Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 3 days
Northwest Ordinance
Lesson Synopsis:
In this lesson, students support a point of view on expansion in U.S. territories using evidence from sources such as the
Northwest Ordinance.
TEKS:
8.1
History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history through 1877. The student
is expected to:
8.1B
Apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods.
Supporting Standard
8.6
8.6A
History. The student understands westward expansion and its effects on the political, economic, and social
development of the nation. The student is expected to:
Explain how the Northwest Ordinance established principles and procedures for orderly expansion of the United
States.
Readiness Standard
8.10
8.10A
Geography. The student understands the location and characteristics of places and regions of the United States,
past and present. The student is expected to:
Locate places and regions of importance in the United States during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
Supporting Standard
8.26
8.26B
Culture. The student understands the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created.
The student is expected to:
Identify examples of American art, music, and literature that reflect society in different eras.
Supporting Standard
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
8.29
8.29E
Support a point of view on a social studies issue or event.
8.29I
Create thematic maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases representing various aspects of the United States.
8.30
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to
8.30A
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10
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through
established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is
expected to
Use social studies terminology correctly.
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
8.30B
Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, punctuation, and proper citation of sources.
8.30D
Create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):
•
It is 1846 and you are a settler in Iowa. Write a letter to President Polk explaining how Iowa meets the
requirements of the Northwest Ordinance to become a state. (8.6A; 8.29E; 8.30A, 8.30B, 8.30D)
5G
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
•
Different factors contribute to the growth of a country.
—
How did the Northwest Ordinance establish principles and procedures for orderly expansion of the United
States?
—
What were places and regions of importance in the United States during the 19th century and where are
they located?
—
What are examples of American art, music, and literature that reflect society in different eras?
Vocabulary of Instruction:
•
Manifest Destiny
•
population distribution
•
settlement patterns
•
economic activities
•
westward expansion
•
annexation
•
popular sovereignty
•
republic
Materials:
•
Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments:
•
Teacher Resource: Moving West
•
Handout: Northwest Ordinance (1 per student)
•
Teacher Resource: Northwest Ordinance Key Terms
Resources and References:
•
None Identified
Advance Preparation:
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this
lesson.
4. Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
5. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
6. Gather a biography of James K. Polk.
7. Gather images of Fanny Palmer’s Across the Continent, "Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way", Albert
Bierstadt’s Emigrants Crossing the Plains, and John Gast’s American Progress
Background Information:
“Presidents Andrew Jackson, James Polk, and John Tyler, like many Americans of this time, embraced the notion of
enlarging the "empire for liberty." In other words they wanted to expand the borders of America westward. While some
pioneers headed west to California, others attempted to expand the idea of what "liberty" in America meant. Abolitionists
opposed laws that kept African Americans enslaved, and advocates of women's suffrage argued that wives, mothers and
daughters should play a more significant role in society by voting, holding office, and working outside the home.”
Text courtesy of: The Library of Congress. (2013). America's story: Westward expansion and reform. Retrieved from
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/reform/jb_reform_subj.html
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
ENGAGE – Introduce James K. Polk
Suggested Day 1 ‒ 5 minutes
1. Play a “True or False Slap Down” game.
Materials:
Index card (1 per student)
2. Distribute a note card to each student.
Purpose:
3. Students tear the notecard into 2 equal squares approximately
©2013, TESCCC
05/03/13
The purpose of this activity is to encourage students
to begin thinking about James K. Polk and the role
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
the size of a sticky note.
4. Students write “True” on square, “False” on the other square,
and hold one square in each hand.
he played in U.S. expansion. Many students will
have no idea who James K. Polk is, so it is
important to encourage students to think about past
time lines they have completed and make an
“educated guess” about the correct answer.
Everyone “wins” in this game.
5. The Teacher reads a statement (see statements below).
6. Students have three seconds to think if the statement is “True”
or “False.”
7. The teacher counts “1-2-3,” and then students slap down the
square on their desk that reflects their answer.
8. The teacher clarifies/verifies the correct answers, making sure
all students’ answers are valued. (Those who got the answer
correct are validated, and those who got the answer incorrect
just learned something new, so everyone “wins” in this game.)
9. Statements for “True or False Slap Down” game:
• James K. Polk was the 11th President of the United States.
(Answer: True. 1845-1849)
• James K. Polk was President when the U.S. lost the
Mexican-American War in 1848.
