Middle School Social Studies / 8th Grade
Whose Manifest Destiny?
What are the untold stories of Westward Expansion?
Students begin by sharing their own stories of migration as a way to connect their lived experience to history. From that starting point, they then investigate stories of people in the West, starting with stories of people who were pulled into the West and then people who were pushed around the West. This prepares students for the project work where they look at multiple perspectives to answer the questions: Westward Expansion: Was it progress? What were the benefits? What were the costs? Students work in teams to create a graphic novel based on a Westward Expansion story that is shared with younger students.
Unit length: 5 weeks (25 hours)
”"This isn't the same old, same old history. I'm learning about things that matter to me."
Ruby, Student
