Native American Unit
8th grade
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The Palm Springs Unified School District, in collaboration with The Foundation for PSUSD and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, have created a 8 Lesson Unit of Study to address the History / Social Science Content Standard:
8.5 - Students analyze U.S. foreign policy in the early Republic.
8.5.3 - Outline the major treaties with American Indian nations during the administrations of the first four presidents and the varying outcomes of those treaties. (Treaty of Temecula)
8.8 - Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges they faced.
8.8.2 - Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears”, settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. (as it relates to the Agua Caliente People)
8.12 - Students analyze the transformation of the American economy and the changing social and political conditions in the United States in response to the Industrial Revolution.
8.12.2 - Identify the reasons for the development of federal Indian policy and the wars with American Indians and their relationship to agricultural development and industrialization. (conflicts with the Agua Caliente People)
Lesson
Lesson
1.1
1.1
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Topics
Intro, 1830 Tahquitz Ditch, Walk-in wells, Hot Mineral Spring, Streams/ Waterfalls
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
How does geography influence how we live?
(After Chapter 2: Colonial America)
(After Chapter 2: Colonial America)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will identify how the Tahquitz ditch, the Agua Caliente Hot Mineral Spring, and Walk-in wells were the result of Cahuilla people adapting to life in the Coachella desert.
Activity Summary
Students consider how people survive in the desert without electricity, stores, etc. Students review average rainfall, average temperatures, and various water sources in the Coachella Valley. Students will describe and write about multiple water features used by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
1.2
1.2
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Topics
Intro, 1830 Tahquitz Ditch, Walk-in wells, Hot Mineral Spring, Streams/ Waterfalls
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
How does geography influence how we live?
(After Chapter 2: Colonial America)
(After Chapter 2: Colonial America)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will examine, read, and annotate a short reading about surviving in the Coachella Valley and respond to short answer questions.
Activity Summary
Students (together with the teacher, with partners, and alone), will close read an article, annotate, and complete short answer questions.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
2.1
2.1
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Topics
1851: Indian Appropriations Act, 1852: Treaty of Temecula
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
What are the consequences when cultures interact? How do governments change?
(After Chapter 10 Lesson 2: Conflicts Over Land)
(After Chapter 10 Lesson 2: Conflicts Over Land)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will chart the events leading to the Treaty of Temecula and explain its effects on the Agua Caliente people.
Activity Summary
Students preview multiple trails running west, especially those into California. Students will look at several significant facts on cards (without a date) and try to put them in chronological order using context clues. They will then take notes on the actual order of events and create a "Re-Tweet-Able" about something they learned today.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
2.2
2.2
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Topics
Treaty of Temecula
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
What are the consequences when cultures interact? How do governments change?
(After Chapter 10 Lesson 2: Conflicts Over Land)
(After Chapter 10 Lesson 2: Conflicts Over Land)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will analyze the Treaty of Temecula and summarize it in the form of a friendly letter.
Activity Summary
Students will read, "A Lost Treaty: Document Analysis", and then analyze the Treaty of Temecula. They will write a friendly letter to a friend in support / non-support of the Treaty, citing evidence.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
3.1/3.2
3.1/3.2
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Topics
1818: Indian Agents, 1824: Office of Indian Affairs, 1830: Indian Removal Act, 1876: Establishment of Reservation/Tribal, 1878: Indian Agents/Conservators, Changing government structure
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
Why does conflict develop?
How do governments change?
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will explain the importance and impact of the Reservation System to the Agua Caliente People.
Activity Summary
In a four-station rotation model (25 minutes each), students complete two stations on 3.1 and two stations on 3.2 on the topics from the establishment of the Agua Caliente Reservation, to various acts/treaties, efforts to assimilate the Agua Caliente people, and the changes to the common use area to the reservation today.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
3.3
3.3
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Topics
1818: Indian Agents, 1824: Office of Indian Affairs, 1830: Indian Removal Act, 1876: Establishment of Reservation/Tribal, 1878: Indian Agents/Conservators, Changing government structure
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
Why does conflict develop?
How do governments change?
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
Objective / LearningLesson Plan (Teacher Target
Students will explain the importance of the Indian Agents and whether these agents had a positive or negative impact on the Agua Caliente Tribal People.
Activity Summary
Students will close read, annotate, and complete an Agent Scavenger Hunt of an article. Students will complete a well-constructed paragraph.
Resources
Resources
Lesson
Lesson
3.4
3.4
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Topics
Indian Agents/Conservators, Changing government structure
Standards Addressed
8.5.3, 8.8.2, 8.12.2
Essential Question
Why does conflict develop?
How do governments change?
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
(After Chapter 11 Lesson 3: Manifest Destiny/California and Utah)
Objective / Learning Target
Students will explain the importance of the Indian Agents and whether these agents had a positive or negative impact on the Agua Caliente Tribal People.
Activity Summary
Students will role-play and participate in a YouTube-style Podcast of a talk show dramatization of Agua Caliente Tribal Members and Indian Agents. They will then complete a written response on the positive/negative impact of Indian Agents justifying their responses with evidence from either the article or the podcast.
Resources
Resources
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