Name: _____________________________________________Block: _____

THE WEST
UNIT 5 PACKET #3

DUE DATE:

Ms. Walsh & Mr. Gomes

Early United States History
Spring 2015
Welcome to Part II of Unit 5, North, South, and West! This unit will be split up into 3 parts,
each focusing on one of the three major regions of the United States in the early to mid-1800s in
the form of a packet. These packets will develop your ability to:
Read secondary sources for main idea, important details, and key vocabulary
Process information from the readings in the form of creative visual and/or written
assignments
Compare and contrast primary sources
Write an evidence-based paragraph that analyzes examples of progress and sacrifice in the
West during this time period.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to write a five-paragraph evidence-based essay that answers
our essential unit questions, How did changes in America in the early and mid-1800s
represent both PROGRESS and SACRIFICE? Was the progress WORTH the sacrifice?
Assignment
West Packet Kickoff: Gallery Walk

Page #
2

Journal: First come, first served

Video Notes: America: The Story of Us

Group Reading Set

Pts Possible

5
5
5
10

5-6

West Packet PROCESSING Assignment

Westward Expansion I See/It Means

20
8

West Perspectives Document Analysis

12

12-13

20

Evidence-Based Paragraph

Pts Earned

TOTAL Points: _____________/85

LATE _____days = --____%
WEST Packet Grade: _____________

West packet Kickoff Activity: Gallery Rotation

DIRECTIONS: Working WITH your group, for each image your table receives, write at least TWO open-ended
question, ONE things it tells you or indicates about the WEST, and HYPOTHESIZE whether it shows American
Progress or Sacrifice and why.
IMAGE
Letter:

TWO Open-ended
Questions
1.

What does this tell you

about the West?

Does this image show you American

Progress or Sacrifice? Explain.
Circle one:
Progress

Sacrifice

EXPLAIN:
2.

Circle one:
1.

Progress

Sacrifice

EXPLAIN:
2.

Circle one:
1.

Progress

Sacrifice

EXPLAIN:
2.

1.

Circle one:
Progress

Sacrifice

EXPLAIN:
2.

Journal: First Come, first served

DIRECTIONS: Read the situation below then respond to the questions that follow in complete sentences.
SITUATION: Lets pretend two students in the same class are arguing over a certain desk. Student
#1 came into class early and left their bag next to the desk then went to grab something from his
locker before class. Student #2 came in just before the bell, saw what they assumed was an empty
seat, and sat down. When student #1 returned, they confronted Student #2 for the seat and asked
them to move. Student #2 refused.
1. Based on the facts you know from the situation, which student do you feel deserves to sit in the
desk? Explain your answer.

2. If you found out that Student #2 had chosen that particular desk because it helped them focus
better in class to sit in front, would you stick with your choice from question #1? Why or why not?

3. An important theme that well be studying in the American West is the conflict between the Native
Americans and the incoming American settlers over who deserved the land in North America. In
your opinion, should Americans have respected the Native Americans prior claims to the land (like
Student #1) or were we justified in taking over the land because of our greater population and need
for more space (like Student #2)? Explain your reasoning & opinion.

Continue onto a separate piece of paper if you need more room.

Video notes: America the Story of Us Westward

DIRECTIONS: Watch the video and take notes on each of the topics using the graphic organizer below. (Video
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzc_XapxnzU; 16:00 27:00)

The Oregon Trail

What was the journey like?

The Donner Party

How did their journey go? How did it end?

The Fight for Texas

How did the US acquire Texas & California?

The California Gold Rush

What kinds of people participated in the Gold
Rush? How successful were they?

Summarizer: Was the PROGRESS of Westward Expansion worth the SACRIFICES it took to get it? Explain

using AT LEAST TWO specific details from the video

GROUP READING PURPOSE & PROCESS

For this, our last & final packet, its time to bring together our skills from BOTH of the preceding packets.
Therefore, as a part of each heading you read in this, our one and only reading set, you goal is to look for the
most important information, vocabulary terms, AND connections to our Unit 5 theme of Progress & Sacrifice.
Section HEADING: The Lure of the West Ch13
Write one OPEN-ended question based on the above heading:

Sec1, pg#378

MAIN IDEA (i.e., answer to above question): Explain the main idea of the section in 1-2 complete sentences below

Details

VOCAB & CONNECTIONS

Vocabulary/Key Terms:

Progress or Sacrifice? Why?

