Overview of the American West - Introduction lesson (Edexcel 9-1: The American West)

This lesson is designed as an introductory lesson for GCSE students to the American West topic (Edexcel 9-1). It focuses on the founding of the 13 colonies and the geography of the American West. it includes two videos that provide context for students and a skills builder section focusing on developing a very basic narrative account structure as for some students this may be their first introduction to this question type.

WALT: Explore the arrival of Europeans in America.
Identify what life was like in the first settlements.
describe the geography of the United States in the 1800s.
Create a narrative account describing the growth of America.
Hypothesise why the colonies wanted independence from Britain in 1776.