Students will develop an
understanding of the myths and legends surrounding the Southwest during the mid
to late 1800s. In addition, students will differentiate between fact and
fiction when researching the justice system during this time period. Several
Social Studies and Language Arts standards will be covered in this project.
7th Grade Social Studies
Strand 1 American
History Concept 7: PO1
8th Grade Social Studies
Strand 1 American History Concept 1:
Strand 3 Civics/Government Concept 3:
Strand 4 Geography Concept 6:
8th Grade Language Arts
Strand 1 Writing Process Concepts 1-5: All POs
Very few resources, outside of those used on the web, will be needed in
order to complete this project. A review on what a myth/legend is would be
discussed before the start of this lesson. A KWL chart would be suitable in
order to gather information on what your students currently know about the
court system and its origins in the state of
Imagine this: You arrive in a dusty town on horseback not knowing a
soul in sight. You see a dilapidated saloon, decaying hotels, and other rundown
buildings. Upon walking into the smoky saloon, you are pushed down by a drunken
patron who was “tossed” out of the saloon by another. Because you
are not from this area, this behavior is completely foreign to you. Before you
know, the two gentlemen have their hands by their hips, which are wrapped in
leather with gun butts peeking from homes. Here it is, the Wild West. You
always heard that people took matters into their own hands; does the Clayton
Gang ring a bell? However, you are seeing it first hand. Or, are you?
Ever since the settlement of the west, folks back east and in other
“civilized” parts heard the stories of Billy the Kid, Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane and their reign of terror on those
looking for a better life in the west. The west was always seen as a
criminal’s paradise and a law man’s worst nightmare. But, was it
really that bad?
Myth
Legend
Vigilante
Your group will be transported back to the 1888 where you will be
reporters for the
The material you gather will provide you with the necessary information
in order to understand what
1. What was the court/justice system like in
2. What was the significance in building the court house at
3. How does this information dispel any “myths and legends”
about justice in the Wild West?
Person 1 (Editor): As the editor, you are in charge of writing the editorial,
and have final say on the layout of the newspaper. BE CREATIVE! Remember, an
editorial is a response to some issue in your community. Focus on the legends
about the Wild West and how it had affected your town.
Person 2 (Local News): As the local news reporter you are in charge of
reporting the breaking news in
Person 3 (Interview): You will be interviewing those who were part of
the “Vigilance Committee” incident. Brainstorm at least 5 questions
to ask in your interview. In addition, you will be held responsible for
creating a political cartoon to demonstrate some of the issues going on in your
town.
·
Using the questions written above,
research what the west was really
like. Keep in mind the stereotypes and legends you know in regards to the law,
or lack thereof in the old southwest. Also, make sure to include all
requirements from the rubric!
You will create a newspaper with Microsoft Publisher. You will complete
a written rough draft of your article. When you have finished, you will meet
with your editor to discuss the layout of the newspaper. As a group, you need
to decide where all of the articles will be located, color, graphics, etc. You
will be graded based on the requirements in the rubric.
Print Sources
Good Men, Bad Men, Law Men, and a
Few Rowdy Ladies by John A. Swearengin
“2004 Tour of Historic
“Historic
Internet Sources
http://www.azstateparks.com/Parks/parkhtml/mcfarland.html
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/viewpoints/articles/0717hill0717.html
http://www.cityoftombstone.com/
http://www.arizona-leisure.com/tombstone-arizona.html
http://www.capitolimpact.com/gw/cntydetail.asp?state=az&stfips=05&stname=Arizona&fips=04021
·
You may also find other sites for
information on this topic. See me so I can approve the site.
You
will be graded according to the rubric displayed at the following website: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=PrintRubric&rubric_id=1283398&no_return=1&
What new questions did you or your
group generate during your research?
Why would these new questions be
important in answering the original questions?
Class Discussion: Was the West so
wild after all? Would you live in the “Wild West” after completing
your research? Why or why not?
Field Trips to McFarland State
Park, the Pinal County Historical Society, and other historical sites
throughout Pinal County
Research paper comparing/contrasting
Mock Trials