Essential Questions 

• What motivating factors contributed to human movement across the United States?

• How did westward expansion impact Native Americans?

• How did settlers use Manifest Destiny as justification to move west?

• Why did it take longer to settle the Great Plains than other western areas?

Content 

• Students will understand why settlers moved westward.

• Students will understand how Wyoming went from a territory to a state.

• Students will identify a specific event or individual who directly impacted the development of the western region.

Skills 

Bloom's Taxonomy

Webb's Depth of Knowledge

Bloom's Taxonomy

Webb's Depth of Knowledge

Students will compose, analyze, and/or demonstrate the essential questions for Westward Expansion

Lesson Plans

Teach Chapter 15 with information from Chapter 9 on Manifest Destiny.

Use outside resources to gather information on Wyoming History.

There is a DSPA that must be given at the end of this unit.

Chromebooks

Text Book

America the Story of Us

Westward Expansion DSPA

Standards Assessed

WY.18.SOC.9-12.SS12.4.1

WY.18.SOC.9-12.SS12.4.2

WY.18.SOC.9-12.SS12.4.3

WY.18.SOC.9-12.SS12.4.4

WY.18.SOC.9-12.SS12.4.5

WY: Social Studies (2014)

WY: Grades 9-12

Culture and Cultural Diversity

Students will:

SS12.2.1 Analyze and evaluate the ways various groups (e.g., social, political, and cultural) meet human needs and concerns (e.g., individual needs and common good) and contribute to identity (e.g., group, national, and global), situations, and events.

SS12.2.2 Analyze human experience and cultural expression (e.g., language, literature, arts, traditions, beliefs, spirituality, values, and behavior) and illustrate integrated views of a specific culture.

SS12.2.3 Evaluate how the unique characteristics of cultural groups have contributed and continue to influence Wyoming’s history and contemporary life (e.g., tribes, explorers, early settlers, and immigrants).

SS12.2.4 Analyze and critique the conflicts resulting from cultural assimilation and cultural preservation in Wyoming, the United States, and the World (e.g., racial, ethnic, social, and institutional).

Time, Continuity, and Change

Students will:

SS12.4.1 Describe patterns of change (cause and effect) and evaluate how past events impacted future events and the modern world.

SS12.4.2 Analyze the development and impact of tools and technology and how it shaped history and influenced the modern world.

SS12.4.3 Given a significant current event, critique the actions of the people or groups involved; hypothesize how this event would have played out in another country.

SS12.4.4 Describe the historical interactions between and among individuals, groups, and/or institutions (e.g., family, neighborhood, political, economic, religious, social, cultural, and workplace) and their impact on significant historical events.

SS12.4.5 Using primary and secondary sources, apply historical research methods to interpret and evaluate important historical events from multiple perspectives.

People, Places, and Environments

Students will:

Spatial

SS12.5.1 Use geographic tools and reference materials to interpret, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize historical and geographic data to demonstrate an understanding of global patterns and interconnectedness

Physical Place and Region

SS12.5.2 Describe regionalization and analyze how physical characteristics distinguish a place, influence human trends, political and economic development, and solve immediate and long-range problems.

Human Place and Movement

SS12.5.3 Analyze, interpret, and evaluate how conflict, demographics, movement, trade, transportation, communication, and technology affect humans’ sense of place.

Environment and Society

SS12.5.4 Analyze how environmental changes and modifications positively and negatively affect communities and the world both economically and socially.

Technology, Literacy, and Global Connections

Students will:

SS12.6.1 Analyze, evaluate, and/or synthesize multiple sources of information in diverse formats and media in order to address a question or solve a problem.

SS12.6.3 Use digital tools to research, design, and present social studies concepts (e.g., understand how individual responsibility applies in usage of digital media).

SS12.6.4 Evaluate and integrate accurate, sufficient, and relevant information from primary and secondary sources to support writing

CCSS: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects 6-12

CCSS: Grades 11-12

Reading: History/Social Studies

Key Ideas and Details 

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

RH.11-12.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

RH.11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

RH.11-12.3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Craft and Structure

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.

RH.11-12.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.

RH.11-12.5. Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.

6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

RH.11-12.6. Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

RH.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.

8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

RH.11-12.8. Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.

9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

RH.11-12.9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies among sources.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity 

10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

RH.11-12.10. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 11–12 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Writing

Text Types and Purposes

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

WHST.11-12.1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

WHST.11-12.1a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

WHST.11-12.1b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

WHST.11-12.1c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

WHST.11-12.1d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

WHST.11-12.1e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from or supports the argument presented.

2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

WHST.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes.

WHST.11-12.2a. Introduce a topic and organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

WHST.11-12.2b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

WHST.11-12.2c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.

WHST.11-12.2d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic; convey a knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the discipline and context as well as to the expertise of likely readers.

WHST.11-12.2e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation provided (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

Production and Distribution of Writing

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

WHST.11-12.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

WHST.11-12.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

WHST.11-12.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

WHST.11-12.7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

WHST.11-12.8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

WHST.11-12.9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

WHST.11-12.10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

NCSS: Social Studies 2010

NCSS: High

CULTURE

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

"Culture" refers to the socially transmitted behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions, and ways of living together of a group of people;

That culture is an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behavior patterns;

How culture develops and changes in ways that allow human societies to address their needs and concerns;

That individuals learn the elements of their culture through interpersonal and collective experience.

