Western Expansion or Bust

A WebQuest for 5th Grade (Social Studies)

Designed by

Mrs. Joan Troiani

Southern Cayuga Central School

troianij@southerncayuga.org

http://amhist.ist.unomaha.edu/module_files/Best%20Westward%20Expansion%20Map.jpg

 

 

INTRODUCTION

You have studied the Expansion of the United States in the 1800’s and just won a “Back In Time” trip to the United States of 1830-1860’s. You have three trips to choose from:

       I.            Visit Native American land in the Southeast (1830’s)

     II.            Visit the Southwestern (1840’s)

  III.            Visit the Midwest (1860’s)

During the time period you chose, “others” occupied the land and the United States Congress passed legislation to permit this trip.

There is an opposition (people against) to your trip. Why?

 

 

TASK

You have been asked to create a PowerPoint of your trip you selected. You want to include important information to help a 21st century student to understand what was happening back in the 1800’s in the United States and the opposition against the settling of land in the West. You will have an opportunity to share your Power Point presentation during your Social Studies class.

 

 

PROCESS

Project must include the following:

1.     First the teacher will assign you to work in a group, 3 groups in each class.

2.     In your group, pick one of the time periods:

·        1830’s: Choice I Legislation was the Indian Removal Act.

·        1840’s: Choice II Legislation was Manifest Destiny.

·        1860’s: Choice III Legislation was the Homestead Act.

3.     Once you've picked a time period, you will type your answers on the forms, and save each one to the server (U-drive). These will be needed for your powerpoint.

4.     Now, the indentified the problem with the opposition was that there was an existing population of people living where your trip is. Use the worksheet #1 (MS Word): http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/usppaip2.html (worksheet MS Word) *be specific to who, what, where of the problem. [Save on U drive titled: WE worksheet 1]

5.     Next, Gather the Evidence of this problem and complete worksheet #2 [Save on U drive titled: WE worksheet 2]

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/usppari1.html

6.     Then, Determine the Causes of the Problem on worksheet #3 (MS word) [Save on U drive titled: WE worksheet 3]

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/usppadc1.html

7.     Lastly, Evaluate the Policy on worksheet #4 (MS Word) Please look at the resource section to help you complete. [Save on U drive WE worksheet 4]

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/usppaep1.html

8.     You will now create your PowerPoint presentation, using the saved WE worksheets 1-4. You must include slides for each of the following:

Ø    Slide #1 Title Page include: time period, group members’ names, and Social Studies class period

Ø    Slide #2 Social Problem of that time period (given to you)

Ø    Slide #3 Gather the evidence this problem

Ø    Slide #4 Determine the Cause of the problem

Ø    Slide #5 Evaluate the policy

Ø    Slide #6 Cite your research (websites for information AND graphics)

9.     In addition to the required six (6) slides, choose at least three pictures or graphics supporting the problem

10.                     Add background, animations, and transitions skills that you have learned this year to your group’s power point.

 

 

RESOURCES

Textbooks:

Scott Foresman Social Studies 5 pages 402-407; 430-436; 438-445; 538-552; 554-557

Prentice Hall Social Studies 5-Western Hemisphere pages 180-183; 188

Indian Removal Act: (1830’s)

Manifest Destiny: (1840’s)

Homestead Act: (1860’s)

 

 

EVALUATION

You will have an opportunity to present your Power point to your Social Studies class. Classmates will have a chance to ask about the problems and public policy you studied. .

·        Your performance will be evaluated the following way:

·        Group cooperation –self checklist

·        Group worksheets #1-4 in the Process section (completed on line and saved)

·        Completing the process steps (1-10)

·        Your end product’s quality: Power point presentation using the performance rubric below

 

1 point

2 Points

3 Points

4 Points

Score

Technical

 Project does not run satisfactorily. There are too many technical problems to view the project.

 Project runs minimally. There are many technical problems when viewing the project.

 Project runs adequately with minor technical problems.

 Project runs perfectly with no technical problems.

 

Spelling and Grammar

 Project has multiple errors in spelling and/or grammar. (Five or more errors)

 Project minimally honors rules of spelling and/or grammar. (Four or less errors)

 Project adequately honors most rules of spelling and/or grammar. (Two or less errors)

 Project honors all rules of spelling and/or grammar.

 

Completion

 Project is incomplete and contains many unfinished elements

 Project is incomplete and contains several unfinished elements.

