Westward Expansion
California 5th Grade Standards
History-Social Science 8.4 Discuss the experiences of settlers on the overland trails to the West (e.g., location of the routes; purpose of the journeys; the influence of the terrain, rivers, vegetation, and climate; life in the territories at the end of these trails).
English-Language Arts2.3.c Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.
English-Language Arts2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas.
Background
Throughout time, people have moved for a variety of reasons. The United States was settled by people who moved from their original homelands in search of better lives and opportunities. During the nineteenth century, tens of thousands of pioneers traveled from their homes in the East and moved West. This flurry of movement eventually led to the settlement of the continental United States. What were some of the factors that drove the pioneers to move west, and what was life like on the trail?
Task
It is the 1800’s and you are 11 years old. You live with your parents and siblings within one of the 13 colonies. Times have been tough. Your family reads about an opportunity to move west. What are the major factors that contributed to your family’s decision to move west? Will the journey be worthwhile or will it prove to be disastrous?
Option 1. Now that your family has decided to move west, you are to keep a diary.
The diary entries should be written in narrative form and you must show rather than tell.
Option 2. Create an iMovie with at least four slides. Discuss the factors that led to your family's decision to move West. Also, include details of the preparation for the journey. In addition, you must depict and narrate life on the trail accurately. Focus on revealing the obstacles faced on the trail as well as some aspects of family life.
Adaptations
T-Chart -for taking notes on the preparation and on family life.
Bubble Map- for taking notes on the obstacles
Writing Frames
Extension
Research a song and the significance of the lyrics and of music in general on the trail.
Assessment Rubrics
History-Social Science 8.4 Discuss the experiences of settlers on the overland trails to the West (e.g., location of the routes; purpose of the journeys; the influence of the terrain, rivers, vegetation, and climate; life in the territories at the end of these trails).
English-Language Arts2.3.c Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.
English-Language Arts2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and assessing evidence that supports those ideas.
Background
Throughout time, people have moved for a variety of reasons. The United States was settled by people who moved from their original homelands in search of better lives and opportunities. During the nineteenth century, tens of thousands of pioneers traveled from their homes in the East and moved West. This flurry of movement eventually led to the settlement of the continental United States. What were some of the factors that drove the pioneers to move west, and what was life like on the trail?
Task
It is the 1800’s and you are 11 years old. You live with your parents and siblings within one of the 13 colonies. Times have been tough. Your family reads about an opportunity to move west. What are the major factors that contributed to your family’s decision to move west? Will the journey be worthwhile or will it prove to be disastrous?
Option 1. Now that your family has decided to move west, you are to keep a diary.
- The first entry must discuss the factors that led to your family’s decision to move west.
- The second journal entry must include details of the preparation for the journey and about the items you and your family decided to take with you and why.
- Use your notes to write at least two more diary entries depicting life on the trail. One diary entry must reveal the obstacles faced on the trail. While another entry should include aspects of family life.
- On a blank United States Map, you are to map your trip including geographical features. Label the features and explain their significance on the trail.
The diary entries should be written in narrative form and you must show rather than tell.
Option 2. Create an iMovie with at least four slides. Discuss the factors that led to your family's decision to move West. Also, include details of the preparation for the journey. In addition, you must depict and narrate life on the trail accurately. Focus on revealing the obstacles faced on the trail as well as some aspects of family life.
Adaptations
T-Chart -for taking notes on the preparation and on family life.
Bubble Map- for taking notes on the obstacles
Writing Frames
Extension
Research a song and the significance of the lyrics and of music in general on the trail.
Assessment Rubrics
Rubric for diary entries.
Rubric for iMovie Resources The West- biographies Westward Expansion Pioneer life and travel Pioneers and Westward Expansion for Kids Pioneers Pioneer Life The Gold Rush The Gold Rush The Donner Party- text The Donner Party Video - Magnificent view of sights The Oregon Trail Lewis and Clark History of the Union Pacific The American West Historical Image Collection Pics for Learning-A copyright-friendly image library for teachers and students. Students Sample Project Diary Entry-Factors that led your family to expand West Diary Entry- Preparation for the journey Diary Entry- Obstacles on the Westward Trail Diary Entry- Evening Life Certificate of Completion |
Assisting students in working towards improving reading and/or writing through the integration of technology
Because reading and writing are interrelated, getting students to read is an effective way to build a solid foundation in writing. The more students read, the more examples of writing they experience; the more students write, the more solid their reading decoding and fluency. Technology can be an excellent way to connect both reading and writing. Because its wide range of uses and forms, technology has the potential to reach students of all learning styles and learning abilities. In addition, the interest and motivation that technology induces in students makes its usage in schools important and better prepares students for the future.
My project will motivate students by providing educational experiences that are at my students’ present level of functioning and by providing a context that is challenging and stimulates their curiosity. My website is organized to provide highly individualized instruction for students with a range of abilities, disabilities, and learning modalities. Students are able to choose from the list of resources to accommodate their learning abilities and modalities. They are able to browse through collections of pictures, watch videos, and read text of different levels.
In addition, students have a choice for the assessment they will choose. They will choose to write diary entries, or to create an iMovie. Having choice will promote a positive attitude toward learning in my students. They will be able to demonstrate more self-reliance and move toward independence and regain a sense of being in control, which will undoubtedly lead to success. Students will also have the choice of working in a group, which will facilitate cooperation and positive social behavior of students.
The iMovie will provide an active learning experience to make learning more interesting, allowing students to be engaged and to take ownership and feel pride so they can more readily attend to reading and so that they could read for longer stretches of time.
Broad Focus of the Project:
• Comprehension strategies
• Exploration of a wide range of texts
• Application of a wide range of strategies
• Use a range of comprehension strategies
• Increase exposure to a variety of technological and informational resources
• Engage in research
• Provides materials at different reading levels
• Embed hyperlinks to additional information
• Probes, questions, elicits prediction and analysis
Because reading and writing are interrelated, getting students to read is an effective way to build a solid foundation in writing. The more students read, the more examples of writing they experience; the more students write, the more solid their reading decoding and fluency. Technology can be an excellent way to connect both reading and writing. Because its wide range of uses and forms, technology has the potential to reach students of all learning styles and learning abilities. In addition, the interest and motivation that technology induces in students makes its usage in schools important and better prepares students for the future.
My project will motivate students by providing educational experiences that are at my students’ present level of functioning and by providing a context that is challenging and stimulates their curiosity. My website is organized to provide highly individualized instruction for students with a range of abilities, disabilities, and learning modalities. Students are able to choose from the list of resources to accommodate their learning abilities and modalities. They are able to browse through collections of pictures, watch videos, and read text of different levels.
In addition, students have a choice for the assessment they will choose. They will choose to write diary entries, or to create an iMovie. Having choice will promote a positive attitude toward learning in my students. They will be able to demonstrate more self-reliance and move toward independence and regain a sense of being in control, which will undoubtedly lead to success. Students will also have the choice of working in a group, which will facilitate cooperation and positive social behavior of students.
The iMovie will provide an active learning experience to make learning more interesting, allowing students to be engaged and to take ownership and feel pride so they can more readily attend to reading and so that they could read for longer stretches of time.
Broad Focus of the Project:
• Comprehension strategies
• Exploration of a wide range of texts
• Application of a wide range of strategies
• Use a range of comprehension strategies
• Increase exposure to a variety of technological and informational resources
• Engage in research
• Provides materials at different reading levels
• Embed hyperlinks to additional information
• Probes, questions, elicits prediction and analysis