How people from different cultures develop diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;

That behaviors, values, and beliefs of different cultures can lead to cooperation or pose barriers to cross-cultural understanding;

That the cultural values and beliefs of societies influence their analysis of challenges, and their responses to these challenges.

Processes

Learners will be able to

Ask questions related to culture and find, select, organize, and interpret data from research to address research questions;

Compare and analyze behaviors for preserving and transmitting culture even while adapting to environmental or social change;

Evaluate how data and experiences may be interpreted by people from diverse cultural perspectives and frames of reference;

Construct reasoned judgments about specific cultural responses to persistent human issues;

Analyze historic and current issues to determine the role that culture has played.

Products

Learners demonstrate understanding by

Researching and presenting a position paper on a current or past problem or issue through an analysis of the cultural patterns of the groups involved and the ways in which these contribute or present obstacles to finding solutions;

TIME, CONTINUITY, AND CHANGE

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

Different interpretations of the history of societies, cultures, and humankind;

Concepts such as: era, chronology, causality, change, continuity, conflict, historiography, historical method, primary and secondary sources, cause and effect, and multiple perspectives;

That knowledge of the past is influenced by the questions investigated, the sources used, and the perspective of the historian;

Different interpretations of key historical periods and patterns of change within and across nations, cultures, and time periods (e.g., the history of democratic principles and institutions, the development of political and economic philosophies; the rise of modern nation-states, and the establishment and breakdown of colonial systems);

The impact across time and place of key historical forces, such as nationalism, imperialism, globalization, leadership, revolution, wars, concepts of rights and responsibilities, and religion;

Different interpretations of the influences of social, geographic, economic, and cultural factors on the history of local areas, states, nations, and the world;

The contributions of philosophies, ideologies, individuals, institutions, and key events and turning points in shaping history;

The importance of knowledge of the past to an understanding of the present and to informed decision-making about the future.

Processes

Learners will be able to

Formulate research questions to investigate topics in history, identify possible answers, and use historical methods of inquiry and literacy skills to select, organize, analyze, synthesize, and interpret sources, and present findings;

Research and analyze past periods, events, and recurring issues, using a variety of primary sources (e.g., documents, letters, artifacts, and testimony), as well as secondary sources; validate and weigh evidence for claims, check the usefulness and degree of reliability of sources, and evaluate different interpretations in order to develop their own interpretation supported by the evidence;

Evaluate the impact of the institutions, values, and beliefs of people in the past on important historical decisions and developments, and compare different interpretations of the causes and consequences of these decisions and developments;

Use historical facts, concepts, and methods to evaluate an issue of importance today, and make informed decisions as responsible citizens to propose policies, and take action on it;

Products

Learners demonstrate understanding by

Writing a paper based on primary and secondary sources showing how important national developments in the past affected people in their locality or region, and evaluating the implications of their research for the interpretation of these national developments;

PEOPLE, PLACES, AND ENVIRONMENTS

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

The cultural diffusion of customs and ideas

Factors that contribute to cooperation and conflict among peoples of the nation and world, including language, religion, and political beliefs.

Processes

Learners will be able to

Evaluate the consequences of human actions in environmental terms.

INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND INSTITUTIONS

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

The influence of individuals, groups, and institutions on people and events in historical and contemporary settings;

How the various forms of groups and institutions change over time;

The impact of tensions and examples of cooperation between individuals, groups, and institutions, with their different belief systems;

How the beliefs of dominant groups tend to become norms in a society;

How in democratic societies, legal protections are designed to protect the rights and beliefs of minority groups;

How groups and institutions work to meet individual needs, and can promote the common good and address persistent social issues.

Processes

Learners will be able to

Ask and find answers to questions about the various forms that institutions take, their impact, the role of individuals within them, and how they change over time;

Analyze instances of tensions between individual expression and group conformity;

Understand examples of tensions between belief systems and governmental actions and policies

Examine the belief systems of specific contemporary and historical movements that have caused them to advocate public policies;

POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GOVERNANCE

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

The need for respect for the rule of law, as well as a recognition of times when civil disobedience has been justified;

Fundamental principles of American constitutional democracy (including those of the U.S. Constitution, popular sovereignty, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, minority rights, the separation of church and state, and Federalism);

Processes

Learners will be able to

Evaluate the role of technology in communications, transportation, informationprocessing, weapons development, and other areas as contributes to conflict and cooperation among groups and nations;

PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND CONSUMPTION

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

Scarcity and the uneven distribution of resources result in economic decisions, and foster consequences that may support cooperation or conflict;

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

Science and technology have had beth positive and negative impacts upon individuals, societies, and the environment in the past and present;

CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES

Knowledge 

Learners will understand

The theme of civic ideals and practices helps us recognize where gaps between ideals and practices exist, and prepares us to work for social justice;

Concepts and ideals such as: human dignity, social justice, liberty, equality, inalienable rights, responsibilities, civil dissent, citizenship, majority and minority rights, the common good, and the rule of law;