Lesson 4

Course: US History
Grade: 9-10
Unit Topic: Westward Expansion
Teacher: Michael Crawford

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending
to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Iowa Core Curriculum-Subject Area Standard
Analyze how diverse ideologies impacted political and social institutions during eras such as
Reconstruction, the Progressive Era, and the Civil Rights movement.
21st Century Based Skills
Requires a balance of technology-enhanced, formative and summative assessments that measure
student mastery of 21st century skills.
Essential Question
What impact did the Gold Rush have on the population in California, and was the rush more
positive or negative for California in the end?
Objectives
Students gain an understanding for the impact the Gold Rush had on population and the natural
resources in the territory.

Anticipatory Set: (10 minutes)

First I will show a clip from the History Channel on the Gold Rush it is a short 3-minute video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDkqvqqjMAA After the video I will present a quick power
point going over the significance in population growth, travel, and the damage done to the land
in the chase for this gold. After presenting the following images and going into detail about the
main details I have highlighted the class will work separately doing research on their electronics
and come up with a hypothesis on why so many Americans went to California for the chance to
strike gold.
Problem Based Learning Activity: (40 minutes)
Put yourself in the shoes of someone in 1949 who has just picked up a newspaper and read about
the new found gold in the California Territory. Students will answer the following question, Why
did citizens pack up all they could and head west for the Gold Rush? What problems did they
face along the way, and would you have been successful in doing so?

Closure: (10 minutes)

Students will get into groups of three quickly and choose who will present their arguments to the
class. Each student will have about 3 minutes to summarize their findings.
 Lesson 5
Course: US History
Grade: 9-10
Unit Topic: Westward Expansion
Teacher: Michael Crawford

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused
later ones or simply preceded them.
Iowa Core Curriculum-Subject Area Standard
Explain how and why prevailing social, cultural, and political perspectives changed during early
American history.
21st Century Based Skills
Know when it is appropriate to listen and when to speak. Conduct themselves in a respectable,
professional manner.
Essential Question
How were the Buffalo Soldiers created? Why do you think Congress felt compelled to make
such a specialized group in the Army for African Americans during a time where they weren’t
even getting standard rights?
Objectives
Students learn why and how the Buffalo Soldiers were created and the significance of such a
diversified group at the time.

Pre discussion:
Students will read three short articles about the Buffalo Soldiers before class, so they are
prepared to discuss the significance of the group, and the importance of the group that was
created shortly after the Civil War.
https://www.history.com/topics/westward-expansion/buffalo-soldiers
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/9th-cavalry-regiment-1866-1944/
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/10th-cavalry-regiment-1866-1944/
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think the United States created these regiments for African Americans after
the Civil War? Was it all the work of the Army Organization Act?
2. Although they faced persecution the Buffalo Soldiers did all they could to fulfil their jobs
in the US Calvary. Why do you think this is?
3. What significance did the Buffalo Soldiers have as a part of the greater society in the
United States?
4. Have you ever learned about the Buffalo Soldiers in school before? Why do you think
that is?
5. After listening to the song Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley do you have a better
understanding for the lyrics? What do you think about the lyric?
“I'm just a Buffalo Soldier
In the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival
Fighting for survival
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier
Win the war for America.”

Anticipatory set: (10 minutes)

Before class starts the discussion I will show them this you tube clip on the Buffalo Soldiers.
After I show the clip I will ask for any questions, then we will move onto the discussion. Before
question 5 I will play the song Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. This discussion is very important
as the Buffalo Soldiers played an integral role in Westward Expansion not only fighting Native
Americans, but protecting the building of the Transcontinental Railroad as well. It is also
important for students in the classroom of different ethnic backgrounds to not only be learning
about American history of only white people, but of everyone who played a role in this nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26DlZAGABu0

Closure: (Time remaining)

I will ask the class for any remaining questions, and make sure that they understood the lesson
for the day and why I found it important to talk about the Buffalo Soldiers for a whole class.
 Lesson 7
Course: US History
Grade: 9-10
Unit Topic: Westward Expansion
Teacher: Michael Crawford

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Iowa Core Curriculum-Subject Area Standard
Analyze how diverse ideologies impacted political and social institutions during eras such as
Reconstruction, the Progressive Era, and the Civil Rights movement.
21st Century Based Skills
Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways.
Objectives
The objective for today’s class before the Unit Test is to play a fun and engaging trivia type
game to prepare the students for the test.

Anticipatory Set: (5 minutes)

Before the class plays the review game that I have made for them we will take 5 minutes to
answer any questions they have about the test, and on anything that they are still unsure of and
need explained quickly before the game.

Teacher Activity: (40 minutes)

The game will need the students to have their tablets or laptops to play. The class will play a
kahoot game made by myself covering all the content they will need for the unit exam the next
class period. Kahoot is a great tool for review its really easy for teachers to creat multiple choice
and true false questions.

Closure: (15 minutes)

Allow students to decompress and study for the test, and come up and ask questions to me one
on one to ensure that they are ready for the test.
 Lesson 8
Course: US History
Grade: 9-10
Unit Topic: Westward Expansion
Teacher: Michael Crawford

Unit Test
1. What was the term the United States used for their reasoning of Westward
Expansion?
A. Manifest Destiny B. Destiny Manifesto C. Louisiana Purchase D. Lewis and
Clark
2. The Government was able to justify the removal of Native Americans because they
were ________
A. They deserved the land B. They didn’t like the Native Americans C. Manifest
destiny meant they were chosen by God D. None of the Above
3. Who did President Jefferson buy the Louisiana Territory from
A. Native Americans B. Spain C. France D. Great Britain
4. Monroe Warned European Countries that any interference with Westward
Expansion would be seen as
A. An Act of War B. Getting in the way C. Trying to buy land D. An invasion
5. What Land Act in 1850 enticed settlers to move West?
A. California Land Act B. Oregon Donation Land Act C. Great Emigration Act D.
None of the Above
6. How long was a normal trip on the Oregon Trail?
A. 4 Months B. 8 Months C. 5 to 6 Months D. 4 weeks
7. What was the main landmark for people to know they have successfully made it?
A. Independence Rock B. Welcome to Oregon Sing C. Now Entering Oregon D. All
of the Above
8. President Jackson had the Native Americans removed and they were escorted west
by US cavalry this journey made by the Native Americans is known as ______?
A. Westward Expansion B. Trail of Tears C. 1830 voyage D. Trail of sorrows
9. The Population in California grew to roughly what at the end of 1849
A. 10, 000 B. 75,000 C. 120,000 D. 100,000
10. The Buffalo Soldiers consisted of what US Calvary regiments?
A. 8th B. 9th C. 10th D. both B and C
True False
11. Everyone who rushed to California made a lot of money in Gold
True or False
12. Buffalo Soldiers were a diverse group of Army members
True or False
13. Native Americans gave up the land with little no fighting on the plains and in the
west
True or False
14. People died and lost belongings on the Oregon Trail
True or False
15. Buffalo Soldiers fought Native Americans, and protected their reservations from
white settlers
True or False

Essay Questions
Write as much as you need to answer the questions fully and thoroughly

16. Explain what life on the Oregon Trail was like, use examples that we went over in
class and recall the simulations you did to answer this question the best you can?

17. The 9th and 10th US Calvary were a specialized group of African American US Army
members as a result of the Army Organization Act, Explain what they did while in
these regiments, and how significant it was for them doing work for the country that
still wasn’t treating them as first class citizens.