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LESSON 2: Whose Land? Mapping in North America

SUPPORTING QUESTION

How can maps shape the way people understand land and ownership?

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FOCUS SKILL(S)

Geographic Relationships

Perspective

Comparison

MATERIALS

TEACHER

Do Firsts + Exemplars

Whose Land? Mapping North America Student Worksheet + Exemplars

Exit Tickets + Exemplars

STUDENT

Do First Options

Printed Student Handouts

DO FIRST

Option 1- Frayer: “Perspective”

Option 2- Quickwrite

TEACHER ACTIONS

1. Select “Do First” option
2. Play “Song of the Unit” or alternative
3. Provide students with visual, online, or print access to “Do First”

STUDENT ACTIONS

1. Complete “Do First” either online or by hand

ACTIVITY 1- LAUNCH

Using the Advanced Organizer (page 1), walk students through foundational background knowledge of political maps.

TEACHER ACTIONS

1. Hand out and direct students to page 1 of the student worksheet
2. Ask students to read, ask questions, and engage as you go through material

STUDENT ACTIONS

1. Fill in the blank sections of the Advanced Organizer as the teacher goes through the information
2. Read, ask questions, and engage with Advanced Organizer

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LESSON 2: Whose Land? Mapping in North America - Continued

ACTIVITY 2 - PRACTICE

To shift students toward understanding how political maps can reflect perspective, engage students in a historical fiction reading. This excerpt introduces an Ojibwe perspective on land, ownership, and changing political control. Depending on your students’ familiarity with the history of Indigenous displacement, you may need to provide additional historical context prior to the reading. It is recommended to read the excerpt aloud to the class, pausing periodically to allow students to answer the accompanying comprehension questions.

TEACHER ACTIONS

1. Direct students to pages 2-3
2. Read the excerpt aloud to the class
3. Pause for comprehension questions
4. Facilitate a class debrief

STUDENT ACTIONS

1. Listen to the excerpt
2. Answer the comprehension questions
3. Participate in class debrief

ACTIVITY 3 - EXHIBIT

Students will analyze the Native Land Digital Map of North America and answer accompanying questions focused on perspective, emphasized information, and concealed information. Through this activity, students will examine how maps can reflect different viewpoints and shape understanding about land, identity, and political geography.

TEACHER ACTIONS

1. Direct students to page 4
2. Display North America from Native Land Digital
3. Guide students through the analysis questions

STUDENT ACTIONS

1. Analyze the projected map
2. Answer the analysis questions on page 4

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LESSON 2: Whose Land? Mapping in North America - Continued

CONCLUSION

Students will complete an “Exit Ticket” in which they reflect on their learnings from the day by completing a quote analysis. Students will read a quote from Native Land Digital about the importance of their mapping work.

TEACHER ACTIONS

• Hand out Exit Ticket and provide instructions

STUDENT ACTIONS

• Complete the Exit Ticket

STANDARDS

6.1 Analyze the impact of the perspective of common map projections on understanding world geography, and explain how maps can convey a point of view.

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6.49 Analyze different geographic representations of North America created by different groups of people over time to support claims about North American history and geography.