(Answer: False. He led the U.S. in the defeat of the Mexican
army.)
• James K. Polk was in favor of the U.S. expanding its
territory.
(Answer: True. He was in favor of annexing Texas, claiming
Oregon, and even wanted to add California.)
EXPLORE – Timeline
Suggested Day 1 (continued) ‒ 20 minutes
1. Divide class into pairs.
Materials:
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
2. Choose and distribute a biography of James K. Polk.
•
American History Scrapbook
•
Grade 8 Timeline
•
Biography of James K. Polk
3. Students add significant dates, events, and people to their
Grade 8 Timeline.
Purpose:
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to engage
students in the context of the period in which
President Polk served.
4. Project the Grade 8 Timeline for the whole class.
5. Volunteers share significant dates, events, and people from
their reading. Record the shared information.
TEKS: 8.1B
6. Students will summarize their initial understandings about
President Polk with a partner by completing the following
sentence stem:
•
Instructional Notes:
•
James K. Polk was an important president for the United
States because
______________________________________________
_.
While monitoring student discussions, it is
important to ask higher order questions to
facilitate connections from previous learning to
new learning.
7. Choose a few volunteers to share their summaries.
EXPLORE – Moving West Timeline & Map
Suggested Day 1 (continued) ‒ 25 minutes
1. Post or project a large map of the United States on a wall.
Materials:
2. Distribute one placard to each partnership from the Teacher
Resource: Moving West.
3. Students continue to work in pairs.
•
Map of the United States to show
•
Map of the United States (1 per student)
•
Construction paper
•
Markers
•
Painter’s tape or yarn to create large class
timeline
4. Using the textbook or other district adopted resources, partners
identify and record how their event contributed to westward
expansion. Partners create a visual symbol to post on the large
wall map to represent their timeline event.
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05/03/13
Attachments:
page 5 of 10
Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
•
Teacher Resource: Moving West
5. Teacher prepares a wall timeline near the projected map.
Purpose:
6. Teacher distributes individual map of the United States to
students.
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to identify
the events, places and regions of importance to the
time period.
7. Partners present their event, post it on the timeline (tape or
TEKS: 8.1B, 8.10A, 8.29I
yarn), and mark it on the map.
8. Students work individually to record the symbols on their own
individual map of the United States during westward expansion.
Instructional Notes:
•
9. Facilitate a discussion with the class. Possible questions
include:
•
What were places and regions of importance in the
United States during the 19th century and where are
they located?
•
What were some of the push/pull factors that drew
immigrants to the West?
It is important to decide if more or less structure
in the event information or number of events
used will be required to scaffold student
learning. Students may have a wide spectrum
of experience with relation to the idea of
Manifest Destiny, depending on their Social
Studies foundation. Use the IFD to aid with
scaffolding.
EXPLAIN – Point of View
Suggested Day 2 ‒ 15 minutes
1. Students form triads (groups of 3).
Materials:
•
American West or westward expansion. Some examples
include:
Fanny Palmer, Across the Continent,
"Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its
Way"
•
Albert Bierstadt, Emigrants Crossing the Plains
•
Fanny Palmer, Across the continent, "Westward the
Course of Empire Takes Its Way"
•
John Gast, American Progress
•
Albert Bierstadt, Emigrants Crossing the Plains
•
John Gast, American Progress
2. Project or distribute multiple examples of art representing the
Purpose:
3. Each student in the triad examines the art with a particular
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05/03/13
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to examine
the point of view of multiple perspectives regarding
moving west. While the movement represented
hope and prosperity for some, it represented leaving
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
point of view in mind. Students number off 1, 2, 3.
a life of security for a life of risk and unknown
danger/hardship. In addition, for some it
represented an end to life as they knew it, including
American Indian tribes.
•
#1 – takes the point of view = settlers moving west
•
#2 – takes the point of view = artist who created the work
•
#3 – takes the point of view = a member of an American
Indian tribe encountering settlers
TEKS: 8.26B, 8.29E
Instructional Notes:
4. Students examine the work of art and use the following
sentence stems to help them share their point of view with
their triad:
•
As a (settler, the artist, or member of an American
Indian tribe), looking at this work of art makes me feel
__________ because _________________________.
•
While students discuss the art in their triads, it is
important to point out particular features of each
piece that could help to strengthen discussion
about the multiple perspectives posed in each
selection. Enrich student discussion by
connecting the Age of Enlightenment or
American Romanticism to the art, where
applicable.
