Lesson Plan

Missouri Compromise, 7th & 8th grade

Lesson Plan Image
Grade Level:
Middle School: Sixth Grade through Eighth Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
60 Minutes
Thinking Skills:
Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.

Essential Question

Is Compromise necessary for the success or survival of a representative government?

Objective

Students will be able to create possible alternative solutions to the Missouri Compromise.
Student Friendly Objective:  I will be able to evaluate the actual decisions made within the Missouri Compromise and offer up possible alternatives that are supported with evidence.

Background

BIOS for Character Composites: (Emphasize the pont that at the time of discussion of entering Missouri into the Union there was an equal number of slave and free states in the Union.
Brief introduction into slavery. 

Emphasize the point that at the time of discussion of entering Missouri into the Union there was an equal number of slave and free states in the Union.
Brief Introduction to slavery
 

Preparation

Missouri Compromise 1820 Map: Labeled

Characters involved in Forming the Compromise
Blank Map of the United States of America, circa 1820
The "Missouri Question" 1819 map
3x5 Index cards with composite bios. of characters involved in forming the Compromise:
Henry Clay
James Tallmadge
19th Century Farmers
19th Century Traders
 Women
 Native American/American Indian

Materials

Lesson Hook/Preview

Pose the question to students and ask them to think of a time in which they were left out of decisions: what reasons were there for their being left out? What did this do? The tone of the evening? Their personal feelings towards those that made the decisions. How did those that were able to voice their decisions treat you? With minimization of your lack of input? Sympathy? Apologies? Sarcasm?
Close the conversation with the pros and cons of compromise and acknowledge that everyone has experienced times in which they were left out of decisions. Post to them that in order to be involved in conversations for decisions a person needs to have which type of characteristics or cultural beliefs?
Emphasize that there was a group that was left out of the Missouri Compromise discussion:  American Indians

Procedure

1. As students enter the classroom distribute the composite bio cards to each student (students will take on one of six composite characters)
2. Students need to go to their personal desk and review and reflect on their composite bio cards
a. They need to be able to state personality traits about their characters to play the "Common Ground Game"
 b. Give students approximately 7 minutes to write down on their cards (backside) 5 things their composite character cares or is concerned about as it relates to the Missouri Compromise
3. On a blank sheet of paper sketch out your classroom arrangement. Label where students sit.
4. Track the students' flow of conversation based on how many times they share and direction in which the conversation flows

         
         
         
Across the top the categories for tracking are:
Student Names
Number of times a student started a conversation
Number of times a student joined a converstation
Number of times a student ended a converstation
Number of times a student rentered a conversation

Conversation Web Questions:
1. Have the student with the most pets begin the conversation by responding to the following question FIRST. Once the student answers the teacher only tracks the flow of the conversation and asks and questions to infuse flow.
a) First Question: Who would want Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and  what would be their most compelling reason for it?
 i) Give THINK TIME before accepting answers: please wait a MINIMUM of 10  seconds before accepting answers.
 b) Follow UPFLOW Questions
i) How would someone who was NOT in favor of Missouri entering the Union as a slave state respond to the compelling reasons of a pro-slave state Missourian?
ii) How would a leader who wants to expand the boundaries of the U.S. for the benefit of the WHOLE nation address both sides of the issue of whether or not to be a slave or free state in the Union?
iii) Who has been left out of the conversation in regards to Missouri statehood? How  do you think this happened?
 iv) How does not having a voice in a compromise of this magnitude impact the sustainability of a compromise?
v) What responsibility do those whose voice was heard have to those that were  ignored/minimized/excluded?
Script for Teacher to Close Activity:
Knowing what you do know now about the way the Missouri Compromise was constructed the implemented, what would you do to make the Missouri Compromise better for MORE voices of the People in the growing United States?

Supports for Struggling Learners


Question Creation

 

Have students construct questions they have about the Missouri Compromise.

 

Then have the student take their questions and collaborate with three other students.

 

The student should record their classmates' responses in a paraphrase form.

 

Then construct a one sentence summary of what the fellow students shared.

 

 

Then, the student will take their set of original questions to an expert student (one that has been designated by the teacher): together the students will collaborate and discuss points that are accurately clarified and points of misconceptions.

 

From there the student will take a post-it note and write down their refined and supported understandings about the Missouri Compromise: The Post-It Note Should address the following prompts:

The issue that it addressed within the Missouri Compromise:

Different views about the Missouri Compromise:

The impact of the Missouri Compromise on the nation:

Enrichment Activities

Questioning Reflections

 

Have students construct responses that demonstrate their ability to grasp abstract concepts and critically analyze events and information to infer its overall impact.

 

Reflection Statements: 

  1. How was James Tallmadge different from Henry Clay?

  2. What are the characteristics of a successful compromise? How do you know these are needed?

  3. In what ways could we show the impact of the Missouri Compromise outside of Congress?

  4. How does the Missouri Compromise relate to the Civil War

Have students share their reflection with a student that sees the content differently or in a way that is more supervisual in understanding. After the student shares their reflections, have the listener write a response to their part on a post-it note and place on the teacher’s desk (or designated spot by the door on their way out of class)

  1. What is one thing that you still have a question about after your conversation?

  2. What are two things that you feel you understand better?

  3. What are three things that you now know FOR SURE?

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Last updated: March 21, 2022