Bison on the Rebound

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: What impact did American Westward Expansion have on Native Americans and the environment?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. 

• Which central ideas of the article are introduced in the first section? (The first section introduces these central ideas: Bison were on the brink of extinction because of White settlers’ expansion west; Native Americans, working with the National Park Service, have led the efforts to save the bison and reintroduce them to the wild; and the bison is important to Native American culture.)

• Why did U.S. policy makers encourage the hunting of bison in the 1800s? (U.S. policy makers encouraged the hunting of bison as a way of weakening Native Americans—who relied on bison for food, clothing, and their livelihood—making them more likely to give up their land and move to reservations. This would allow the U.S. to more easily expand westward.)

• At the end of the second section, the author says, “hundreds of bison were culled each year.” What does he mean? Which phrase at the beginning the third section provides a clue to this meaning? (He means that hundreds of bison were purposefully killed as a way of managing the bison population. The phrase “a plan to save some of the Yellowstone bison” is a clue to this meaning. The plan would save the bison from being killed and instead move them from Yellowstone to other lands.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity Making Connections. Have students use the graphic organizer to explore causes and effects described in the article.

4. Writing Prompt
The author says bison are making a comeback thanks to an effort by Native Americans. Explain in one paragraph how the author supports this point.

5. Classroom Debate
Research the conflict over bison discussed in the last section of the article. Then take a stance: How should the federal government rule on the matter?

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz.