Beth Marano, THG
Title:
Sunshine
State Standard:
LESSON PLAN
Ranching and Farming in the Western Territories 1862 to
1890
The Western Frontier, Chapter 18, Section 2,
The American Journey.
SSA.5.3.1; LAA2.3.5; SSB 2.3.1.
Objective:
Understand the Homestead Act of 1863.
Know the reasons for westward migration from the east.
Describe the differences between the ranchers and the
farmers.
Know the causes of the rise and decline of the cattle ranches.
Targeted group:
Middle School, 8th grade, regular to advanced.
Vocabulary:
open range, barbed wire, brand, vaquero, homestead, sodbuster,
dry farming, trail drive, cow boys, cattle market, frontier,
arable, arid.
Concepts:
What is the relationship between the end of the civil war and
the Homestead Act?
How did the railroads effect ranching and farming?
What were the difficulties of farming and ranching in the
West?
What was The Closing the Frontier?
Required
Materials:
Textbook, American Journey
Copies of Trans-Mississippi West
Copies of The Origins of Ranching
Copies of Great Plain Farm Life in the 1800’s
2 Graphic Organizers for Compare and Contrast
Poster board
Paper, pencil, glue, scissors, markers
References
Textbook, the American Journey; Chapter 18, Section 2;
pgs, 534-539. (Previously assigned reading)
Copies of exurps from MSN Encyclopedia.org, US
History, Trans-Mississippi West, Pgs. 20-37.
Copies of Ranch, The Origins of Ranching, Wikipedia.org
Copies of Great Plains Farm Life in Mid-To –Late 1800’s,
Gale Research, 1997, Farmington Hills, MI
Required time:
Three, fifty five minute periods
The Stage:
The Civil War is over and men are leaving the Armies of
the North and the South. The slaves have been
emancipated and there are many people without
employment or opportunities. The US government creates
a new land reform act. The Homestead Act of 1862
Activities:
Read Section 2 in the Text.
Outline the 3 sections: Cattle on the Plains, Life on the
Trail, Farmers Settle the Plains.
Organize into three groups. Each group is assigned one of
the three supplemental readings.
Each group is to create a display showing in pictures the
important points of their article. Each picture,
illustration, drawing, painting must be labeled to identify
each important aspect of the topic, i.e.: Cattle on the
Plains, Life on the Trail and Farmers Settle the Plains.
Students will use the Internet for research, use art books,
magazines, books of painting, etc; which can be found and copies
in the Library.
Assessment:
Each group will present their college of pictures on a
poster board, illustrating the important aspects of their
subject. The presenter or presenters will explain each
illustration as to its’ meaning and significance.
Each outline will be graded for form and content based on the
article. Given by teacher.
Class will be given a rubric by which to grade the
presenting group. That will be the common grade for all in
the group. Teacher will also give a grade using the same
rubric. Feed back will be given by the class to the group
regarding the good points and the ones which could be
improved. These three grades will determine the group grade.
Adaptations:
For ELL, ESE students: students will be pared in a group with
one native speaker of their language, and will be given more
time to complete the assignment