      Students will sit in group area for Samuel’s Memory

-                      Students will sit attentively and listen to stories

-                      Students will return to desk to view Trail of Tears Vocabulary PowerPoint presentation and complete vocabulary worksheet

-                      Teacher will divide students into groups of 6 (approximately) – done ahead of time

-                      Students will work in groups gathering timeline information and creating timelines

-           Students will work quietly at their desks writing their paragraphs in answer to the "travel back in time" question

-                      Students will clean up after themselves at end of class – put crayons/markers away – wash hands

   

Student Assessment & Check for Understanding:  How do you know if the students understand what you just taught? 

-                      Students will answer questions and discuss Samuel’s Memory, The Trail of Tears, and the reasons behind the removal of the American

            Indians

-           Teacher observation of discussion participation

-           Students will create group timelines representing the topic assigned - this demonstrates their knowledge of the particular topic

            Timeline Trail of Tears Self Assessment Rubric.pdf

-                      Teacher observation of discussion participation

-                      Students will complete crossword puzzle which will demonstrate their knowledge of the vocabulary words and key people

-                      Students will complete the vocabulary fill-in-the-blank 

-              Students will write at least three paragraphs in answer to the "If they were to travel back in time" question.

                                                           

 

Trail of Tears

NCSS Ten Themes

Social Studies Standards

Franci Frisch Efolio