Mapping the American West

Overview

In the first lesson of the 15-lesson unit Westward Expansion: Many Perspectives, students build the geographical knowledge needed for later historical inquiry. They locate key regions, routes, rivers and territories, then consider how maps can show changing places and power while also leaving out people’s perspectives.

Learning intentions

• WALT locate important physical and political features of North America.
• WALT use map conventions, including a title, legend, scale, compass and labels.
• WALT describe how geography may influence movement, settlement and control.
• WALT begin investigating: How did westward expansion change people, places, and power in North America?

Success criteria

• I can accurately locate and label the Mississippi River, Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Pacific Ocean and the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails.
• I can identify the original homelands of Indigenous peoples as places with existing communities, not empty land.
• I can use map evidence to explain why particular routes or regions mattered.
• I can ask a useful question about the effects of westward expansion.

Curriculum links

• Global History: reasons for European and American expansion and the different explanations historians give for expansion.
• Global History: the significant and long-lasting consequences of empire and colonisation for colonised peoples and places.
• Social Sciences inquiry: students use geographical information, ask questions, and consider how people, places and power are connected.
• Te Mātaiaho capabilities: students interpret information, communicate evidence-based ideas, and recognise that historical accounts can reflect different perspectives.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: What does a map show? Teacher opens with the opening map comparison showing a physical map of North America beside a simplified westward expansion map, and asks: “What can we learn from these maps? What might they hide?” Students complete a quick think-pair-share, then offer one observation and one question.

2. 5–12 min · Map skills and context. Teacher uses the map-skills and context slides to review compass direction, legend, scale, physical features and political boundaries. Briefly explain that the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains were not “empty west”: Indigenous nations had longstanding communities, relationships with the land and systems of authority. Students identify one physical feature and one political feature on the projected map.

3. 12–27 min · Locate and annotate. Teacher distributes the Mapping the American West worksheet and models locating the Mississippi River and Rocky Mountains before students work independently or with a partner. Students label the Pacific Ocean, Mississippi River, Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail, the approximate Louisiana Purchase area and the original homelands of at least one Indigenous nation shown on the class map. Students add a compass direction and use the map key to distinguish physical features, routes and political areas.

4. 27–35 min · Route reasoning. Teacher displays the route-reasoning prompt and asks: “Why might travellers follow rivers, plains or mountain passes?” Pairs use their annotated maps to choose one route and write a two-sentence explanation using “because” and “this meant”. Invite two or three pairs to share, checking that explanations use map evidence rather than assumptions.

5. 35–41 min · Many perspectives. Teacher shows the perspectives discussion slide and introduces four possible viewpoints: an Indigenous community, a trader, a migrant family and a government official. Students discuss: “How might the same new road, fort or boundary change people’s opportunities and power differently?” Each pair records one possible benefit, cost or change for one viewpoint on the worksheet.

6. 41–45 min · Inquiry launch and exit check. Teacher returns to the inquiry question and plenary slide and asks students to complete the final worksheet prompt: “One way westward expansion changed people, places or power was…” followed by “A question I want to investigate is…”. Students share questions with a partner; collect worksheets or photograph selected responses to establish starting points for the unit.

Resources

• the Mapping the American West slide deck
• the Mapping the American West worksheet
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Large physical and political maps of North America
• Atlases or classroom map books
• Coloured pencils and rulers
• Whiteboard and markers

Assessment

• During modelling and annotation, check whether students use the legend, compass and map labels accurately; pause to correct misconceptions about physical and political features.
• Listen to route explanations for appropriate use of geographical evidence and to discussion for recognition that expansion affected groups differently.
• Use the final worksheet sentence and inquiry question as an exit assessment. Sort responses into: accurate geographical understanding, emerging understanding, and questions requiring follow-up.

Differentiation

• Provide a partially labelled map, a word bank, enlarged map symbols and sentence starters such as “The route follows…” and “This mattered because…” for students needing support.
• Pair students strategically and allow oral responses before writing; read instructions aloud and use high-contrast, uncluttered map copies for students with dyslexia or visual needs.
• Support multilingual learners with illustrated vocabulary, explicit teaching of “territory”, “route”, “homelands”, “expansion” and “power”, and opportunities to rehearse ideas with a partner.
• Extend confident students by asking them to compare the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails, identify a geographical advantage and limitation for each, and explain whose perspective may be missing from the map.