Lesson Plan

1850-1874 Homestead Act Signed: The Challenges of The Plains

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Start a whole new life in a land known as the Wild Wild West! Learners analyze maps, personal accounts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, songs, and video clips to uncover life under the Homestead Act. Using their new skills, class members role play and discuss what life was truly like for the Homesteaders of the Great Plains in the mid 1850s. 

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Place large, detailed maps and photographs of the West around the room for the duration of the lessons for reference points
  • Create research teams that stay together for the unit to assist students who struggle with the reading and analyzation portions of the lessons
Classroom Considerations
  • Lessons are specifically designed for certain grade levels; take note and plan according to your individual classroom
Pros
  • Resource provides detailed lesson plans for teacher use and adaptation
  • Lesson includes printable worksheets and materials for classroom use
Cons
  • None