Lesson Plan

Name: Ben Max Course: US History II - CP & Honors Date: Dec 13-15, 2011

Topic: The Panama Canal & American Imperialism
Context: This lesson occurred in the middle of a unit entitled “America becomes a World Power”, which includes American imperialism and America’s role in World War One. This lesson is on the Panama Canal and lasts approximately two days. It serves as an opportunity for students to study the Panama Canal, to display new knowledge about the canal as well as other examples of American imperialism and perspectives on imperialism, and to develop the skills of taking on a historical perspective and making a strong historical argument in writing.
Standard(s):
USII.6 Analyze the causes and course of America’s growing role in world affairs from the Civil War to World War I. (H, E)
A.  the influence of the ideas associated with Social Darwinism
B.  the purchase of Alaska from Russia
C.  America’s growing influence in Hawaii leading to annexation
D.  the Spanish-American War
E.  U.S. expansion into Asia under the Open Door policy
F.  President Roosevelt’s Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine
G.  America’s role in the building of the Panama Canal
H.  President Taft’s Dollar Diplomacy
I.  President Wilson’s intervention in Mexico
J.  American entry into World War I
Objectives: Students will be able to…
·  Content: 1. Explain important factual information about American involvement in the building of the Panama Canal and 2. Summarize American imperialist activities of the late 19th century (especially the annexation of Hawaii, The Spanish-American War, the annexation of the Philippines, and the Open Door Policy in China) and the differing perspectives on these activities (pro v. anti-imperialism).
·  Literacy: 1. Read the textbook and takes notes that paraphrase key information and 2. Write a speech from one of two perspectives that is both persuasive and historically accurate.
Assessment:
·  Formative: 1. Completion of Panama Canal reading and notes, 2. Pair-sharing & class discussion of key information about the Panama Canal, and 3. Additions to notes
·  Summative: Speech
Do Now (think, write, pair-share):
·  What do you think you know about the Panama Canal? What are two questions you have about it?
Guided Practice / Student Independent Work:
·  Students are instructed to open textbooks to p.570-1 for previewing of the day’s lesson on the Panama Canal, using the images and headings of those pages to confirm or refute their Do Now brainstorming and to try to answer their questions from that brainstorming.
·  Teacher passes our Panama Canal notes worksheet, students begin independent work.
·  Teacher circulates with clipboard to assess student work.
·  After an appropriate amount of time, students are allotted five minutes to pair-share their work and to attempt to answer their questions by talking with their partner.
Direct Instruction:
·  Some whole-class debriefing about the Panama Canal, especially related to the background to the U.S. acquisition of the canal zone and the impact of the canal. Direct questioning is mixed with calling on volunteers.
·  Teacher provides students with about 5 new facts about the Panama Canal, mostly data to reinforce the canal’s significance.
·  Students are then asked to write one sentence about the Panama Canal from each of four perspectives: an American imperialist, an American anti-imperialist, a Colombian, and a Panamanian.
·  Students then read Panama Canal speech assignment and rubric and are able to ask clarifying questions. (potential end of day one of this lesson – for HW students may be asked to outline ideas for speech arguments from both perspectives).
Student Independent Work (potential start of day two of this lesson):
·  Students form pairs, decide which students will take which perspective, and begin/continue to brainstorm for their individual speech.
·  Students outline speech plans, then pair-share ideas with their partner, add to their outlines, and begin writing speeches.
·  Students finish first drafts, peer review with their partners, then edit to create draft that will be submitted.
Closure:
·  Students submit speeches and a few minutes of whole-class debrief about speech writing, perspective taking, and the perspectives for this specific assignment.
Materials:
·  Handouts (canal notes worksheet, speech assignment, speech rubric), Textbook

Lesson will be followed by:

·  A lesson in which students read an excerpt of a primary source document – President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1904 “Corollary” speech. Students compare Roosevelt’s speech to their own and reflect on his messages and persuasiveness, as well as their own.