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Read Kansas! Middle School - M-20 Cowboys, Cattle Drives, and Kansas

In this lesson students will learn the reasons for the cattle drives in post-Civil War Kansas.  Students will read a series of historic images then place them in sequential order to tell the story of a cattle drive. This lesson is written for one class period. Select each image to see a PDF with the front and back of each card.

M-20 Abilene in 1867 M-20 Joseph G. McCoy
M-20 A Drover M-20 A Trail Crew
M-20 The Roundup M-20 The Chisholm Trail

Lesson

Kansas History, Government and Social Studies Standards:

Standard #4 Societies experience continuity and change over time.

  • 4.2 The student will analyze the context of continuity and change and the vehicles of reform, drawing conclusions about past change and potential future change.

Kansas College and Career Ready Standards:

  • RH.6-8.1:  The student cites specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
  • RH.6-8.2:  The student determines the central ideas of information of a primary or secondary source, provides an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
  • RH.6-8.7: The student integrates visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
  • WHST.6-8.4:  The student produces clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • SL.7.4: The student presents claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.