Section HEADING: Oregon Fever Ch13 Sec1, pg#380

Write one OPEN-ended question based on the above heading:

MAIN IDEA (i.e., answer to above question): Explain the main idea of the section in 1-2 complete sentences below

Details

VOCAB & CONNECTIONS

Vocabulary/Key Terms:

Progress or Sacrifice? Why?

Section HEADING: The Mormon Trail Ch13 Sec1,

Write one OPEN-ended question based on the above heading:

pg#381

MAIN IDEA (i.e., answer to above question): Explain the main idea of the section in 1-2 complete sentences below

Details

VOCAB & CONNECTIONS

Vocabulary/Key Terms:

Progress or Sacrifice? Why?

Section HEADING: Rush for Gold Ch13 Sec4, pg#397

Write one OPEN-ended question based on the above heading:

MAIN IDEA (i.e., answer to above question): Explain the main idea of the section in 1-2 complete sentences below

Details

VOCAB & CONNECTIONS

Vocabulary/Key Terms:

Progress or Sacrifice? Why?

West Packet PROCESSING ASSIGNMENT

Big changes are taking place for Americans in the West in the early 1800s. Was it progress or a sacrifice or a little of
both AND, most importantly, was it WORTH it? To showcase your understanding of the content and to connect
what you read to our essential question, you will complete ONE of the processing options below individually.

YOU MAY WORK WITH OTHERS TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS, BUT EVERYONE WILL
COMPLETE THEIR OWN PROCESSING OPTION.

What to do:
Choose ONE of the options below and complete it with ALL Required elements using your notes from this
packet. You can do extra work for BONUS points, but only if youve completed all requirements FIRST.

PROCESSING OPTIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

OPTION #1: Annotated MAP of the West
An outline of the American West (Use the template or
create your own!)
A title for your map
A KEY with symbols for the various elements on your
map
i.e. trails, towns, Progress, Sacrifice, etc.
At least 6 specific annotations describing Changes
taking place in the American West
REMEMBER to include information from
ALL parts of your reading, not just one or two!
A Summary/explanation for how these changes
represented BOTH progress & Sacrifice

OPTION #2: Three Trail Diaries

3 diary entries from three different Americans participating in
three different changes in the American West (Oregon Trail,
Mormon Trail, and the California Gold Rush)
A logical Date for each (check your notes to help you pick the
right time period)
For each diary: include at least TWO specific details from
your notes (6 total for all three)
For each diary: connect their experience to the theme of
Progress or Sacrifice

OPTIONAL for BONUS points!

Color!
Illustrations!
Details, Details, Details!
**You will only receive bonus points if you have ALL of the required elements!

Due: end of class on _______________

7

Primary Source Document Analysis

DIRECTIONS: Analyze the following image using the I SEE/IT MEANS template provided.

Describe whats going on in this image:

What do you see that makes you say this? Provide

specific evidence for each action you saw:

Summarize & CONNECT:

What does this image tell you or How does it connect to what youve learned about the West?

Image Analysis
DIRECTIONS: USING evidence from the image you just analyzed, answer the following question in one
complete paragraph.

Question: What is the Point of View of the artist on the American

Governments expansion into the West?
Provide at least TWO specific details to support your analysis
THESIS Complete the organizer below to create a strong thesis statement.

The Artists point of view is (circle one):

POSITIVE

NEGATIVE

because

1.
2.
EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS #1
Re-state the FIRST reason you listed in your thesis & provide more details


EXPLAIN how/why this detail from the image proves that the Point of View is Positive or Negative



EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS #2
Re-state the SECOND reason you listed in your thesis & provide more details


EXPLAIN how/why this detail from the image proves that the Point of View is Positive or Negative



CONCLUSION Conclude your persuasive paragraph by re-stating your thesis & summing up your evidence.


9

West Packet PROCESSING ASSIGNMENT RUBRIC

Criteria

Content

Connection
to the EQ
Bonus
Points!

Pts awarded/
Pts possible

Expectations
Reflects solid understanding of information from ALL parts of the
reading, not just one heading.
Includes AT LEAST 6 details total
ALL Information is accurate
All requirements met for the chosen Processing Option
Processing is thorough and detailed

_____/15

Overall Processing option makes STRONG and significant

connections to the theme of Progress & Sacrifice

_____/5

Color and/or Illustrations included

Includes MORE than the required number of details

+____

**Bonus points awarded ONLY if all requirements are met**

TOTAL PTS:

_____/20

West Packet Image Analysis RUBRIC

Criteria

1 Not proficient

2 Approaching
Proficiency

3 Proficient

4 - Advanced

Thesis Statement is
mostly clear and
answers the
question. Includes
both reasons.

