K20 LEARN
Many Trails of Tears: The Era of Indian Removal
Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. All were forced off their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States as part of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Young historians research the tribes' reactions to this removal and...
Curated OER
Walking the Trail of Tears
Students, through the use of examining video clips and Websites, become familiar with the reasons that the settlers wanted the land, broke treaties, and initiated the Indian Removal Act leading to the Trail of Tears.
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Cherokee Indians and the Trail of Tears
Students investigate U.S. history by reading American Indian stories. In this Cherokee Indian lesson plan, students identify the cruelty inflicted towards Native Americans by the European settlers and the "trail of tears" that were left....
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Trail of Tears
Students create a journal entry written from the perspective of a Cherokee, a soldier, or a person involved in the Trail of Tears.
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The Cherokee: Trail Where They Cried
Students read the Trail of Tears about the Cherokee Nation removal and write a letter pretending they are the grandparent of a Cherokee child. In this Trail of Tears lesson plan, students understand the changing of boundaries.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: The Math of Removal
Middle schoolers consider the plight of those who walked the Trial of Tears. In this Indian Removal instructional activity, students compare statistics regarding Indian survival rates.
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Impact of Indian Removal
Seventh graders consider how the majority sometimes enforces unjust laws upon the minority. In this Indian Removal lesson, 7th graders research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and discuss its impact on...
Curated OER
President Jackson's Indian Removal Act and the Native American Perspective, Trail of Tears
Eighth graders review President Jackson's policy towards the Native Americans. They receive a handout "Samuel's Memory" to read. The link to this handout is not included in the lesson. Students fill out a multiple perspectives chart.
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President Jackson, the Cherokee and Indian Removal
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Indian Removal Act lesson, students examine the act and discuss the implications of moving the Cherokee. Students...
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East Meets West: Americans on the Move
Young scholars examine the settlement of the Louisiana Territory. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students watch segments of the Discovery video "East Meets West: Americans on the Move". Young scholars conduct further research...
PBS
Primary Sources
Learners see how to use primary and secondary sources to investigate history. Whether it is a photograph, book, map, letter, postcard, newspaper, or official document, students can use sources to reconstruct and relive history.
Curated OER
Indian Removal
Fourth graders read The Trail of Tears and create a timeline to show the sequence of events that effected the Native American tribes during Andrew Jackson's presidency. For this Native American lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the...
Curated OER
Lost Illinois History
Students discuss "The Trail of Tears," why it happened, what it is, and where it began and ended. They work in groups to complete a reading section and answer a series of questions then share the answers with the class. Students take a...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Conflict in Alabama in the 1830s: Native Americans, Settlers, and Government
To better understand the Indian Removal Act of 1830, class members examine primary source documents including letters written by Alabama governors and the Cherokee chiefs. The lesson is part of a unit on the expansion of the United...
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Trail of Tears
Students discover that the Indian Territory was comprised of many Indian tribes originating from many different locations. They distinguish between the Indian tribes in the Indian Territory.
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Whose Manifest Destiny?
Students examine the Westward expansion. In this North American settlers lesson, students will view a PowerPoint presentation and answer critical thinking questions. Students will write an essay that analyzes the impact of westward...
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History Detectives
Fifth graders investigate the significant events in America's history. Students listen to a variety of books based on significant historical events in America. Students divide into 6 groups, each of which is responsible for researching...
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The Alcatraz Proclamation: A Primary Document Activity
Young scholars investigate the Alcatraz Proclamation. In this Native American lesson, students research Native American history and activism as they examine the Alcatraz Proclamation of 1969.
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Events Leading to the Indian Removal 1830-1832
Students consider the effects of Indian Removal on the Cherokee Nation. In this American history lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Students write short stories that detail the...
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Native Americans
Fifth graders research Native Americans. Using Internet links, they examine facts about Native Americans and answer questions. Students create their own Native American Resource book. They research each region and complete graphic...
Museum of Tolerance
The Pursuit of Democracy and Diversity: The Trial of Pro-Social Injustice in Historical Documents and Accounts
Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...
San Francisco Symphony
Adding Music to Oklahoma History
To better understand Oklahoma state history, learners will use a website to find a song that supports or represents aspects of Oklahoma's history. They'll write three sentences defending their choice, and then they will create...
Curated OER
Expansion and Reform: Applying the Declaration of Independence
Students conduct inquiries and research-acquiring, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and communicating facts, themes, and general principles operating in American history. They use the Declaration of Independence to...
Curated OER
Wilma Mankiller and the Cherokee Nation
Students examine how Wilma Mankiller became the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, write a letter to President Andrew Jackson, participate in a jigsaw activity, conduct research,...