5. Triads share the multiple points of view with one another for
each work of art.
6. Choose one volunteer from each point of view to share their
discussion.
7. Facilitate a discussion with whole group of students. Possible
questions to consider:
•
How do these pieces of art reflect the idea of
westward expansion?
•
What are examples of American art, music, and
literature that reflect society in different eras?
•
How do these pieces of art impact settlers moving
west? Does each art piece romanticize the West?
Why or why not? (Answers will vary but could include:
the art depicts several important aspects of moving west
including the dangers, the excitement, the potential
prosperity, etc.)
EXPLORE – Northwest Ordinance
Suggested Day 2 (continued) ‒ 35 minutes
1. Distribute a copy or excerpts of the Northwest Ordinance to
Materials:
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
students.
•
2. Each student reads and summarizes the document by
Congress Adopts the Northwest Ordinance
(excerpts) available at the Library of Congress
completing the following sentence frame:
•
The Northwest Ordinance is primarily about
_________________.
Attachments:
• Handout: Northwest Ordinance (1 per student)
3. Distribute Handout: Northwest Ordinance.
Purpose:
4. Students work with a partner to identify the principles and
procedures outlined in the Northwest Ordinance. Students use
the textbook or other district adopted resources available to
support their research.
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to explain
how the Northwest Ordinance established principles
and procedures for orderly expansion of the United
States.
TEKS: 8.6A, 8.10A
5. Facilitate a discussion with the class. Possible questions
include:
•
How did the Northwest Ordinance establish principles
and procedures for orderly expansion of the United
States?
•
Why are procedures carefully prescribed in this
document?
•
How does this document impact the government of a
territory or new state?
Instructional Notes:
•
It is important to model or ask students to model
the summarization of key points in order to
strengthen student understanding of the role of
the historical text in their understanding of the
context of history.
EXPLAIN –Explaining Social Studies Terms
Suggested Day 3 ‒ 10 minutes
1. Divide class into pairs.
Attachments:
•
2. Project or distribute Teacher Resource: Northwest Ordinance
Teacher Resource: Northwest Ordinance Key
Terms
Key Terms.
Purpose:
3. Each student pair completes a summary sentence to describe
the Northwest Ordinance, using as many key terms as possible
from column A and B in Teacher Resource: Northwest
Ordinance Key Terms. (The sentence must be grammatically
correct.)
©2013, TESCCC
05/03/13
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to facilitate
a deeper understanding of key terms in relationship
to the current unit of study.
page 8 of 10
Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
TEKS: 8.30AD
Instructional Notes:
•
Model an example sentence for students to
stimulate higher order thinking.
ELABORATE – Iowa’s Path Evaluation
Suggested Day 3 (continued) ‒ 20 minutes
1. Divide the class into 7 groups.
Materials:
•
2. Facilitate a modified jigsaw activity for an article related to
“The Path to Statehood” – online article
available on Iowa statehood
Iowa’s path to statehood, such as “The Path to Statehood”.
Purpose:
3. Each expert group silently reads their assigned section of the
article and then collaborates to determine the key points or
main ideas of their part of the article.
4. Expert groups select two spokespeople to share their main
The purpose of this part of the lesson is to explain
the process of established procedures for orderly
expansion of the United States
TEKS: 8.6A
points with the class.
Instructional Notes:
5. Facilitate a discussion with students. Possible questions to
consider:
•
Encourage students to continue using Social
Studies key terms and the key words from the
Northwest Ordinance activity to explain Iowa’s
path to statehood.
•
In this case, a modified jigsaw activity is where
an article is divided up among several groups.
Then each group presents their part in turn thus
providing the entire class an overview.
•
How did the Northwest Ordinance impact
Iowa’s statehood?
•
Was Iowa’s process “orderly”? Why or why
not?
EVALUATE – Letter to President Polk
•
Suggested Day 3 (continued) ‒ 20 minutes
It is 1846 and you are a settler in Iowa. Write a letter to
President Polk explaining how Iowa meets the requirements of
the Northwest Ordinance to become a state. (8.6A; 8.29E;
8.30A, 8.30B, 8.30D)
©2013, TESCCC
05/03/13
TEKS: 8.6A, 8.29E, 8.30ABD
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Grade 8
Social Studies
Unit: 08 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
5G
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05/03/13
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