Why did Homesteaders Flock to Settle on the Great Plains? Card Sort Activity

Why Did So Many People Settle on the Great Plains? Card Sort Activity

This engaging and easy-to-use resource helps students explain the key reasons why so many people chose to settle on the Great Plains. It has been carefully designed to support the full range of learners and can be used as a starter, plenary, or revision activity, making it a flexible and valuable addition to any lesson on the American West.

When you purchase this resource, you will be able to download a 10 slide PowerPoint presentation and a Word document which contains a single A4 sheet that can be easily photocopied for your students. The PowerPoint is designed to help facilitate the card sort activity and includes aims, objectives, differentiated outcomes,information slides, starters, plenaries and activities. The Word document includes a clear learning objective, step-by-step instructions, and four heading cards alongside fourteen statement cards for students to sort. The headings cover new technology, the end of the Civil War, the transcontinental railroads, and the policies of the US government, helping students to explore the wide range of factors that encouraged settlement.

The aims and objectives for this lesson are:

Theme: The American West
Know: What were the main reasons why so many people settled on the Great Plains?
Understand: How did technology, government policy, railroads, and the end of the Civil War influence peoples’ decision to settle?
Evaluate: Which factor played the most significant role?

WILF – What Am I Looking For?
Describe: The main reasons why Homesteaders settled on the Great Plains?
Explain: The different roles played by the American Civil War, technology, railroads and government policy?
Analyse: Which factor was the most significant?

If you are looking for a resource that provides greater challenge, then please check out my Diamond 9 version of this activity in my TES shop. All of my resources are designed to be affordable, high-quality, and easy to adapt so that you can spend more time focusing on what really matters — your students.

If you enjoy this resource, please take a look at my other materials on the American West in The History Academy TES shop. You can also follow The History Academy on Twitter, YouTube, Google Plus and Facebook for the latest updates, new releases, and teaching ideas.

Have fun teaching and stay in touch!

Kind regards,
Roy – The History Academy