1. [District Planner has this Unit scheduled for 4 weeks]
Geographic Understandings: Students will locate important places in the U.S.
Suggestion: Direct teacher instruction to review directions, latitude & longitude, map reading,
compass rose, and legends. Could use brief video clips, map handout/worksheets, and Google
Earth. Just make sure students can locate these places (both natural physical features and man-
made places) which are important landmarks tested on CRCT:
o Grand Canyon
o Salton Sea
o Great Salt Lake
o Mojave Desert
o Chisholm Trail – Unit 5
o Pittsburgh, PA
o Gettysburg, PA – Civil War Unit, Qtr. 2
o Kitty Hawk, NC – Unit 5
o Pearl Harbor, HI – Unit 6
o Montgomery, AL – Civil Rights Unit, Qtr.4
Suggestion: Teacher-Taught Lesson: population, transportation & resources influenced
industrial location in the U.S. between the end of the Civil War and 1900
Student Research/Project Topics:
♦ the Black Cowboys of Texas, cattle trails of late 19th
century, the Chisholm Trail & the
Great Western Cattle Trail
 explain how price incentives affected decision to participate in cattle trails because of
increased beef prices
 Anton Foster, Aaron Meyers, Harris Moorer
♦ the Wright Brothers, beginning of aviation, Kitty Hawk
 Derke Colvin, Jack Connor, Jamorris Hart
♦ George Washington Carver (science, agriculture, research, education)
 Xavier & Jensen (Alazea if still here)
♦ Alexander Graham Bell (inventions, science, communication, technology)
 Janilya & Kate
♦ Thomas Edison (inventions, industry, electricity)
 Nadarius & Jameria
♦ The Spanish-American War (include William McKinley & Theodore Roosevelt)
 Andrew & Nathan
♦ The Panama Canal (include Theodore Roosevelt)
 Describe how trade promotes economic activity, such as how the Panama Canal
increases trade between countries
 Emma & Flora
♦ Immigration to the U.S. (why? Where did people emigrate from? Where did they settle?)
 Nykia, Richeena & Riley

2. RESEARCH GUIDE
1. Research key people from the turn of the century (late 1800’s/early 1900’s)
 Why is this person important to this time period?
o What was this person’s time period? Birth date? Death date?
 Why is this person famous?
 What impact did this person have on American life?
 What influence did their background or childhood play in who they became?
 What obstacles did this person have to overcome?
 How did geography or location influence this person?
2. Research important events from the turn of the century (late 1800’s/early 1900’s)
 Where did this event occur?
 Why is this event important?
 How did location or geography influence this event?
 What change(s) occurred in the course of American history as a result of this
event?
 What were the short-term consequences of this event?
 Were there any long-range consequences of this event?
 How might the course of history been different if this event had not
happened?