Washington's Statehood

Unit: Treaties and Statehood Journey

Lesson 3 of 3: Washington's Path to Statehood

Grade: 7th
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 30 students
Curriculum: Gibbs Smith Education’s Washington Journey + Since Time Immemorial (Walla Walla Treaty unit)
Standards: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) & Washington State ELA & Social Studies Learning Standards

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of a text (textbook pages 46-51).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.9: Compare and contrast one author's presentation of events with that of another (Washington's Declaration of Rights vs. US Bill of Rights).
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.1 & A.2: Understand and use statistical questions, conduct a classroom census, and represent data graphically.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic using evidence from a chapter (legacy of treaty-making period).
• Washington State Social Studies Standard 3.4.2: Understand Washington’s path to statehood including treaty impacts and social-political developments.
• Since Time Immemorial: Connect treaty history and tribal sovereignty to Washington’s journey toward statehood.

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Materials Needed

• Textbook (pages 46-51)
• Copies of the Washington Declaration of Rights and the US Bill of Rights (simplified versions for 7th grade)
• Chart paper or whiteboard and markers
• Graph paper or digital graphing tool (if available)
• Exit tickets or notebook paper for paragraph writing

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Objective Preview (5 minutes)

• Hook: Begin by showing an image of Washington State’s state flag and “Welcome to Washington” sign.
• Briefly review the unit focus: Treaties & Washington’s journey to statehood.
• State the objectives clearly; explain that today’s focus is on how Washington became the 42nd state, comparing protections in rights documents, collecting and analyzing data, and reflecting on treaty legacies.

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2. Guided Reading & Textual Analysis (15 minutes)

• Activity: Students will read textbook pages 46-51 silently or in pairs.
• Teacher prompts:
  • Identify key events that led to Washington’s statehood.
  • Highlight evidence that shows the influence of treaties on this path.
• Follow-up discussion:
  • Q&A to clarify difficult vocabulary and concepts.
  • Ask several students to read aloud short excerpts supporting important events.

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3. Comparative Document Analysis (10 minutes)

• Hand out simplified versions of Washington’s Declaration of Rights and the US Bill of Rights.
• Group Work: In groups of 4, students compare key rights: hand out a Venn diagram template or draw on the board.
• Guiding questions:
  • Which rights are shared between the documents? Which are unique?
  • How might Washington’s Declaration reflect its unique historical context (including treaty impacts)?
• Groups share one or two key similarities/differences with the class.

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4. Classroom Census & Graphing Activity (7 minutes)

• Conduct a census question related to rights or statehood awareness (e.g., “How many of you know someone who is a member of a tribal nation?” or “Who believes rights in Washington’s Declaration are important today?”).
• Tally responses on the board or chart paper.
• Students create simple bar graphs or pictographs representing classroom data, either on paper or digitally.
• Short discussion on how census data can inform understanding of community identity and rights awareness.

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5. Writing and Assessment (7 minutes)

• Prompt: Write a 5-7 sentence paragraph discussing the legacy of the treaty-making period in Washington’s path to statehood using at least two pieces of evidence from the chapter.
• Remind students to clearly state their main idea and support it with examples from reading and prior activities.
• Collect paragraphs as a formative assessment.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative: Observation during reading and discussion, group Venn diagram, graphing accuracy, quality of paragraph writing.
• Summative: Paragraph serves as a chapter assessment to gauge understanding of treaty legacies and statehood.
• Provide immediate feedback by highlighting strong evidence use and clarity of explanations.

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Extensions and Modifications

• For advanced students: Add a short research task on the Boldt Decision linked to treaty rights for follow-up.
• For English Language Learners (ELLs): Provide sentence starters for paragraph writing; use dual-language resources for key documents.
• Use Since Time Immemorial resources to deepen understanding of tribal perspectives relevant to treaties.

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Reflection and Connection

Close the lesson by reminding students how treaties and rights shaped not only Washington’s statehood but also ongoing relationships with tribal nations. Connect this day’s learning to the bold efforts seen in future lessons about the Boldt Decision.

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This detailed, Common Core-aligned plan integrates reading, analysis, math application, collaborative learning, and writing—engaging 7th graders in the rich history of Washington’s statehood through active discovery and critical thinking.