Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Title: Teddy Roosevelt, Panama, and the Media
Lesson Author: Brandon Sexton, Curtis Brown, Erin Weiss
Key Words: Big Stick Diplomacy, Roosevelt Corollary
Grade Level: 7th
Time Allotted: 45 minutes
Rationale/ Purpose (so what?)
To help students understand the power America holds in the Americas, due in part to
Theodore Roosevelt, his “Big Stick diplomacy”, and the Roosevelt Corollary. Also, to
help understand the role of media in establishing Roosevelt as such a crucial person in
American history
Background/Context:
Looking Backwards: Industrial and Progressive Eras, rise of American business and
social change. Spanish American War and the rise of Teddy Roosevelt
Looking Forwards: World War I, the role of America as the industry giant, Wilson and
his Fourteen Points
Key Concept(s):
Diplomacy – The conduct by government officials of negotiations and other relations
between nations.
Isthmus – A narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water, connecting two
larger bodies of land.
Doctrine – A particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion
or government
Corollary – An immediate consequence or easily drawn conclusion.
Imperialism – Acquisition of territories for the advantage of the mother country
NCSS Standard(s)
SOL Information
NCSS Theme (s) with indicators:
Power, Authority, and Governance
help students to explain the purpose of government and how its powers are acquired, used, and
justified;
guide learners to explain how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and
abroad.
have learners explain conditions, actions, and motivations that contribute to conflict and
cooperation within and among nations;
SOL* : USII.4b
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the changing role of the United States from the late
nineteenth century through World War I by describing Theodore Roosevelt’s impact on the
foreign policy of the United States.
1
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Essential Knowledge:
Essential Skills :
The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe
Doctrine
- asserted the United States’ right to interfere in
the economic matters of other nations in the
Americas
- claimed the United States’ right to exercise
international police power
- advocated Big Stick Diplomacy (building the
Panama Canal).
Analyze and interpret primary and secondary
source documents to increase understanding of
events and life in United States history.
(USII.1a)
Make connections between past and present.
(USII.1b)
Guiding Question(s):
What were Theodore Roosevelt’s foreign policies?
What was Theodore Roosevelt’s impact on the foreign policy of the United States?
How did the media portray Theodore Roosevelt in America?
The day’s big question:
How do countries win wars, and make others do what they want?
How does media influence how people look at others?
Lesson Objective(s):
Obj. 1
SWBAT demonstrate an understanding of what the Monroe Doctrine said, and what the
Roosevelt Corollary added to it.
Obj. 2
SWBAT demonstrate an understanding of Theodore Roosevelt’s “Big Stick Diplomacy”
and how it affected the building of the Panama Canal
Obj. 3
SWBAT demonstrate an understanding of how the media helped define Theodore
Roosevelt in the American landscape.
Assessment Tool(s) to be usedAssessment 1: Informal: Student’s participation in cartoon analysis
Assessment 2: Informal: Texts from the Past
2
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Materials: Historical
Source(s):
Additional
Materials/Resources:
Political Cartoons of Roosevelt (Material A)
PowerPoint Presentation (Material B)
Quick Notes Sheet (Material C)
Cartoon Analysis Sheet (Material D)
That’s a Wrap! Worksheet (Material E)
Procedure/Process:
1) JUST DO IT! The “Hook”:
Have students answer these questions:
How did United States take the land from the Native Americans? Why?
How did the Union defeat the Confederacy?
What are the similarities between the two?
In most wars, what do the winners usually have?
2) Instructional sequence:
Obj #
See above.
Just do it.
Transition:
Objective # 1:
SWBAT demonstrate
an understanding of
what the Monroe
Doctrine said, and
what the Roosevelt
Corollary added to it.
Transition:
3
Processing Activity and
Procedure
Check for Evidence of
Understanding
Students will answer the questions on a personal sheet of
paper about how the victors in various wars defeated their
enemy. Namely, they had a larger army than the other group.
This reinforces the “Big Stick” diplomacy that we are talking
about.
Students pull out their Quick Notes sheet and prepare for a
lecture
Quick Notes Power Point
Quick Notes sheet (Material
(Material B) will introduce
C) completed for ‘Monroe
students to Theodore
Doctrine’ and ‘Roosevelt
Roosevelt, followed by an
Corollary.’ The Closure
explanation of the “Monroe
activity (material F)will also
Doctrine” and Roosevelt’s
check for understanding.
interpretation, known as the
“Roosevelt Corollary”
N/A
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Objective # 2:
SWBAT demonstrate
an understanding of
Theodore Roosevelt’s
“Big Stick Diplomacy”
and how it affected
the building of the
Panama Canal
Transition:
Objective #3:
SWBAT demonstrate
an understanding of
how the media helped
define Theodore
Roosevelt in the
American landscape.
Closure:
Quick Notes Power Point will
help students understand
Roosevelt’s “Big Stick”
philosophy, how it played into
the building of the Panama
Canal, and how the Canal
works.
