Last updated: June 10, 2022
Lesson Plan
Traveling the National Road: Unit 10 Artifact Activities
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- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- Thinking Skills:
- Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience.
Essential Question
Was the National Road important to the development of the United States?
Guiding Questions: How much were the tolls along the National Road? How do you use the mile markers to calculate distances?
Objective
Student Objectives: After completing the lesson students will be able to:
• Calculate one toll rate
• Calculate one distance from the mile markers
Background
The Artifact Activities form unit 10 of a complete teacher’s guide for 3rd grade students, entitled “Traveling the National Road.”
This unit has students reenact a tollhouse on the National Road where the students are required to calculate the toll rates charged and use coins to pay the correct toll. The students also use their math skills while participating in two different activities to calculate distances using the miles listed on the mile markers. This unit has three student activities: “Stop! Pay Toll!,” “Mile Marker Activity, Are We There Yet?” and “Outdoor or Gym: How Far Is It?.”
Preparation
1. Read the essential question and the guiding questions.
2. Read the lesson for how to set up each of the three activities. One has the teacher set up a tollhouse complete with coins, the second has the teacher make mile markers and set them up in the classroom, the last on uses the mile markers in a gym or outdoor where 131 feet is marked off.
3. Gather the materials.
4. Make the copies needed.
Materials
Download Unit 10 Artifact Activities
Lesson Hook/Preview
Before there were machines, people had to calculate tolls. The class will use the list of toll rates to calculate what rates should be charged and then use coins to pay the tolls. Likewise before computers and GPS systems people needed to use mile markers to calculate distances on the National Road. The class will use mile markers and their math skills to determine National Road distances.
Procedure
1. Introduce the essential and guiding questions.
2. Read the lesson hook to the class.
3. Follow the procedures in the lesson plan to conduct the activity.
4. Complete one or more student activities.
5. Discuss with the class.
Vocabulary
Tollhouse - the location where travelers had to stop to pay tolls in order to travel on the National Road.
Toll - money paid to the tollkeeper to travel on the National Road.
Mile marker - A metal marker that stood on the National Road and listed the number of miles to two towns west of that location and two towns east of that location.
Assessment Materials
The equations and answers are provided in the lesson.
The teacher can also use a math problems solving rubric, such as the one found here.
Supports for Struggling Learners
The teacher can work with the students to help them solve the word problem and write the equations, then have the students solve the math calculations.
Enrichment Activities
Have the students use a map to calculate distances on other roads.
Additional Resources
Students can take a virtual field trip by watch the 25-minute Virtual Field Trip: The Mount Washington Tavern.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
The "Traveling the National Road" teacher's guide is broken into ten units and is targeted for 3rd grade students. Each unit can be completed independently.
Check out the links to the other lesson plans:
Unit 1: Overview of the National Road
Unit 2: Construction of the National Road
Unit 3: Travelers and Transportation on the National Road
Unit 4: Accommodation on the National Road
Unit 5: Workers Along the National Road
Unit 6: Decline and Rebirth of the National Road
Unit 7: Biography Cards
Unit 8: Occupation Cards
Unit 9: Historic Site Cards
Unit 10: Artifact Activities
Other resource include:
Appendix with timeline, vocabulary and bibliographyPoster of the National Road
Poster of the Toll Rates Along the National Road
Introduction to the teacher guide and table of contents