Getting Started on the Project

The entry below will cover the questions on page 57 in our text.

1. Important/Enduring concepts in US History: As people began immigrating to the United States, they eventually sought independence and eventually earned it through the American Revolution; As Americans began expanding west, they encountered problems and conflict with people already living in newly settled areas; several factors resulted in the Civil War and the United States was drastically changed as a result of this war.

2. Why do these concepts matter: By studying these events and their outcomes, students will have a better understanding of how our society and culture have been shaped.

3. Who cares about these topics?: Obviously, historians care about these events and the ways that they have impacted our history. Native Americans, who were directly affected by westward expansion, care. Also, people in areas that were acquired by westward expansion should also have some interest in the events. Also, people who enjoy the outdoors may be interested in the expansion as these areas were explored by Lewis and Clark, among others, after the acquisition of territory. As far as the Civil War is concerned, African Americans and southerners were greatly effected by the events.

4. Interdisciplinary application: Focusing on the westward expansion concept, many other disciplines could apply. Language arts would apply in reading/writing diary entries of those exploring along the trails. Geography (another branch of social studies) would apply in the maps and other tools used in navigating across such terrain and distance. Art may be applied in the pictorial documentation of certain animals and environments along the way.

5. How might higher-order learning be incorporated?: Students may analyze the routes explores took and evaluate whether these routes may be the most efficient routes that could have been taken. Students might also create their own route and evaluate the benefits and downfalls of this route.

6. 21st century skills involved: Students will be involved in collaboration with the peers within their groups. Students will use digital tools such as powerpoint presentations, online primary source libraries, and other possible tools to enhance their projects such as blogs or wikis.

7. Details that will interest students: I think students will be interested in observing the routes of explorers and, probably more so, coming up with their own route and seeing the benefits of that route in comparison to the older route. I think they will also be interested in the events that happened along the way during these explorations.

8. Learning dispositions cultivated: I want students to pay attention to the possible reasons why the United States expanded to certain areas as well as why explorers decided to take certain routes. Also, I would like student to focus on how their routes might be different from early routes taken and why the routes early explorers took were necessary. Students should also take interest in learning the specific details of the explorations that took place by studying primary source documents.

If any of the above solutions does not make sense, or you have ideas about how to make the project more interesting/effective, please chime in!

Sean