Grade 9

History/Social Science

Standard 9.3

Students analyze the early settlements of sea traders,
 overland explorers, migrants and gold seekers.


 
Resources
Lesson Plans
Assessments
Graydon, Charles K. 
Trail of the First Wagons Over the Sierra Nevada. 
The Patrice
 Press. Gerald, Missouri

Nevins, Allan. 
Fremont, Pathmaker of the West

Pattie, James Ohio.
Personal Narrative of James O. Pattie.
Mountain Press Pub. Co.,
Missoula, 1988 

Stewart, George R. 
The California Trail: An Epic with Many Heroes.

Stewart, George R. 
Ordeal by Hunger:  The Story of the Donner Party


 
 






 
After reading Chapter 5, students will take a match-up test of the important people,
places, things and events.  Names that could be included are Andres Pico, Pio Pico, John Sloat, Mariano Vallejo, Thomas Larkin, manifest destiny, Battle of San Pascual, Battle of the Old Womanís Gun, Anthony Butler, Archibald Gillespie, John C. Fremont, Robert Stockton, and Stephen Kearney. 

The remaining section of the test will be a 150 word essay on one of the following questions:

Describe the dangers that faced the wagon trains heading west on the Oregon and California trails in the 1840s.

Write an essay comparing and contrasting the view of those favoring and
opposing Manifest Destiny.

Match-up portion should
be graded in a normal fashion. The essay should be scored on a general rubric that the teacher fashions, but in general, it may be as follows:

4- A detailed, factual essay that  clearly answers the question asked.  The writing is legible;  the spelling and mechanics are correct.

3-Essay answers the question but leaves out some detail. Spelling errors are apparent as are a few mechanical errors.

2-Essay is vague and rambles. Facts and dates are sprinkled around without explanation. Errors are numerous and cumbersome.

1-Essay is really just a paragraph.  Few facts are presented and most are incorrect. 
Many errors throughout.