Lesson Plan Table of Contents

Debating for Land

Objectives: Students will be able to:

• Interpret primary source documents orally.
• Understand both Native and European American viewpoints of westward expansion through debate and journal-writing exercises.
• Express their own, enlightened viewpoint on westward expansion through journal writing.
• Research, organize, and present information in the form of a debate.
• Work together in groups.

Standards: U.S. History, English Language Arts.

Skills Addressed: Linguistic, Spatial, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal.

Interdisciplinary Connections: English/Language Arts, Social Studies.

Length: One fifty-minute class period for guided activity, one for research, one to two for debate.

Materials: Internet and/or library access.

Products: Notes from debate on land ownership, 1 to 3 journal entries.

Content Introduction: European Americans have been having land disputes with Native Americans almost since they arrived in the Americas. Throughout the years, many treaties have been signed involving land rights, but in many cases these treaties have been misleading and sometimes even disregarded. There continue to be court cases addressing Native American rights to land, problematic treaties, and unreceived compensation.

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Lesson Plan Table of Contents

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