CALENDAR COMING EVENTS ELECTION FIELD TRIPS FP LESSON PLANS FREEDOM PROJECT GLI SEMINAR LESSONS PLANS GRANT HC LESSON PLANS HISTORY LIBRARY HOME IN-SERVICE FOR TEACHERS LINCOLN LINKS FOR KIDS LINKS FOR TEACHERS MISSION NEWS NEWSLETTERS PARTNERS SUMMER INSTITUTE THEMES VETERANS' DAY Main   >   Departments   >   Teaching American History FREEDOM PROJECT LESSON PLANS - 2008-2009 AMERICAN INDIAN ORIGIN STORIES Creation Myths In this unit of study, students read a number of American Indian Origin stories and are asked to make predictions, connections, and find similarities, as well as differences as they ascribe elements of each myth to the environment of a specific Indian culture. Identifying common threads that run through the various creation myths, students are then asked to create their own creation myth or write a compare/contrast essay based on their readings. TRADE BETWEEN EUROPEANS AND INDIANS Establishing Trade In this lesson, students will learn the importance of trade between the Indians and the Europeans, as well as factors which motivated the establishment of trade during early days of America. Using resource boxes from area museums, students will experience material culture from both groups through hands-on activities. PERSONALIZING THE HOLOCAUST: ONE CAMP, ONE SURVIVOR Terezin Power Point Introduce the lesson by showing this moving power point created by Rick Elston of Guilford High School. The main objective is to have students gain a new understanding of the Holocaust by studying the history and operation of one concentration camp operated by the Nazis in WWII. By hearing from a survivor of that camp, students will better understand the horrible experiences and the tremendous courage of the victims of the Holocaust. The actual lesson plan follows with the next link. Terezin Lesson Plan After viewing the power point, share the video of Lisl Bogart's speech (click on link below) given in May, 2007, at Guilford. Ideas for assessments and follow-up activities are included in the lesson plan. Survivor's Story Video of Lisl Bogart's Speech at Guilford--May, 2007 Clicking on this link will allow you to view the 38-minute video of Holocaust survivor, Lisl Bogart, speaking before Guilford students in May of 2007. Allow about four minutes for the video to download. (For a copy of the DVD to share with students, please contact Rick Elston at Guilford or Betsy Homewood at Roosevelt.) TRACING THE BLACK HAWK WAR THROUGH NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN Part One: History and Culture of Sauk and Mesquakie Tribes (PPT) Another outstanding unit by Guilford's Rick Elston, this one on the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes and their place in local history, provides an opportunity for students to learn how these tribes' experiences mirror in many ways the larger experiences of Native American groups dealing with the expansion of European/American settlement. The three sections of the lesson include (part one, the link above) the history and culture of the Sauk and Mesquakie tribes which is to enable students to understand the early migrations and cultural patterns of these groups; the second part focuses on Black Hawk to enable students the chance to understand the changes and stresses to Native American cultures brought on by increased contact with whites throughout westward expansion; and thirdly, to follow the events of the Black Hawk War through our region to enable students to develop a greater knowledge and appreciation for local history. Part Two: The Life of Black Hawk (PPT) This link contains the second part of the PPT which covers the life of Black Hawk, providing students with information that suggests the changes and stresses that came to bear on Native American cultures felt throughout America, brought on by increased content with whites. Part Three: The Black Hawk War PPT This is the third and final part of the PPT which covers the events of the Black Hawk War through our region, allowing students to develop greater knowledge and appreciation for the local history while recognizing how similar events could be repeated again and again throughout the period of American expansion. Black Hawk War Lesson Plans Lesson plans for each of the three sections of the PPT above include activities and assessments: creating a timeline or illustrated wheel showing major events in the life of Sauk/Mesquakie Native Americans during the different seasons; journal entries from the perspective of Black Hawk relating important events in his life, a character sketch of important events, traits, or a compare/contrast; and finally, an illustrated map following Black Hawk's band through Illinois and Wisconsin with drawings and labels. THE NATIVE AMERICANS, THE EUROPEANS, AND TREES Use of Trees in Daily Lives This lesson discusses the importance of trees to not only Native American daily life but to the lives of importers and industrialists. Jean Larsen's lesson uses a variety of sources to look at the harvesting of trees over a span of 200+ years and motivates students to apply what they have learned by writing a reflective postcard to a grandchild based on what was known at the time. Larson Site of Native American Tools SMALLPOX IN COLONIAL AMERICA Smallpox Power Point How did Europeans as well as Native Americans deal with the horrors of smallpox? What were the consequences and how did it affect each population? Amanda Becker has created a power point presentation for middle and high school students which presents content concerning smallpox epidemics in Colonial America. Suggestions for student assignments/assessments are also included in her lesson. WHAT WERE THE POWHATAN INDIANS LIKE? Lesson Plan Investigate the Powhatan Indians and evaluate perceptions of Native Americans with what we now know. Students will read and discuss about conflicts with the Powhatan and will work in pairs on document analysis sheets to determine how they lived. Students will also be asked to compare the Powhatan culture with the English through a written reflection. Portrait of Pocahontas Picture Analysis Worksheet Click on this link to download a copy of the Picture Analysis Sheet to be used with the portrait of Pocahontas (above), the engraving by Theodor de Bry and the others in the next link for Comparing Cultures. Comparing Cultures Jamestown Worksheet A SAILOR'S SALARY IN 1492 Lesson Plan Students will determine a 2008 value for the Spanish maravedi, a copper coin in use in the 15th century in Spain. Students will also be asked to read excerpts from both Columbus's diary and from Pedro's Journal. This exercise involves some math as the students or teacher will need to look up the current cost per ounce for gold and compare maravedis to ducats, a 24K gold coin weighing 3.511 grams. Students will then discuss the sailor's salary and decide if this was sufficient money to justify all of the risks that were taken in such a voyage. COLUMBIAN EXCHANGE SORT Exchanges Then and Now Exchanges take place in our lives everyday. In this lesson, students are asked to generate a list of things exchanged, and then sort them into categories for both the Old World and the New World. From this, as a class, students will create a large scale matrix and conduct research for any items that are unfamiliar to them. The students will decide on and write about items of historical impact as well as create a definition for cultural borrowing.

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