Quick Notes Sheet (material
C) completed for ‘”Big Stick”
diplomacy’ and ‘Panama
Canal.’ Understanding will
also be assessed on the
Closure activity (material F)
Students will put away their Quick Notes sheet, and set their
notebook aside. They will be given the Cartoon Analysis
worksheet (Material D)
Students will be shown, on a Smart Board
Notebook file, four political cartoons
Students will be
about teddy Roosevelt (Material A). The
completing a
first cartoon analysis will be modeled by
worksheet that by
the teacher, showing kids how to analysis
a simple glance
political cartoons. Students will then be
and read, student
shown three more cartoons, and they will
understanding
be asked to complete the next cartoon
could be
together as a class. The individual
interpreted.
students will complete the analysis of the
final two cartoons.
Texts from the Past: Students will define key terms discussed during
the lesson in 160 characters or less (in texting lingo). They will also
“send” text messages to Panama and Colombia as Teddy Roosevelt.
3) ClosureTexts from the Past: Students will define key terms discussed during the lesson in 160
characters or less (in texting lingo). They will also “send” text messages to Panama and
Colombia as Teddy Roosevelt, demonstrating their understanding of how Teddy Roosevelt ‘took
the isthmus’.
Modifications/Accommodations for Diverse Learners:
•
•
•
•
•
4
Allow students ample time to complete their Quick Notes sheet
Allow work with partners on the cartoon analysis assignment
Paper copies of the cartoons
Give students opportunity to share verbally what they learned, if writing is an
issue
Sheet has multiple levels for ELLs (New ELLs can simply point out what is on the
cartoon, more well adjusted ELLs can elaborate more and more)
o If ELLs are Hispanic, allow them to tell the story of American Imperialism
from a Latin American Standpoint
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Evaluation Rubric:
Complete the rubric for each lesson plan and attach cover sheet.
(You should have 1 cover sheet and 10 rubrics.)
Please Circle NCSS Theme and attach to the correct themed lesson.
NCSS THEME
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
Rating Scale (can include half points on the scale)
1) The lesson plan is focused on a specific NCSS thematic standard, is designed to answer a
specific guiding question, and has a strong content/skills focus and rationale. (Students must
make sure they meet all the required criteria as detailed above.)
Not focused
highly focused
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________.5
Comments:
The NCSS theme of Power, Authority, and Governance is clearly represented in this lesson, as it
deals with the exercising of new United States power in Latin America, particularly in the case
of the Panama Canal, and how Teddy Roosevelt started a wave of imperialistic thinking in
America.
2) The lesson plan is designed to clearly address specific social studies SOL with a clearly
focused list of Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Understandings (See SOL Resource Guide), and
NCSS performance expectations and indicators. (What are students going to do based on the
theme? - See Expectations for Excellence.)
Not addressed
Clearly Addressed
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________.5
Comments:
The lesson clearly relates the SOL USII.4b which deals with the new American role in world
politics up until World War II, particularly dealing with imperialism and Teddy Roosevelt’s
policies in Panama. This lesson deals explicitly with Teddy and his role in American imperialism
with Panama.
3) The lesson plan includes clear, motivational, intriguing and relevant guiding questions (big
question).
5
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Not addressed
Clearly Addressed
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4_____4.5_____.5
Comments:
The guiding questions are clear and straight to the point of the lesson. By the end of the lessons,
students can answer about the Monroe Doctrine, Roosevelt Corollary, Teddy Roosevelt and his
Big Stick policy, and America’s role in Panama.
4) The lesson plan includes well-written and explicit objectives
Unclear objectives
Clear objectives
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________5
Comments:
The objectives are explicit in nature as they help students understand how to perform an analysis,
via modeling. It is also explicit on how to do the texts from the past activity.
5) The lesson plan includes a tightly focused bell ringer/motivational hook that relates to the
lesson. (1-5 minutes)- (Independent student work) (Just Do it).
Unclear Objectives
Clear Objectives
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________5
Comments:
The Just Do It is relevant to the guiding and big question of the day and is a review of past
conflicts (Indian Wars and Civil War) and how the idea of Power prevails through all conflicts.
6) The lesson plan includes detailed instructional activities that directly correlate with specific
objectives.
Not Focused
Clearly Focused
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________.5
Comments:
The cartoon analysis(instructional activity) correlates directly with the learning objectives as the
students figure out how the media portrayed Teddy Roosevelt.
7) The lesson plan contains clearly focused and detailed directions for students, question frames,
and lecture outlines, when appropriate, to facilitate directions and learning. (These are also part
of the materials section)- A teacher should be ready to go with the lesson.
6
Fall Lesson Plan Template.
Not Focused/Detailed
Highly Focused/Detailed
.2__________.4__________.6__________.8______9____.10
Comments:
The lesson plan includes transitions and directions regarding the lesson plan. While a good
amount of the lesson material is ‘lecture’ based, it requires a lot of transition on the back end,
from lecture to analysis activity to texts from last night.
8) The lesson plan includes a focused and clear closure that either provides students with the
opportunity to answer the guiding question (assesses student understanding) or clearly
summarizes the day’s key points in relation to the key question.
Not Focused
Highly Focused
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________.5
Comments:
The closure directly relates with the big questions and lets students express their findings in
writing that is ‘age relevant’
9) The lesson plan provides a clearly designed assessment within the closure to measure student
growth/with model answer(s) that is explicitly connected to the lessons essential understandings,
objectives, and the strategies for learning
Not Clear and Appropriate
Highly Clear and Appropriate
.1__________.2__________.3__________.4__________.5
The closure assesses student learning because it relates the Just Do It, big and guiding
question, and objectives.
7