Curated OER
Manifest Destiny
Complete with maps, photographs, and historical documents, this presentation would be a great resource throughout a unit about mid-19th century America. Manifest Destiny, Texas Independence, the Oregon Trail, and the Mexican War are all...
Curated OER
Horse and Rider: The Pony Express in Utah
Fourth graders research the Pony Express. In this Pony Express lesson, 4th graders discover the reasons behind the development of this business and the technology that ended it.
Curated OER
Riding the Pony Express
Fourth graders list the four W's of the Pony Express. They also write an article about Buffalo Bill Cody and discuss the important facts about the Pony Express.
Curated OER
Brick by Brick
Young scholars use their previous knowledge of the Pyramid Lake War to help them analyze different primary sources of Fort Churchill. In this source analysis instructional activity, students work in groups to study 4 different primary...
Curated OER
Centennial: Ghost Riders And Rest Stops
Fourth graders read aged letters that describe communities or stops along the route of the early Pony Express. Each day they mark on a map where the letters come from and chart the Pony Express route. They compare to today's mail and...
Curated OER
Westward Expansion
Students examine how the events that took place during the time of the Westward Expansion affected the pioneers and Native Americans through the seven lessons of this unit. Enhancements in transportation over time are also a part of the...
Curated OER
The Pony Express
Fourth graders answer four math questions based on their reading of a short story on the history of the Pony Express.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum
Even if you aren't a stamp collector, this is a fascinating stop in your search for US postal service history. Be sure to click on their special selections like "Inverted Jenny, A famous stamp error." Excellent exhibits explain the...
Utah Education Network
Uen: The Pony Express
Fourth graders will draw a map showing the route they travel from home to school.
Other
Gold Rush Chronicles: The Pony Express
At this comprehensive site, students learn about the first cross-country mail courier service in the United States, the Pony Express.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Pony Express: History and Culture
A good article from the National Park Service which recounts the history of the brief existence of the Pony Express. Read about the route, what caused the demise of the Pony Express, and what part of the trail can still be seen.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: The Story of the Pony Express
This article explores the story of the Pony Express, the "speedy" mail service that once connected the Eastern U.S. with the West.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Binding the Nation
A multi-part online exhibit that traces the development of the U.S. Postal System. Artifacts may be clicked on and text explains their significance. Historic, primary materials are used throughout the exhibit.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Cprr Photographic History Museum: The Postal History of the Pacific Railroad
This site deals mostly with the history of mail sent across the country in the late 19th century.
Read Works
Read Works: Westward Expansion the Pony Express
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Pony Express. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: An Urgent Message
[Free Registration/Login Required] This narrative nonfiction pieces shares how the Pony Express began. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes scaffolding for...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Utah History Encyclopedia: Pony Express in Utah
This resource provides concise historical information concerning the Pony Express in Utah.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: What Do You Know? Horses
A quick way to learn horse vocabulary. Students take an interactive quiz, check their answers, and then read why each answer is correct or incorrect.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: First Transcontinental Telegraph System
Jump back in time to October 24, 1861, when the first transcontinental telegraph was completed, thus hastening the end of the Pony Express.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Arizona
Review this site for interesting Arizona facts and learn more about the Grand Canyon.
Orca Book Publishers
Orca Book Publishers: Jo's Triumph Teaching Guide [Pdf]
Jo's Triumph, a novel by British Columbia author Nikki Tate, follows the adventures of an orphan girl named Jo as she disguises herself as a boy and works for the Pony Express. This teacher's guide includes a book summary, teaching ideas...
Other
Overland Trail: Ben Holladay, Stagecoach King
Information about the owner of the Overland Mail Express in the United States West.
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: Postal Puzzle: Pony Express
Put together this jig saw puzzle to form a picture of the pony express postage stamp. Click on the link for other related information on the Pony Express from the National Postal Museum.
Ducksters
Ducksters: History: Pony Express for Kids
Kids learn about the Pony Express from the Old West on this site. Riders would swap horses at stations to deliver the mail faster to and from California.