Learning Center: Lesson Plan: Elementary School: Encounters
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Title: Encounters – Native Americans and Euro Americans (1850-1870)
Objectives:
Students will:
• Discuss the issues and sides to the land conflicts between the whites and Native Americans
• Investigate influential politics and laws
• Discuss the equity of the resettlement and compensation of the Native Americans
• Explore and research the effects these events had on the Native American population and culture then and now
Standards Met:
Social Science Analysis:
• Understand how individuals changed or significantly influenced the course of Oregon state history
• Identify and study two or more points of view of an event, issue, or problem
• Identify characteristics of an event, issue, or problem suggesting possible causes and results
Materials/Resources Needed:
• Sketch of the Willamette Valley, showing the purchases and reservations made by the Board of Commissioners appointed to treat with the Indians of Oregon, April and May 1851
• Map of the Wasco (Warm Springs) Reservation, 1855
• Diagram of the Reservations and Tracts of Land Purchased from the Various Indian Tribes in Oregon. Superintendents Office, Salem, January 1, 1864
• Letter from southern Oregon settlers to Siletz River Indian Agent, J.H. Fairchild, August 13, 1875
Anticipatory Set:
Engage students in discussion about Indian/white trading practices in the 1850s. Ask them if they have ever made unfair trades with someone.
Lesson Description:
• Discuss the fairness of equity of Indian-European trade.
* Introduce and discuss the 1850 Oregon Indian Act and how it impacted the treaties and resettlement of the Native Americans. Provide background Information about the Oregon Indian Act (In June, 1850 the United States Congress passed the Oregon Indian Act, which created a Board of Commissioners to create treaties with the Indians and extinguished their title to tribal lands).
* What would people think about this law today?
• Introduce the Map of the Wasco (Warm Springs) Reservation – 1855. Provide background information on the geography of the area shown in the map. Ask students why they think the Native Americans agreed to move to a reservation and give the government 10 million acres of their land?
• Share the letter from southern Oregon settlers and the Diagram of the Reservations and Tracts of Land. Give a brief historical background of the Rogue River Indian Wars. Discuss the feelings and points of view of the two sides – white settlers and Native Americans. Provide background information on the Rogue River Indian War
* www.csusm.edu/nadp/subject.htm
* www.csusm.edu/nadp/d43.htm#1
* www.csusm.edu/nadp/dindex.htm#rogue35
* www.cowcreek.com/story/x01history/x09indianwars.html
* http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=rogue+river+indian+wars&hc=0&hs=0
• Describe the writing assignment to the students by reviewing the key elements of a strong persuasive essay. Encourage students to use the writing process to fully develop their essay topic.
Assessment:
Have the students take on the perspective of a white settler or Native American. Next, have them create a persuasive essay around the issue of land ownership.
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