- Grade Level:
- Fourth Grade-Eighth Grade
- History, Mexican War, Military and Wartime History, Social Studies
- This lesson will take 30-45 minutes to complete.
- Group Size:
- Up to 24 (4-8 breakout groups)
- National/State Standards:
- Gr K-4 National Standards-Social Studies: U.S. History 2, 3
Gr 5-12 National Standards-Social Studies: World History Eras 4 & 7
Gr K-12 National Standards-Language Arts: 1, 3, 4, 12
- treaty, mexico, Mexican War, peace treaty, government
OverviewStudents will learn about the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, read the articles of the treaty, and rewrite them in their own words. Students then write about how the Treaty affects them today.
- Analyze the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
- Rewrite the Treaty in their own words
- Write how the Treaty affects them today
BackgroundStudents can work individually, in groups, or as a class. Before starting, review and print out all the PDF files in the Materials section. Make sure there are enough dictionaries for students to use.
MaterialsMaterials for this lesson plan include:
- The Treaty Today Student Worksheet (PDF 53.2 KB)
- Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Transcript (PDF 124 KB)
- The Treaty Today Answer Sheet (PDF 455 KB)
Use this worksheet to grade the student worksheets. Download
Students use this worksheet to rewrite articles of the Treaty in their own words. Download
Give students this transcript of the Treaty to use with their worksheet. Download
- Ask students about a school policy they would like to change. (Option: Make up an issue about a new school policy that would be controversial like longer days, stricter dress code, etc.)
- Divide students into two groups. One group will be for the issue and the other against.
- Tell students they must negotiate and write down their negotiations. Give them five to ten minutes to complete this exercise.
- Tell students they just negotiated a treaty. Ask them what a treaty is or have them look it up
AssessmentStudents performance will be assessed in two key areas:
- Participation in group discussion
- Do in-depth research on one or more of the Articles.
- Find a newspaper or online article about how the treaty affects us today. Create a class display.
Additional ResourcesBackground information on the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo can be found at OurDocuments.Gov.