The Ghost Dance and the Wounded Knee massacre

1-Hour Lesson – Fully Interactive – Ready to Teach

Dear Colleague,

Bring the dramatic events of the Ghost Dance movement and the Wounded Knee Massacre to life with this engaging lesson. Students will explore life on the reservations by 1880, analyse the causes and consequences of the Ghost Dance, and evaluate the long-term significance of the Wounded Knee Massacre through structured knowledge and exam-style questions.

All lessons in this series are interactively assessed and follow a clear, consistent structure, helping students build knowledge step by step and track their progress throughout the unit.

Learning Objectives:

LO1: Describe conditions in the reservations by 1880
LO2: Order the causes of the Ghost Dance and the consequences of the Wounded Knee Massacre
LO3: Evaluate the consequences of the Wounded Knee Massacre

Lesson Features:
Knowledge-building activities on life in the reservations and the Ghost Dance movement
Chronology and cause/consequence tasks on the Wounded Knee Massacre
Exam practice with one 4-mark and two 8-mark questions (model answers and guidance included)
Fully assessed activities throughout the lesson
Clear, straightforward structure ready to deliver immediately

What’s Included:
Complete PowerPoint presentation
Worksheets and task templates
Model answers for the exam-style questions
Extension activities for higher-achieving students

This resource is ideal for GCSE History students and works perfectly as part of a full scheme on the American West. It also fits into the broader units on Plains Indians, Settlers, Development of the Plains, and Law & Order.

If you are happy with your resource, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW – it really helps my shop grow and lets me keep creating high-quality lessons for you.
If you encounter any issues, please email me at alepitirra@hotmail.it
and I’ll do my best to solve them.

Best regards,
Alessio