Thesis statement is
clear and directly
answers the
Question. Includes
both reasons

Thesis Statement

Thesis statement is
Thesis statement is
incomprehensible or unclear and may or
incomplete, does not may not include both
include both reasons.
reasons.

Specific Evidence

Evidence chosen is
neither strong
enough nor detailed
enough. May be
missing altogether.

Evidence chosen is
either not strong
enough to support
the thesis or is not
detailed enough.

Evidence chosen is
good but may not be
the BEST to support
thesis. Is detailed.

Evidence chosen is
the best to support
thesis & is detailed &
specific.

Conclusion

Conclusion is
missing or confused.
Does not sum up
thesis or evidence.

Conclusion is weak
and may not sum up
thesis or evidence.

Conclusion sums of
thesis & evidence
adequately.

Conclusion clearly
and strongly sums up
thesis and Evidence

TOTAL PTS:

_____/12

10

Evidence-Based Paragraph
DIRECTIONS: In one persuasive paragraph, answer the topic question providing three specific reasons from the
events, concepts, and/or people we have discussed so far in Unit 6.

TOPIC QUESTION: How did changes in the WEST represent BOTH progress and sacrifice?
THESIS Complete the organizer below to answer the Topic Question in one complete sentence.

Changes in the West that represented PROGRESS were.

1.
2.
while changes that represented SACRIFICE were...
3.
EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS #1
IDENTIFY in more detail the FIRST historical event/concept/invention you listed in your thesis (Who,
what, where, when)



EXPLAIN how/why this historical event/concept/invention represents PROGRESS



EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS #2
IDENTIFY in more detail the SECOND historical event/concept/invention you listed in your thesis
(Who, what, where, when)



EXPLAIN how/why this historical event/concept/invention represents PROGRESS


11


EVIDENCE & ANALYSIS #3
IDENTIFY in more detail the THIRD historical event/concept/invention you listed in your thesis (Who,
what, where, when)



EXPLAIN how/why this historical event/concept/invention represents SACRIFICE

CONCLUSION Conclude your persuasive paragraph by re-stating your thesis & summing up your evidence.

Almost done! FIRST:

EVALUATE YOURSELF!
Before you turn in this packet, EVALUATE your Evidence-Based paragraph by completing
the How I think I did column on the next page.

12

Evidence-Based Paragraph RUBRIC

2

Fails to
Addressed the
address the
question but has
question;
weak structure and
confusing
focus. May not be a
and
complete sentence.
unfocused

Thesis stated
addresses the
question in a
well written
fashion.

Strong thesisresponds
directly to the
question in
one clear
sentence.

Strength of Evidence

Explanation
s are
missing
and/or do
not make
any
connection
between
evidence
and thesis.

Does not
Includes an
include unorganized/irrelev Includes a good
concluding
ant concluding
conclusion
statement
paragraph

Organization &
Mechanics

Evidence
lacks
identificati
on, or
strength
(the best
evidence to
support
thesis).

Disorganize
Weaker
d; littered organization; some
with errors
errors in writing
in standard detract from the
English
essay's meaning

How I think I did:

TEACHER
comments:

MOST evidence
is identified
and strong (the ALL evidence
best evidence to is identified
support
and strong
thesis).May be
(the best
weak in one of evidence to
the areas but
support
does not detract
thesis).
from overall
argument.

Explanation of Evidence

Only SOME
evidence is
identified and
strong (the best
evidence to support
thesis).Evidence
may be lacking in 1
or more of the
areas, contributing
to an overall weak
argument.
Explanations
indicate a
relationship
although leave the
reader having to
make some
connections on their
own. Somewhat
detracts from the
clarity of the
argument.

Conclusion

Thesis

ALL evidence
Explanations
is clearly
overall are clear, explained,
although may
creating a
lack complete CLEAR link
clarity, but it
between the
does not affect
evidence
readability of chosen and its
argument.
relation to the
thesis overall.

Includes a
strong
conclusion

Well
structured,
Clearly written
well written;
and coherent;
proper
some minor
spelling,
error in writing
grammar, and
mechanics

Student ESTIMATE ______/20

Teacher TOTAL

/20
13