Middle School Social Studies / 8th Grade
The American West
Whose stories must be told to understand migration to the West?
Students begin by sharing their own stories of migration as a way to connect their personal experiences to history. Then students investigate the push and pull factors that influenced people moving to and through the American West during the 19th-century. To understand the diverse experiences of people during this time period, students use primary and secondary sources to learn the stories of Native Americans, children on the Oregon Trail, Black pioneers, and immigrants who worked on the railroads, among others, as they consider the question: Whose stories must be told to understand migration to the West? Students develop a response to the unit-driving question in the form of an original graphic story that draws on relevant historical information to tell a story about migration to the West.
Unit length: 4 weeks (19 hours)
”"This isn't the same old, same old history. I'm learning about things that matter to me."
Ruby, Student
