Sarah A. Huett U.S. History Lesson Plan T.I.S.D.

TEKS Lesson Plan/Unit Plan

Texarkana Independent School District

Teacher: Sarah A. Huett Subject/Course: U.S. History
Grade(s): Grade 11 Time frame: 45 minutes

Lesson Plan Number: 43

Topic/Process: The Age of Railroads

Textbook: The Americans: Reconstruction to the Present, McDougall Littell

Ch. 6, sec. 2, pgs 236-240

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): US1 A-B, US2 B, US8 A-B, US10 A, US11 A, US22 A, US23 A, US24 A-C, US25 C- D

(1)History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The student is expected to:

(A)identify the major eras in U.S. history from 1877 to the present and describe their defining characteristics;

(B)apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods; and

(2)History. The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in the United States from 1877 to 1898. The student is expected to:

(B)analyze economic issues such as industrialization, the growth of railroads, the growth of labor unions, farm issues, and the rise of big business; and

(8)Geography. The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data. The student is expected to:

(A)create thematic maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases representing various aspects of the United States; and

(B)pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns shown on maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases.

(10)Geography. The student understands the effects of migration and immigration on American society. The student is expected to:

(A)analyze the effects of changing demographic patterns resulting from migration within the United States; and

(11)Geography. The student understands the relationship between population growth and modernization on the physical environment. The student is expected to:

(A)identify the effects of population growth and distribution and predict future effects on the physical environment; and

(22)Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of science and technology on the economic development of the United States. The student is expected to:

(A)explain the effects of scientific discoveries and technological innovations such as electric power, the telegraph and telephone, petroleum-based products, medical vaccinations, and computers on the development of the United States;

(23)Science, technology, and society. The student understands the influence of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on daily life in the United States. The student is expected to:

(A)analyze how scientific discoveries and technological innovations, including those in transportation and communication, have changed the standard of living in the United States; and

(24)Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to:

(A)locate and use primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about the United States;

(B)analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions;

(C)explain and apply different methods that historians use to interpret the past, including the use of primary and secondary sources, points of view, frames of reference, and historical context;

(25)Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:

(C)transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer software as appropriate; and

(D)create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information.

TAKS: US1 B, US2 B, US8 B, US10 A, US11 A, US22 A, US23 A, US24 A- C

(1)History. The student understands traditional historical points of reference in U.S. history from 1877 to the present. The student is expected to:

(B)apply absolute and relative chronology through the sequencing of significant individuals, events, and time periods; and

(2)History. The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in the United States from 1877 to 1898. The student is expected to:

(B)analyze economic issues such as industrialization, the growth of railroads, the growth of labor unions, farm issues, and the rise of big business; and

(8)Geography. The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data. The student is expected to:

(B)pose and answer questions about geographic distributions and patterns shown on maps, graphs, charts, models, and databases.

(10)Geography. The student understands the effects of migration and immigration on American society. The student is expected to:

(A)analyze the effects of changing demographic patterns resulting from migration within the United States; and

(11)Geography. The student understands the relationship between population growth and modernization on the physical environment. The student is expected to:

(A)identify the effects of population growth and distribution and predict future effects on the physical environment; and

(22)Science, technology, and society. The student understands the impact of science and technology on the economic development of the United States. The student is expected to:

(A)explain the effects of scientific discoveries and technological innovations such as electric power, the telegraph and telephone, petroleum-based products, medical vaccinations, and computers on the development of the United States;

(23)Science, technology, and society. The student understands the influence of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on daily life in the United States. The student is expected to:

(A)analyze how scientific discoveries and technological innovations, including those in transportation and communication, have changed the standard of living in the United States; and

(24)Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to:

(A)locate and use primary and secondary sources such as computer software, databases, media and news services, biographies, interviews, and artifacts to acquire information about the United States;

(B)analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions;

(C)explain and apply different methods that historians use to interpret the past, including the use of primary and secondary sources, points of view, frames of reference, and historical context;

Concepts / Enduring Understandings/Generalizations/Principles
The student will understand that
Change / Change often occurs as a result of conflict. Change often creates conflict. Change is inevitable. Change can be positive or negative. Change often occurs as a result of technology.
Conflict / Conflict often leads to/results from change.
Growth / Growth is often the result of technology.
Industrialization / Industrialization is often the result of new technology. Industrialization may lead to changes in culture, economy and demography.
Migration/Settlement / Settlement may lead to conflict of cultures. Settlement leads to changes in demographics.

Sequence of Activities (Instructional Strategies):

The following lesson was found at www.edsitement.com. Below is a brief outline of the lesson(s). For more information and resources please visit Edsitement “I Hear the Locomotives: The Impact of the Transcontinental Railroad”

1. Cooperative Learning Activity – Students should use the documents and document

analysis to create “cause-and-effect ladders). These are hypothesis that the

students will make based on the evidence they have in their hands and any

prior knowledge. You can have the students actually draw/write their letter or

this could be a verbal assessment. For more information on this activity go to the

Edsitement website. Students should be given time to complete this activity (if

necessary).

2. Cooperative Learning Activity – Students should be given timelines from the 1860s,

1870s and 1880s. Students should look for and record events from the timeline

that validates their “cause-and-effect ladders”.

3. Activity: Students often wonder how the events of the past affect their lives today.

At the end of my lessons on the transcontinental railroads, I like to review the

history of US time zones and have students practice/solve some time zone word

problems.

Questions to Consider in Lesson:

1) List 5 ways that the development of the railroad still affects your life today.

Assessment of Activities:

Classroom Observation

Classroom Discussion

Cause-and-Effect Ladders Verbal or Written Justifications

Prerequisite Skills:

1. Primary Source Analysis

2. Note- taking Skills

3. Cause-and Effect

Key Vocabulary:

Transcontinental railroad, rail schedules, train routes, any vocabulary from the reading that you deem important (will vary depending upon the text)

Materials/Resources Needed:

Computers, LCD Projector

or

Copies of resources, analysis pages, copies of timelines, copy of time zone map, copies of time zone word problems

Modifications: Allow students to have extended time to complete activities. Follow all modifications on student’s IEP. Paired Activity.

Differentiated Instruction: Have student do research on time zones and the development of the time zones. Student should present their learning to the class.

Teacher Notes:

You can access the Edsitement website directly or through the Marco Polo website at www.mped.org

Sample Test Questions:

1. What role did railroads play in “Manifest Destiny”?

2. What is the time difference between Pacific and Eastern time?

A.  one hour

B.  two hours

C.  three hours

D.  four hours

Project developed and delivered through a Collaborative Research Grant between Texarkana Independent School District and TAMU-T Regents’ Initiative.