Card Sort: What were the pros and cons of the Homestead Act of 1862?

This interactive card sort gets students to sort through a series of statements to help them assess the achievements and limitations of the Homestead Act of 1862. It can be used as either starter or plenary for a lesson on this topic and is a great way to activate the learning an appeal to multiple learning styles. I would recommend getting your students to peer and self assess their answers before sticking them into their books.

When you purchase this resource you will receive a single page Microsoft Office Word document, which contains instructions, a learning objective, two heading cards and 16 statements on the Homestead Act of 1862. Once students have cut out the statements and sorted them, they can extend their understanding by then sorting the statements on both sides into their order of importance. I usually use this resource in preparation for an extended answer on ‘how far was the Homestead Act a success?’ It can also be used to stimulate a debate on the topic as well.

The aims and objectives of this lesson are:

Aims and Objectives:

Theme: The American West
Know: What were the terms of the Homestead Act of 1862?
Understand: What were the achievements and limitations of the act?
Evaluate: How far was the Homestead Act a success?

WILF - What Am I Looking For?
Identify and describe: What were the terms of the Homestead Act of 1862?
Explain: What either the limitations or achievements of the Homestead Act of 1862?
Analyse: Come to a balanced judgement on how far the Homestead Act of 1862 was a success?

If you like this resource then why not check out my other resources on this topic in my TES shop. You can also follow ‘The History Academy’ on Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube and Facebook for the latest updates or even to get in touch and chat about how you have used this resource or to ask questions. We aim to produce cheap and affordable resources for either the price of a good cup of coffee or a happy meal so that you can spend more time doing the things that you want.

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Kind Regards

Roy