Daily Lesson Plan

Date: 1/29/14
Overall lesson topic/title and purpose: Andrew Jackson and the Growth of American
Democracy
Goals/Objectives for todays lesson: Students will be able: to describe the perspectives of various
groups of people in response to Jackson and his key policies, assess the impact of Jacksons
policies on the outcome of events, evaluate how well Jackson promoted democracy citing both his
positive and negative contributions. Students will analyze primary documents to better understand
Andrew Jacksons Indian Policy. Students will use vocabulary words in context.
Essential Questions: How well did President Andrew Jackson promote democracy? What
incidents led to the Trail of Tears and what is your perspective of this event?
Materials & supplies needed: Packets.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Introduction to the lesson: (15 minutes)
Opening: Does the United States government have the right to make you move out of your
house? Why or Why not?
What would you do if you were required to move?
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson: (40 minutes)
1. Introduce background information on the Trail of Tears via a very brief lecture and
discussion.
2. Project the maps of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia, 1830, and the Cherokee Removal
Routes. Discuss the distance that the Cherokees walked and conditions they endured..
3. Project The Trail of Tears by Robert Lindneux. Have students discuss what is
happening in the painting and how its subjects are depicted.
4. Divide the class into groups of four and distribute an information packet to each group.
The packet should contain four copies of the two secondary sources and one copy of
each primary source. It would be most effective to keep the materials in a folder.
5. Ask students to read the secondary sources individually. Then as a group, have students
write one paragraph that responds to the question, What was the Trail of Tears?
6. Next, ask each student in the group to read one of the primary sources and complete
the Who, What, Where, and When worksheet. Group members should then share
information from their documents with the group.
7. Conclude this days class by having a discussion about the events and their perceptions
of the Trail of Tears
Assessment(s): The discussion is used as a formative assessment to see where students are
at. The paper is going to be used as a grade as well.

Daily Lesson Plan

Date: 1/30/14
Overall lesson topic/title and purpose: Andrew Jackson and the Growth of American
Democracy
Goals/Objectives for todays lesson: Students will be able: to describe the perspectives of various
groups of people in response to Jackson and his key policies, assess the impact of Jacksons
policies on the outcome of events, evaluate how well Jackson promoted democracy citing both his
positive and negative contributions. Students will analyze primary documents to better understand
Andrew Jacksons Indian Policy. Students will use vocabulary words in context.
Essential Questions: How well did President Andrew Jackson promote democracy? What
incidents led to the Trail of Tears and what is your perspective of this event?
Materials & supplies needed: Packets.
Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event
Introduction to the lesson: (15 minutes)
Opening: Does the United States government have the right to make you move out of your
house? Why or Why not?
What would you do if you were required to move?
OUTLINE of key events during the lesson: (40 minutes)

1
2
3
4

Ask students to return to their groups and review the information they discovered in the
previous class period. Hand out the Perspectives on the Trail of Tears poster template to each
group. Ask students to answer the following questions in the corners of the poster:
What was the Trail of Tears?
Who was removed (and from where were they removed)? Where did they resettle?
What was John Rosss opinion of Indian Removal?
What was Andrew Jacksons opinion of Indian Removal?
In the center of the poster, have students create a collage showing how the group feels about the
Trail of Tears. Underneath the collage, the group should write a one-sentence statement
explaining their feelings about the Trail of Tears.
Closing Question: Could another removal of an ethnic group happen in the present-day United
States?
ESSAY! Students will then write an essay due on Monday that discusses Jackson and Monroes
politics and policies. Their own personal perspective is encouraged.
Assessment(s): The discussion is used as a formative assessment to see where students are
at. The paper is going to be used as a grade as well.