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Hey cowboys and cowgirls!
New dates have been uploaded! Welcome
to Ms.
McCormick's Westward Expansion Resource Page. This site will guide you in your
selection of a project topic. It also includes instructions for researching and
completing your project, a rubric to help you assess your own work, and links to
web sites that will help you begin your research.
 You will research a
person or event out of the the Westward Expansion era of United States
history. This period occurred during the 19th century, when the United
States grew from the Mississippi River westward to the California coast. It
began in 1803, when President Thomas Jefferson purchased Louisiana Territory
from France and ended in 1890, with the Battle of Wounded Knee, the last of
the Indian Wars. We will NOT include any events or people from the Civil
War. Look through the links on this site to help yourself pick a topic. If
you have an idea that isn't here, check with me for approval.
You will prepare a thorough report, with a minimum of three resources
. You will give an oral presentation , which includes some sort
of visual aid , and you will dress up as your character or a
character from your event.
Follow the outline below to complete your assignment.
I. Find a topic
A. Choose a topic that interests you.
B. Cluster some ideas. What do you already know about this subject?
C. What is it you want to find out? Look at your cluster and put a star by
the ideas you want to know more about.
D. Make a list of questions about your topic.
E. Cluster and questions are due (Date TBA).
II. Research your topic.
A. Check your home. Do you have any books or magazines about this
subject?
B. Check the library. Look for books and magazines.
C. Look for the topic on the Internet. Start with the links at this site.
D. Talk to people who can help.
E. Prepare bibliography cards.
F. Resources and bibliography cards are due (Date TBA).
III. Take notes.
A. Take notes on notecards. Paraphrase and use your own words. Number
your cards.
B. Sort your notecards into groups, with each group representing a main
idea.
C. Create an outline to show the parts of your report.
D. Notecards and outline are due (Date TBA).
IV. Write a rough draft.
A. Write a section for each main idea.
B. Write an introduction that draws the reader into your writing.
C. Write a conclusion that summarizes your main points or states why this
person or event was important in American history.
D. Rough draft is due (Date TBA).
V. Revise and edit.
A. Questions to ask yourself: Did I find answers to the questions I had
about my topic? Does my report read smoothly? Are there parts I should
change around? Did I leave anything out?
B. Are words spelled correctly? Capitalization and punctuation?
VI. Final report--Make it good!
A. Your final draft should be word processed or hand written in ink
.
B. You should include a cover page and a bibliography. Look on this site
for information on how to write a bibliography.
C. The final report is due (Date TBA).
VII. Oral presentation 
A. Prepare notecards and study them so you can give a presentation
without reading it.
B. Make some kind of visual aid that help with your report: a poster, a
large map or timeline, a video, or multimedia computer presentation. Check
with me if you have other ideas.
C. Dress up like a character for the report. I encourage you to deliver
the report "Chatauqua"-style: pretend you are a person in that era, and
deliver the report from his or her point of view.
D. Oral presentations will be the day the final report is due.
Click here for a printer friendly version of this assignment.
This website was created by Kit McCormick as a resource for her fifth
grade students.
It was last updated in May 2003.
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