Tuesday, March 16, 2010
HELP!!! WESTERN EXPANSION
So for the next couple of days I am teaching about moving west in US History and Manifest Destiny. I have taught it 3 times before, but I don't love it. The only thing I love from my Western Expansion lessons is I show two clips from the classic Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise movie Far and Away that shows they are immigrants and they are going to move west for a new chance at life and then where they go and claim their land. But besides that I don't know what to do. I always want to do something they will enjoy... but that always takes so much planning and organizing. I am just at a loss... I need suggestions.
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4 comments:
SO, I don't have any ideas for your class (sorry!) but as we were reading your post this is what both kids said, Ryan: "I Like Cameo!" and Samantha: "Do you know who my funniest uncle is, mom?" "no, who?" "Allen...big Allen!"...so, sorry we don't have any ideas on how to teach about Western Expansion, but now you at least know that you are loved and missed! :-) Love you guys!
Oh my gosh, this is my specialty. I LOVE teaching westward expansion. Invest in "Into the West" by Steven Spielberg. It's 6 episodes and they are each 1.5 hours. I don't show the whole thing, but I incorporate bits and pieces into my lesson plans. When do you need to start teaching this? Email me if you need more ideas (I have a simulation thing I made up too).
The only idea I came up with is to have them teach.
I've played Ticket to Ride with my students. I have a REALLY small class though. You set it up with background on railroads, who was building them, why they were important, yada, then as they play and start messing with each other's routes you explain that it's a competition and the companies really were trying to get places first. It's fun.
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