This one-month project focuses on the American migration west of the Mississippi River known as Manifest Destiny. Students will read a novel about pioneers' struggles and hardships, and analyze how indigenous populations were affected. They will discuss how the past influences the present. Through group seminars and individual essays/presentations, students will consider whether a new life can be built without understanding one's environment and history. The project integrates English/language arts, history, and 21st century skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and research.

1. `PROJECT OVERVIEW
Name of Project: Manifest Destiny Duration: one month
Subject/Course: ELA Teacher(s): Daniela Linova Grade Level: 8
Other subject areas to US History
be included, if any:
Project Idea Students will read a novel about the American migration and frontier relationships west of the Mississippi River. They
Summary of the issue, will learn about the struggles of immigrants that homesteaded the prairies and the hardships that women pioneers
challenge, investigation, faced in that difficult environment. They will discuss the meaning of the past and how it is incorporated in their present
scenario, or problem: lives. Students will analyze how the original population was affected. (Manifest Destiny)
Driving Question Can we build a new life without connecting to our environment and revisiting the past?
Content and Skills ELA: Reading 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7 History:
Standards to be
addressed: Language Conventions 1.1, 1.3
Writing Strategies 1.1, 1.3, 1.6
T+A E T+A E
21st Century Skills Collaboration Other: Research x
to be explicitly taught and
x
assessed (T+A) or that
will be encouraged (E) by
Presentation x
project work, but not
taught or assessed: Critical Thinking: x
Presentation Audience:
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2. Group: Socratic Seminar x
Culminating Class:
Products and
Power point presentations
Performances Create a comic book about their own family life experience x
School:
x
Community:
Individual Critical Essay Experts:
Individual:
Web: x
Other:
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Entry event to Manifest Destiny: students will look at images (provided by teacher), analyze them, discuss content and
launch inquiry, symbolism. Presenting a problem – students will take a position on a given question related to the driving question
engage students: three groups – agree, disagree, center. Students will discuss their viewpoints, write them down on a poster, and
argue their position in front of the other groups.
Assessments Quizzes/Tests x Practice Presentations x
Formative
Assessments Journal/Learning Log x Notes x
(During
Project) Preliminary Plans/Outlines/Prototypes x Checklists x
Rough Drafts x Concept Maps x
Online Tests/Exams Other:
Written Product(s), with rubric: x Other Product(s) or Performance(s), with rubric: x
Summative __________________________________________________ Comic book
Assessments __________________________________________________
(End of Project)
Oral Presentation, with rubric x Peer Evaluation x
Multiple Choice/Short Answer Test x Self-Evaluation x
Essay Test Other:
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3. .
Resources On-site people, facilities: Computer lab
Needed
Equipment: Computers, LCD, Elmo, flashdrives
Materials: Books, journals
Community resources:
Reflection Journal/Learning Log x Focus Group
Methods (Individual,
Group, and/or Whole-Class Discussion x Fishbowl Discussion x
Whole Class)
Survey Other: Peer Critique x
Self-reflection
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4. PROJECT TEACHING AND LEARNING GUIDE
Project: Manifest Destiny Driving Question: Can we build a new life without connecting
to our environment and revisiting the past?
Knowledge and Skills Needed By Students Scaffolding / Materials/ Lessons To Be Provided
to successfully complete culminating products and by the project teacher, other teachers, experts,
performances, and do well on summative assessments mentors, or community members
Online Research Skills Plagiarism mini lesson – teacher
 Evaluation of Websites – online and worksheet
PowerPoint Instruction

Creating Graphic Novels - Comic Life instruction
Presentation Skills Review

Dry-run
U.S. history content knowledge Textbook, lectures, quizzes, online research

Interview Skills Mini-lesson, looking at models, questions bank

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5. PROJECT CALENDAR
Project: Start Date:
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
Project Week One
Project Week Two
Project Week Three
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6. Project Week Four
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7. © 2008 Buck Institute for Education 7