Summary
This lesson examines the systemic removal of the southeastern United States Native American tribes from their ancestral homes and each tribe's reaction to removal and relocation. Students will gain an understanding of how the policies of the American government about Native Americans changed over time, particularly with the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This lesson requires student access to Internet-enabled devices and websites for research.
Essential Question(s)
What prompted the United States government to remove southeastern Native American tribes from their ancestral lands? How did the tribes react to the forced removal?
Snapshot
Engage
Students hypothesize what they would take if they were forced to leave their homes without advanced notice.
Explore
Students watch a brief video clip of the Cherokee removal from Georgia and examine the United States government's attitude toward Native Americans during the Jacksonian Era.
Explain
Students read, research, and analyze primary and secondary sources to contribute to an in-depth narrative of the relocation of southeastern United States Native American tribes to Indian territory and the governmental attitudes and policies that contributed to these removals.
Extend
Students discuss the experiences of various tribes and government officials through a Historical Mingle activity.
Evaluate
Students present their findings about Native American removal and relocation of their assigned topics to the class.
Materials
Student devices with internet access
Task Sheet and Organizer (attached; eight topics—one topic per group of 4 students) and corresponding answer keys
the Cherokee Tribe
the Chicksaw Tribe
the Choctaw Tribe
the Creek Tribe
the Seminole Tribe
the Indian Removal Act of 1830
the Cherokee Nation and Supreme Court Cases
the Federal Government and Native Americans
Lesson Slides (attached)
Chart tablet and markers (optional for research activity)
Historical Mingle Cards (attached; one set)
Presentation Rubric (attached; one per student)
Engage
20 Minute(s)
Show slide 3 of the attached Lesson Slides to introduce the essential questions:
What prompted the government to remove Native American tribes from their ancestral lands?
How did Native Americans react to this forced removal?
Show slide 4 to identify the lesson objectives:
Determine how the government changed its stance toward Native American settlements, leading to removal.
Identify the impact of the passage of the Indian Removal Act.
Construct a presentation about the motivation of the government and the effects of removal on the tribes.
Show slide 5, which shows a picture of a suitcase and backpack.
Present the scenario on the slide: Your parents tell you that they have been given 24 hours by the government to leave their home. The government will relocate your family elsewhere, but your parents are unsure of exactly where the family will go. The family has been told by authorities that each person can only take what they can carry themselves. What would you take?
Show slide 6. Ask each student to find a scrap of paper and write anonymously what they would take for the trip and why. Using the Commit and Toss strategy, have students crumple their answers and toss them into a basket or box. Mix up the responses and have students select a response that is not theirs from the box.
Randomly call on several students to read aloud the answer on their papers. Once a variety of responses have been read aloud, have students crumple their papers again, toss them back into the box, and select a second response that is not theirs from the box. Call on new volunteers to share responses.
After two rounds of Commit and Toss, have students discuss as a class what priority items individuals would take if they and their families were forced to leave in a hurry.
Explore
Connect the Commit and Toss exercise to the forcible removal of Native American tribes in the southeastern portion of the United States in the 19th century. These tribes were forced from their ancestral homes by the United States Army and relocated to Indian Territory, which is known today as the state of Oklahoma.
Show slides 7-8. To illustrate what happened during this forced removal, show the short PBS video, “Trail of Tears,” linked on slide 8. As the video begins, ask students to consider how the United States government’s attitude toward Native Americans change after Andrew Jackson was elected president. Students should observe and jot down their thoughts as they watch.
Explain to students that while the video depicted the Cherokee removal, all tribes experienced some form of forced removal from their ancestral homes in the southeastern United States. There were many "trails of tears,” not just one.
Show slide 9, which shows a map of the removal trails of multiple tribes from the southeast United States to Indian Territory (Oklahoma).
Explain
120 Minute(s)
Break students into groups of four. Invite each group to select a topic from the slips of paper you prepared in order to independently research the experiences of the removal of various tribes, the government's attitude toward Native Americans during this era of removal, and the tribes' responses to removal, including appeals to the Supreme Court, tribal treaties, and war.
Pass out the appropriate Task Sheet and Organizers to each group based upon the topic they are investigating (each student should receive their own Task Sheet and Organizer). Each task sheet contains instructions, research links, and a note organizer.
Explain that each Task Sheet and Organizer provides questions for the group to answer and links to websites for research. Have each group choose a leader to read aloud the directions for their group. Double-check with each group to ensure all students understand the task.
Once groups have been assigned a topic, show slide 10, which outlines the general work of the group.
Show slide 11 to guide students in their research efforts. This slide includes the following prompts:
Where was the tribal ancestral home?
What was the lifestyle there?
How and when was the tribe removed from their homeland?
What was it like for them on the Trail of Tears?
Where in the new territory was the tribe relocated?
How did the tribe and tribal leaders respond to removal and relocation?
What additional information did you find during your research?
Show slide 12 to guide groups in creating their group project. Students are given the choice of either a three-slide deck or a poster. Slide 12 includes the following prompts:
After completing your research, use the questions on your Organizer to create either three slides OR a poster.
Look for ways to use photos and images to illustrate your research.
Name your document as instructed and upload to a designated shared file.
If your group prepared a poster instead of slides, hang the poster in the designated place in your classroom.
Emphasize the need to divide up the work, to share information with each other, and to investigate their topics thoroughly. Let students know that research groups should be prepared to present their slides or posters to the class.
Allot one class period for student research, group collaboration, and note-taking. Allot another class period for creation of student slides. Do not have students present their projects yet—this should happen in the Evaluate phase.
Extend
30 Minute(s)
Show slide 13. After students have completed their research, have them participate in a Historical Mingle. For the Mingle, they will assume the role of either a tribal member or leader or government official during the era of removal and relocation. (The role is provided to them—they do not need to choose their own.) Encourage them to reflect on the research they have done for their presentation slides/poster.
Give each student a role card that identifies their historical figure. Ask students to think about their roles. Have them review their Task Sheet and Organizers. Have them consider the following questions in preparation for the activity: What would that person believe? What have they experienced? What would they have talked about?
As the Historical Mingle begins, ask each student to be sure to speak with at least three other classmates who were not a part of their research group. Invite them to discuss the issues and challenges from the perspective of their assigned roles. You may wish to set a timer for five minutes and have students change partners after every five minutes of conversation. Give students ample time to complete their discussions before calling time.
When students indicate they have mingled with at least three other individuals, have students return to their seats. Give them a few moments to reflect on the activity before calling on volunteers to share memorable parts of their conversations. You may also wish to share any significant conversations you overheard or witnessed during the Mingle.
Evaluate
60 Minute(s)
Show slide 14. Pass out a copy of the attached Presentation Rubric to each student. Review the general presentation rubric guidelines. Have students join their research groups to further discuss their projects and how to present, and show slide 15. Review the rubric and answer any questions students may have. Although the rubric is provided for assessment purposes, you may prefer having students use the rubric for feedback as they present their slides in small groups. To manage the presentation times, determine in advance how much time each group is allowed.
Invite students to ask questions about the rubric before they present their research.
Have groups present their slides or posters to the whole class.
Resources
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