Lesson Plan- Who was Andrew Jackson
Alex Bach
MN BOT Standard: Individual Development and Identity
MN BOT "Understanding": g. The role of perceptions, attitudes, values, and beliefs in the
development of personal identity.
I.
Results/ Expected Learning Outcome: Students will be able to ask and find answers
about how Andrew Jackson's individual identity formed and changed throughout his
lifetime. Through the use of a few gestalt examples, students will be exposed to the idea of
holding multiple perspectives on a single issue. After learning about Jackson's complex identity,
they will examine the question of how such a flawed man could be such a great president
II.
Evaluation: Students will be graded on their ability to identify the flaws of Andrew
Jackson as well as the various accomplishments of his life and presidential career. Students will
need to compile a list of at least 5 flaws and 5 positive points of Jackson's life and career.
III.
Curriculum: This lesson would fit well in a United States History class, most likely
in a unit leading up to the civil war. This lesson also promotes understanding issues through
multiple perspectives.
IV.
Instruction:
What the teacher needs to do:
1.
Introduce the idea of multiple perspectives using several gestalt examples
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"Liar" vs. "young woman's face"
"Old Lady" vs. "young woman"
"Duck" vs. "rabbit"
2.
Introduce the lesson; provide background information on the time period if necessary.
3.
Show video Andrew Jackson: The Good, the Bad, and the Presidency
4. Have students take notes on the "good" and the "bad" things about Jackson's life, character
and career. Some items include:
Good
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Grew up independent
Worked hard to make living
Avoided corrupt congressmen
Patriotic
Took initiative
Founded democratic party
Strengthened federal government (held the Union together)
Bad
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Short tempered/ angry
Adultery
Slave holder
Executed soldiers
"Murdered" (killed men in duels)
Dirty campaigning
Forced Native Americans out ("Trail of Tears")
Defied Supreme Court
5. After video is finished, assign students to formulate a list of Jackson's flaws versus his
various accomplishments throughout his life and presidential career.
6. Have the students hand in their lists along with a short (1 complete paragraph minimum)
reflection on Jackson's positive or negative traits.
7. Conclude lesson. Highlight the contradictory nature of Jackson's character, life and
presidency, and the ongoing struggle of historians to reach a conclusion on the life of Andrew
Jackson. Connect this to how there is often another side to an issue that we are not familiar with.
V.
Questions:
1. Who is Andrew Jackson?
2. What were some major issues surrounding Andrew Jackson?
3. How do these issues affect us today?
4. What were Jackson's major accomplishments?
5. What would you have done differently than Jackson?
6. Should Andrew Jackson be honored in American History or not?
VI.
Reflection:
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the idea of multiple perspectives. They will learn
that there is generally more to an issue than the schema that they bring to the table. When
introduced to Andrew Jackson, they will most likely have thoughts of what a great historical
figure and successful president he was. Being introduced to the flaws of Jackson and the
historical difficulty in summing up Andrew Jackson's life will bring to light the fact that there is
often another side of the issue than the students generally see at first glance. A reflective journal
could be used in combination with this lesson.