Lesson Plan - Remembering The Trail of Tears

Watch a Slideshow: Remember the Removal
After sharing the slideshow, ask: What is the purpose of this special bike ride? 

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• Indigenous 
• treaties

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why Cherokee cyclists call this event Remember the Removal. 

1. Who is Whitney Roach, and what details does she add to the article?
Roach is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation who took part in the Remember the Removal Bike Ride. She shares details about the Trail of Tears and describes the purpose of the bike ride.
^{(RI.4.2 KEY DETAILS)}

2. What effect did the Indian Removal Act have on the Cherokee people when it was enforced in 1838?
The Indian Removal Act forced Cherokees to abandon the homelands of their ancestors in the Southeast and walk to what is now Oklahoma. Along the way, many died of starvation, disease, and other causes.
^{(RI.4.5 CAUSE AND EFFECT)}

3. What is the purpose of the map on page 5?
The purpose of the map is to show one route that Cherokees took as part of the Trail of Tears. It is the same route that Remember the Removal riders used.
^{(RI.4.7 USING MAPS)}

FEATURED SKILL: Analyzing a Primary Source
Use the Skill Builder “A Survivor’s Story” to have students analyze a primary source document about the Trail of Tears.
^{(RI.4.6 PRIMARY SOURCE)}