University of Richmond
The Overland Trails 1840-1860
What led Americans to head west in the 1800s? Using an interactive map and journals from those who traveled, pupils explore the stories of those who migrated. In addition, they see how the numbers fluctuated in response to the push-pull...
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Oral Assessment Plan
Learners practice active listening skills. In this literacy and U.S. history lesson, students predict the hardships pioneers using the Mormon Trail might have faced. Learners view the movie "Children of the Wagon Train," then confirm or...
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Westmoreland Trail
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the Westward expansion of the U.S. They play the computer game, Oregon Trail III, read primary source documents, conduct Internet research, write diary entries from the pioneer viewpoint, and...
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Westward Expansion
Eighth graders explore the components of the Westward Movement in the United States. Understanding the past and the linkages it has to the present is the intended goal of this seventeen day unit.
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The Mormon Trail and Native Americans
Fifth graders identify the American Indian tribes who lived in the lands that the Mormon Trail went through. They investigate and describe the impact of western expansion on the American Indians.
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Western Expansion and Native Americans
Fifth graders research the Oregon, Old Spanish, California, and Mormon trails, and the impact western expansion had on the Native Americans living on those lands.
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the Effects of Differing Cultures on the Mormon Trail
Fourth graders, in groups, simulate some of the hardships the settlers faced on the Mormon Trail, particularly those problems caused by communication difficulties. They discuss budgets and provision planning with group members and keep...
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Map Scale and the Pioneer Journey
Fourth graders use a map, ruler and calculato to determine the distance the pioneers traveled from Nauvoo, Ill. to the Salt Lake Valley.