Walking the Trail of Tears

Students will read accounts and experience what happened on the Trail of Tears. They will discuss the causes of removal, explore the trail and understand the effects it had on the Cherokee.

A lesson plan for grades 4–5 Social Studies

By Marsha Davis

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Related pages

• Waynesborough Historic Village: Visitors to this recreated village will feel as if the have stepped back in time. "Waynesborough's focus begins in 1701 with the first Tuscarora visit and ends in 1900 with a complete economic and social shift to Goldsboro."
• Pettigrew State Park: Named for the Pettigrew family and their farm, this land was made a state park in 1939. The park has more than 1,200 acres of land and 16,600 acres of water. Students will discover the natural history of this area as well as the history of the people who have lived on this land.
• Junaluska Memorial and Museum: Named an interpretive site along the Trail of Tears, the Junaluska Memorial and Museum "highlights the unique place Graham County has in the history of the Cherokee."

Related topics

• Learn more about American Indians and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

The student will be able to understand causes of removal and effects it had on the Cherokee. The student will be able to explain what the Trail of Tears was and why it was given that name.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

Two days – one hour each day. The writing activity at the end may require more time.

Materials/resources

• North Carolina Social Studies book
• United States map
• paper
• pencil

Technology resources

Computer(s) with internet access.

Pre-activities

The class has been studying pioneers and their move across the state of North Carolina. They have also discussed the impact the pioneers had on the Cherokee.

Activities

Day One

1. Display the Trail of Tears painting from the PBS website. Have students observe the painting. As they observe, hand out the Trail of Tears observation sheet. Instruct the students to observe the painting for 5 to 10 minutes and then answer the questions. After students have observed and answered, discuss findings. Have students share what they see and what they conclude about the experience. Point out things you observed and share with the class, as well.
2. After observing the painting, have students read about the Trail of Tears in their Social Studies book. Discuss questions such as:
   • Why were the Cherokee forced to move?
   • Where did they go? How many went/died?
3. Divide students into six groups. The first three groups will be working on the computer, while the other three groups are using the United States map. When groups finish one assignment, have them go to the next one.
   • Assignment one: Direct the group to the Trail of Tears map on the Cherokee Museum website. As they navigate across the map, have them read about the different places the Cherokee traveled on their journey. They should be prepared to tell about the route and some experiences when the class reassembles.
   • Assignment two: The groups working with the map will refer to their textbook and identify on the map where the Cherokee started and where the trail ended. They will use the scale to see how many miles were traveled. Also, have students list the states that the Cherokee went through.
4. Make sure each group has a chance to do both activities. Once they finish, have them come back together and discuss their findings. As students share, point out that many died due to disease, fatigue, weather, etc. Also stress the point that they had to walk this distance. Ask them to consider how they would feel or react in such a situation.
5. Conclusion: To conduct an informal assessment of the first day’s activities, coordinate a discussion or assign a journal entry in which students address the following:
   • What have you learned about the Trail of Tears?
   • Why did they leave?
   • Where did they go?
   • How long did it take?
   • How many were forced to leave?
   • How many survived?
6. Conclude by informing students that during the next class, they will read personal accounts and learn about the impact the removal had on the Cherokee.

Day Two

1. Display the painting again and ask if they see anything different now that they know more about the Trail of Tears.
2. Divide students into groups. Direct them to the Sequoyah Research Center’s Family Stories from the Trail of Tears website. Assign each group 2 or 3 accounts to read. Give them Personal Accounts of the Trail of Tears sheets. Have them read the accounts and answer the questions.
3. After students have read several accounts and discussed with their group, have them report back to the class. What did they learn? What happened to the Cherokee? Describe the emotions you read about.

Assessment

Review persuasive writing techniques and letter-writing format.

Instruct students to imagine that each of them is a Cherokee child whose family is about to embark on the Trail of Tears. Tell them that their Cherokee family has heard the horror stories of the families that are already on the Trail. Based on what they’ve seen and read, write a letter to President Andrew Jackson asking him to let their family stay in the land they love and consider home. Students should include examples of why the Trail is so dangerous and use persuasive techniques.

Supplemental information

Comments

Students love to talk about the Trail of Tears and often have misconceptions about it. This is a good way for them to explore other resources to learn more about the Trail of Tears.