 Project is incomplete and contains some unfinished elements.

 Project is completely finished.

 

Slide design

 Screens are either barren or confusing and cluttered. Exaggerated emphasis on graphics and special effects weakens the message and interferes with the communication of content and ideas.

 Multimedia elements accompany content but there is little sign of mutual reinforcement. There is no attention to visual design criteria such as balance or proportion. There is some use of graphical elements that do not reinforce message.

 Multimedia elements and content combine to adequately deliver a high impact message with the elements and words reinforcing each other.

 The combination of multimedia elements and content takes communication to a superior level. There is clear attention given to balance, and proportion. It reaches the intended audience with style and pizzazz.

 

Worksheets

 Less than 3 worksheets are used and completed.

 Some of the 4 worksheets are used but not completed

 Completed the 4 worksheet with some inaccuracies

 All 4 worksheets are completed accurately and thoughtfully

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

You have become an “experienced traveler”, traveling through historical research in one of these Westward Expansion time periods.

You are now ready to take your “Back In Time” trip to the United States of 1830-1860’s without all the problems they did back in the 1800’s. Isn’t hindsight great so we don’t have to make the same mistakes?

 

 

STANDARDS

New York State Social Studies Standards

http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/socst/socstand/home.html

Standard 1, Key Idea 2

Important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions from New York State and United States history illustrate the connections and interactions of people and events across time and from a variety of perspectives

Standard 1, Key Idea 4

The skills of historical analysis include the ability to: explain the significance of historical evidence; weigh the importance, reliability, and validity of evidence; understand the concept of multiple causation; understand the importance of changing and competing interpretations of different historical developments.

S1.4A Students consider different interpretations of key events and/or issues in history and understand the differences in these accounts.

S1.4B Students explore different experiences, beliefs, motives, and traditions of people living in their neighborhoods, communities, and State

S1.4C Students view historic events through the eyes of those who were there, as shown in their art, writings, music, and artifacts.

Standard 5, Key Idea 1

The study of civics, citizenship, and government involves learning about political systems; the purposes of government and civic life; and the differing assumptions held by people across time and place regarding power, authority, governance, and law. (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994) Standard 5, Key Idea 4 Key Idea 4: Central to civics and citizenship is an understanding of the roles of the citizen within American constitutional democracy and the scope of a citizen’s rights and responsibilities.

New York State ELA Standards

Standard 1:

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 3:

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will present, in oral and written language and from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

 

Power Point Scoring Rubric

1 Point

2 Points

3 Points

4 Points

Score

Technical

Project does not run satisfactorily. There are too many technical problems to view the project.

Project runs minimally. There are many technical problems when viewing the project.

Project runs adequately with minor technical problems.

Project runs perfectly with no technical problems.

Spelling and Grammar

Project has multiple errors in spelling and/or grammar. (Five or more errors)

Project minimally honors rules of spelling and/or grammar. (Four or less errors)

Project adequately honors most rules of spelling and/or grammar. (Two or less errors)

Project honors all rules of spelling and/or grammar.

Completion

Project is incomplete and contains many unfinished elements

Project is incomplete and contains several unfinished elements.

Project is incomplete and contains some unfinished elements.

Project is completely finished.

Slide Design:

Screens are either barren or confusing and cluttered. Exaggerated emphasis on graphics and special effects weakens the message and interferes with the communication of content and ideas.

Multimedia elements accompany content but there is little sign of mutual reinforcement. There is no attention to visual design criteria such as balance or proportion. There is some use of graphical elements that do not reinforce message.

Multimedia elements and content combine to adequately deliver a high impact message with the elements and words reinforcing each other.

The combination of multimedia elements and content takes communication to a superior level. There is clear attention given to balance, and proportion. It reaches the intended audience with style and pizzazz.

Worksheets

Less than 3 worksheets are used and completed.

Some of the 4 worksheets are used but not completed

Completed the 4 worksheet with some inaccuracies

All 4 worksheets are completed accurately and thoughtfully

Subject Knowledge during ppt presentation

Subject knowledge is not evident. Information is confusing or incorrect.

Some subject knowledge is evident.

Subject knowledge is evident in much of the project.

Subject knowledge is evident throughout the project.

TOTAL SCORE ________

This rubric has been modified. The original information can be found at MidLink Magazine (http://www.ncsu.edu/midlink/mm2002.rubric.htm

For Teachers: