Step 1: First, introduce yourself to the class by answering the following questions:
- Where are you from, or where do you call home?
- What is your major or planned major? What is a possible career you imagine for your future?
- What are some of your hobbies and interests?
- What is a place within the United States that you would love to visit, and why?
- Growing up, when you heard the term “the West” what did that mean to you? What images came to mind?
Step 2: Write a summary about a Native American Tribe.
- Click on this interactive map, Native Land Digital, to view the original territories of Native American tribes prior to the arrival of Europeans. Zoom and scroll through the map. Look at either your hometown or pick another American city west of the Mississippi River that you find interesting. What Native Tribe(s) originally lived on this land?
- Do some simple research to learn about the tribe (a Google search and Wikipedia are okay in this case, and most Nations have a website). Does the tribe still live there or in that area?
- Visit Indian Country Today and search for that tribe. What current events are there about this tribe? Pick one article that you find intriguing to include in your summary.
- Write a summary paragraph or two (around 300 words) about the Native tribe you chose and the area where they lived. Include some of their legacy, history, and current status. Include links to the news article and other sources you used.
Step 3: Respond to at least two classmates’ responses from Step 2. Provide at least one positive comment about their analysis and at least one additional comment that expands upon, critiques, or complicates their views. These should be substantive comments, and each comment should be more than a single sentence.
Rubric
| Criteria | Developing | Satisfactory | Excellent | Points |
| Responds to prompt | Response is superficial, lacking in analysis or critique. Contributes few novel ideas, connections, or applications. | Provides an accurate response to the prompts, but the information delivered is limited or lacking in analysis. | Provides a thoughtful and clear response to the content or question asked. The response includes original thoughts and novel ideas. | __/4 |
| Supporting Details | Includes vague or incomplete supporting evidence or fails to back opinion with facts. | Supports opinions with details, though connections may be unclear, not firmly established, or explicit. | Supports response with evidence; makes connections to the course content and/or other experiences. Cites evidence when appropriate. | __/2 |
| Comments and participation | Provides brief responses or shows little effort to participate in the learning community. | Responds kindly and builds upon the comments from others, but may lack depth, detail, and/or explanation. | Kindly and thoroughly extend discussions already taking place or poses new possibilities or opinions not previously voiced. Response is substantive and constructive. | __/4 |
| Total | __/10 |