Texas A&M UniversityCommerce

Teacher: James W. Gilbreath Mentor: Mrs. Paula Ballew Overall Goal of Lesson: Subject: US History Campus/District: GHS

Daily Lesson Plan Form

Students will understand the concept of American and European imperialism in the late-1800s; the concept of social Darwinism, the concept of yellow journalism, and students will know the events that lead-up to the Spanish-American War. Instructional Objectives: The students will understand the events leading to the Spanish-American War; including the increased support for Americas imperial expansion by citizens, the Cuban rebellion against Spain and the outrage caused by General Valeriano Weylers reconcentration of Cuban citizens, and the destruction of the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba. Students will understand how Admiral Alfred T. Mahans position and essay The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1600-1783, helped drive the US to expand its naval and imperial power. The students will be able to define imperialism, social Darwinism, reconcentration (Weylers policy), yellow journalism, and the Teller Amendment of 1898 (a promise by the US government that Cubas independence was ensured after the war). Students will gain a better understanding of the concept of yellow journalism by creating their own yellow journal in groups. Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) & ELPS: (typed out completely) 113.41(c)(4)(A): explain why significant events, policies, and individuals such as the SpanishAmerican War, U.S. expansionism, Henry Cabot Lodge, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Theodore Roosevelt, Sanford B. Dole, and missionaries moved the United States into the position of a world power; 113.41(c)(4)(B): evaluate American expansionism, including acquisitions such as Guam, Hawaii, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico; Higher Order Questions: What do the events of Pearl Harbor, and the sinking of the Maine all have in common? (what can they infer about what the Maine sinking incident)? The link is that they both were events that caused the US to go to war. (also navy-related) Student Activities: (Keep in mind the following: Scaffolding, Independent or Cooperative activities, Groupings, Reading,
Writing, Listening, Hands-On/Minds-On, Connections to previous knowledge, etc)

Key Vocabulary: (pages 560-568) Imperialism Social Darwinism Reconcentration (Spanish policy in Cuba) Yellow Press (Yellow Journalism) Teller Amendment

Students will take notes over the lecture and videos. Students will create their own Yellow Journal Article about Maine sinking, and the reconcentration

Modifications/ELL Strategies:

Anticipatory Activity for Lesson: i-Pad search journal

-Student #1(1st period): provide The teacher will give a definition of yellow journalism: transcribing for tests -Student #2 (1st period): extra time for First, ask if any student can describe yellow journalism, completing assignments, short instructions, since it was a vocabulary word they were asked to look-up. teacher check for understanding copy of class notes if requested by the student Yellow press, or yellow journalism, is a writing style that rd -Student #3 (3 Period): check for uses very dramatized, sometimes partly fictional stories to understanding and ask student to repeat, make the article very emotional and increase sales. A lot of allow up to 50% extended time for tests times, yellow press stories would try to convince the reader -Student #4 (3rd period): avoid penalizing to think a certain way about a subject (often similar to for spelling errors and reversals, allow persuasive writing). student more time to think, read directions or instructions to student, provide study Students will use their i-Pads to find an example of yellow guides/test reviews, provide a copy of journalism in modern day news stories. A quick Google lecture notes, accept work dictated to search will turn-up several results. After about 5 minutes, parent or tutor, read test to student, allow the teacher will then ask about 3-4 students to share a story up to 50% extended time for tests, adjust they have uncovered with the class. written work assignments, evaluate oral performance more than written Student #5 (3rd period): avoid penalizing for spelling errors and reversals, read test to student, provide transcribing for tests Student #6 (8th period): allow extra trips to water fountain or student to have water bottle, allow extra trips to restroom, allow eating whenever and wherever necessary, allow eating lunch at an appropriate time, escort student to nurse, reschedule tests (without penalty) if student is affected by high or low blood glucose at time of regular testing, allow extra time for graded and non-graded classroom activities if needed due to missing class for medical appointments, glucose testing, or periods of high or low blood sugar, allow extra absences for medical appointments or sick days when necessary Time Allotted Teacher Input/Lesson Activity: (about 30 mins.) Lecture bullet points: ~20 minutes -concept of imperialism, European imperialism in the late-1800s -sources of support for US imperialism desire to expand markets and power -US building battleships, Alfred T. Mahans (US Naval College Pres.) essay on sea power -concept of social Darwinism, and how it supported ideas of imperialism -Cubans rebel against imperial Spain, US has an economic investment in Cuba

~20 minutes

~5 minutes

~35 minutes

~10 minutes

-Spains General Weyler implements reconcentration policy, Cuban civilians die -yellow press promotes Cuban rebels, and vilifies the Spanish, influences public -escalation of Cuban-Spanish War (Pro-Spanish Cuban revolt, Maine sent to Havana) -Maine sunk, war begins Modeling: Pass-out study notes sheet about American imperialism and Alfred T. Mahan. Next, give students a general example of a yellow journal article that we are looking for in this assignment. It will be on manila paper, have a headline about the Maine sinking, have one or two pictures, and contain articles that are created by the teacher. The articles will have factual accounts of the Reconcentration and the Maine sinking, but the article will be very opinionated, being anti-Spain and pro-US/Cuban rebel in nature; thus capturing the spirit of yellow journalism. The students are allowed to suggest in their articles that the Maine sinking was caused by a kind of Spanish, or pro-Spanish Cuban assault be it bombs planted by saboteurs, or Spanish ocean mines. Guided Practice: Students will split into groups to begin work on their yellow journalism assignment. The teacher will pass-out a sheet of manila paper to each group, and monitor the room to see if the groups have any trouble or questions. *Independent Practice: The groups will work on completing their yellow journal assignment. The students will have time to work on creating a yellow journal during the next class period, and it will be due at the end of the next class period. Students may take this project home to work on it if they wish; and are encouraged to find and print pictures at home to put on their yellow journal. This project will be worth a DAILY GRADE shared by the group. *Lesson Closure: (This will come before Independent Practice.) Show YT video about Cuban reconcentration, navy build-up, and Yellow Journalism. Start at about 11 mins. and go to about 0:21:17 mins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taHAOlaY1a0 Assessment Methods/Strategies: Students will get into groups, and each group will create their own Yellow Journal Article about the Maine sinking, General Weylers atrocities and the Reconcentration, and the ProSpanish Cubans causing trouble. The journals must not make outright historical inaccuracies, but they will have to make the journals very pro-US/pro-Cuban and antiSpanish in nature; and try to promote military action against Spain. The students are allowed to suggest in their articles that the Maine sinking was caused by a kind of Spanish or proSpanish Cuban assault be it bombs planted by saboteurs, or Spanish ocean mines. The journal sheet will read like the front page of a newspaper, with the headline being about the USS Maine sinking; and the body of the journal will include articles. Students are encouraged to include pictures, but no more than two, and they must leave room for substantial articles. The yellow journal base will be a sheet of manila paper, but students will be encouraged to make a rough draft on another sheet of paper first. Students can use their books and i-Pads to find info. The students will be given 2 class days on the assignment, and they can work on it outside of class.

Resources (supplies, equipment, software, etc.): Textbook: Keene, Jennifer D. Visions of America. (pages 560-568)

Lecture notes PC/projector/Promethean Board/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taHAOlaY1a0 start video at around 10 minutes and go to 0:21:17. Manila paper, pencils, I-pads, black pens and/or black sharpies, computers.

Reflection: