Building the Erie Canal
This lesson from Teachers’ Domain examines how the construction of the Erie Canal affected the geographic, economic, and political landscape of the United States. In exploring these issues, students are presented with four computer-based activities.
The first two activities—viewing documentary video clips—are engaging, brief, and informative. These clips could be projected to the whole class if a teacher does not have access to multiple computers.
The third—an interactive graphic organizer—allows students to categorize different consequences of the construction of the Erie Canal in terms of geographic, political, and economic effects. The interactive graphic organizer allows students to draw connections between consequences in different categories and explain how they are interconnected in a pop-up comment box. After they are done, students can print out the graphic organizer.
The final activity in the lesson, which requires students to read and write, can be done either on a computer or not. It asks students to synthesize information from the video clip and a background reading (available in two different reading levels), and students can choose from three different writing assignments.
Notes
Teachinghistory.org Lesson Plan Rubric
| Field | Criteria | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Historical Content | Is historically accurate? | Featured video contains interviews with reputable scholars. |
| Historical Content | Includes historical background? | Historical background provided in videos and handouts. |
| Historical Content | Requires students to read and write? | Students take notes and write a short essay evaluating the Erie Canal’s effects. |
| Analytic Thinking | Requires analysis/construction of interpretations using evidence? | Using evidence from the documentary and background reading, students assess the Erie Canal’s effects. |
| Analytic Thinking | Requires close reading and attention to source information? | No |
| Scaffolding | Appropriate for stated audience? | Two versions of background handout included for different grade levels. |
| Scaffolding | Includes scaffolding materials and strategies? | A graphic organizer helps students organize ideas and draw connections. |
| Lesson Structure | Includes assessment criteria focused on historical understanding? | Students can write an essay or journal from the perspective of someone who experienced the canal’s effects. |
| Lesson Structure | Defines clear learning goals and progresses logically? | Requires access to multiple computers, but can be adapted for one computer and projector. |
| Lesson Structure | Includes clear directions; realistic for classrooms? | Yes |
