NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies - grade 7, unit 4
Note to Teachers: To help with remote and hybrid learning, digital materials for this unit are available on the NYCDOE TeachHub. Access these materials by following these instructions.
This Social Studies Curriculum resource is the fourth unit of the Grade 7 Scope & Sequence: A Nation Grows: Expansion and Reform 1800–1860. It was developed by a team of NYCDOE Social Studies staff and teachers, in collaboration with scholars of the humanities and social studies as well as museum curators. Students will immerse themselves in the topic by discussing focus questions, reading and analyzing a rich collection of diverse primary and secondary sources, examining artifacts, and interpreting images, such as paintings and photographs, maps, and political cartoons.
This guide offers a multitude of perspectives on the growth of the United States in the first half of the 19th century. Concepts and topics of representative lessons in this unit include: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, The Monroe Doctrine, U.S. Acquisition of Territory, Erie Canal, New York’s Trail of Tears, Immigration: Irish Potato Famine, and the Declaration of Sentiments.
To evaluate student mastery of content knowledge, cognitive processes, and critical thinking skills, this unit includes formative assessments, and a performance-based assessment activity, which has students annotating primary sources, creating an information book that reflects an event or topic specific to the westward expansion era.
Please note: the complete set of NYCDOE K-8: Passport to Social Studies Core Curriculum materials include a wide-range of trade books and primary documents, in addition to this unit of study. In order to support rigorous social studies instruction and student inquiry, we recommend that teachers integrate these resources into their daily instruction and assessments plans.
Access a version of this resource compatible with assistive technology and screen-readers.