![De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Difficult Journey [Pdf] Unit Plan](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Difficult Journey [Pdf] Unit Plan")
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Difficult Journey [Pdf]
"The Difficult Journey" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the hardships of a family of early settlers moving West in a wagon train. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Traveling West [Pdf]
"Traveling West" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about the difficult journey west for pioneers traveling in wagon trains and how the railroad made traveling west much easier and faster. It is followed by questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Difficult Journey [Pdf]
"The Difficult Journey" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the hardships of a family moving west in a wagon train. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story;...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Utah History Encyclopedia: Donner Party
This article recounts the tragic Donner Party, a wagon train bound for California in 1846 whose members resorted to cannibalism after getting stuck in the winter snow.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Frontier Life: "Hardship Without Glory": Life on the Trail
From the PBS series, "Frontier House," read about the struggles that pioneers experienced as they made their ways west to new lands via wagon trains.
Ibis Communications
Eye Witness to History: The Old West
This resource provides first-hand accounts and background information on the Old West. Content touches on crossing the plains, cowboys, train robberies, Dalton Gang's Last Raid, Custer's Last Stand, the Death of Billy the Kid, and much...
Other
Recipes on the Oregon Trail
With information gathered from a wide variety of primary resources, this site offers not only recipes that pioneers and homesteaders used, but also tips on packing a wagon for a cross-country trip, and other words of advice for wagon...
Digital History
Digital History: Life on the Trail
Read what life was like for the pioneers traveling west in wagon trains, especially along the Oregon Trail.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Three Island Crossing
A National Park Service site that gives a brief description of Three Island Crossing (Snake River) and what sometimes occurred when the wagon trains heading westward tried to cross.
San Diego State University
Sdsu College of Education: Westward Movement
A group of organized lessons provides ideas for teachers when planning a unit on westward expansion in the US. Some activities include planning what to pack in your wagon, learning what obstacles were faced, mapping, and more.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Blast Through the Past: Transportation & Movement in Utah [Pdf]
Fourth graders will discuss the different types of transportation prior to the transcontinental railroad. They will also write an essay using the information discussed to present the pros and cons of transporting eggs to big cities by...
Other
The Oregon Trail: Power: Horse, Mule or Oxen?
This resource provides information about animals used to pull covered wagons on the Oregon Trail.
Other
Overland Journal: Food on the Oregon Trail
A well-researched and very readable essay discussing the food supplies pioneers carried with them on their journeys across the frontier to the West.
Other
Oregon California Trails Association: Historic Trails Learning Center
Information portal for the organization that oversees the preservation of the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, the Applegate Trail, and the Mormon Trail.
PBS
Pbs: Archives of the West: Across the Plains in 1844
A memoir by Catherine Sager Pringle, one of the orphans who was taken in by Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. Find out about the journey on the Oregon Trail and the Whitman Massacre.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Westward Ho! How Far Is Yonder Mountain
In this lesson quantitative skills in geologic context are reinforced. Students create a spreadsheet to calculate the distance of a peak using vertical angles sighted from a wagon train heading directly for the peak. The spreadsheet also...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Traveling West [Pdf]
"Traveling West" is a one page, nonfiction passage about pioneers traveling west in wagon trains. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes underlining the most important...
PBS
Pbs the West: The Everywhere Spirit
This PBS site describes events between 1866 and 1868 in the Indian Wars. Including the Lakota attack on a wagon train bringing supplies to Ft. Kearny and Custer's attack on the Cheyennes on the Washita River.
Other
Oregon's First Settlers: Genealogical Research in Oregon
See a chart showing the number of settlers using the Oregon Trail between 1840 and 1859 by scrolling down to "Wagon Trains."
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Pioneer Families [Pdf]
"Pioneer Families" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about pioneers who traveled west in wagon trains, the hardships they faced, and how they worked together to build communities. It is followed by questions which require...
Other
Historic Trails: Oregon/california Trails
Find a map of the Oregon Trail and California Trail and click Historical Trails tab to discover the hardships and daily grind of traveling on the Oregon Trail.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: Expedition of the Donner Party
The youngest daughter of George Donner tells the harrowing tale of her family's ill-fated journey at this site from the Library of Congress. This is primary source material.
Ibis Communications
Eye Witness to History; Crossing the Plains, 1865
Article offers the diaries of Sarah Raymond as she treks across the Great Plains. Describes the many hardships encountered on this long journey.
Library of Congress
Loc: Merica's Story: Oregon Territory
Read about the settling of Oregon country and how westward expansion prompted Congress to make it a territory.