TRAILS WEST

Mimi Melarkey
3rd Grade
Roy Gomm Elementary School

Author:  Mimi Melarkey

Title:  Trails West

Historical Topic:  In Search of the West: Communities on the Move -  1840’s – 1870’s

Nevada History Standards:

History Standard 1.0: Chronology: Students use chronology to organize and understand the sequence and relationship of events.
1.3.2  Read a time line
History Standard 2.0: History Skills:  Students will use social studies vocabulary and concepts to engage in inquiry, in research, in analysis, and in decision making.
2.3.1  Ask history-related questions.
History Standard 6.0: 1700 – 1865: Students understand the people, events, ideas, and conflicts that led to the creation of new nations and distinctive cultures.
6.3.17 Describe the life of pioneers.

Geography Standard 2.0:  Places and Regions:  Students understand the physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and use this information to define and study regions and their patterns of change
2.3.2  Identify how language, music, stories, art, and customs express culture.
Geography Standard 4.0:  Human Systems:  Students understand how economics, political, and cultural processes interact to shape patterns of human migration and settlement, influence and interdependence, and conflict and cooperation.
4.3.9  Describe how cooperation and conflict affect people and places.

English Language Arts Standard 1.0: Vocabulary Development:  Students know and use work analysis skills and strategies to comprehend new words encountered in text and to develop vocabulary.
1.3.4  Use resources to find and/or confirm meaning of unknown words encountered in text.
English Language Arts Standard 3.0: Literary Text: Students read literary text to comprehend, interpret and evaluate authors, cultures, and times.
3.3.7 Compare text from different cultures and time periods.
3.3.9 Make connections to self, other text, and/or the world. Use information to answer specific questions.
English Language Arts Standard 5.0: Effective Writing:  Students write a variety of texts using the writing process.
5.3.1. Explore a topic to plan written work.
English Language Arts Standard 6.0:  Types of Writing:  Students write a variety of texts that inform, persuade, describe, evaluate, entertain, or tell a story and are appropriate to audience and purpose.
6.3.7  Write friendly letters following an established format.
English Language Art Standard 7.0: Listening:  Students listen to and evaluate oral communications for content, style, speaker’s purpose, and audience appropriateness.
7.3.2  Listen to and respond to oral communication.
7.3.3  Expand vocabulary through listening.
7.3.5  Actively listen to a speaker.
English Language Art Standard 8.0: Speaking:  Students speak using organization, style, tone, voice, and media aids appropriate to audience and purpose.
8.3.3 Use public speaking techniques to deliver presentations with appropriate prosody, volume, eye contact, enunciation, posture, expressions, audience and purpose.
8.3.4  Contribute to conversations and discussions about a given topic.

Background:
Eager emigrants left their homes, family members, church and social communities in the more-civilized Eastern United States to seek new opportunities in the West. Abundant land, the chance of striking it rich in the gold and silver mines, and other businesses associated with the quickly expanding West lured about 500,000 emigrants from approximately 1840 to 1870. These people journeyed over- land, packing few, but vital possessions in a covered wagon, which would be their home for the next four to six months. Many pioneers left written accounts that help us know what the journey was like, the belongings they carried and those left behind, the dangers and new situations they encountered on the trail and upon arrival, and the adaptations they had to make for their journey to be successful. These pioneers were making decisions that would affect them the rest of their lives. Studying this time in history helps us understand the human desire to better one’s life and the lengths at which one will go to achieve it. Such an opportunity was available in the new frontier, the American West.

Table of Contents
Activities and Learning Goals

Activity 1 – Primary Source Activity: Fall Back Into Time
Learning Goal: The students will be given primary source pictures of an aspect of pioneer life, on the trail. Students will be given a set time to write then add on to each piece given. The students will share in small group then whole class.  

Activity 2 – Wordle Activity:  How Shall We Get There?
Learning Goal: Students will analyze groups of words on “Wordle” sheets, dealing with modes of transportation to the West and reason for traveling West. Students will compare and contrast the words using a graphic organizer.

Activity 3 Literature Connection:  Trail Mail
Learning Goal: Students will listen to Snowshoe Thompson, by Nancy Smiler Levinson, and consider how difficult it could be to communicate with loved ones far away during the 1850’s.  Students will write letters as if living at this time using proper friendly letter form.

Activity 4 – Foldable:  Conestoga Cootie Catchers
Learning Goal:  The students will create “Cootie Catcher” foldables to enhance vocabulary skills after learning about Conestoga wagons.

Activity 5 – Opt. 1 Internet/Technology: The Web’s Best for Trails West
Learning Goal: Using the provided website, students will research and answer the question: What did pioneer children do while on the trail going West? Students will compare their work and play habits to those of the pioneer children.

Activity 7 - Student Project:  Chautauqua Event
Learning Goal: Students will select a person involved in the Westward Movement. The students will research this person, take notes, form a timeline and create a presentation. Students will learn about historic Chautauqua events and perform in a class presentation to an audience of parents and peers.

Activity 1 - Primary Source - Interactive Writing Project

 Fall Back in Time

Learning Goal:
Each student will be given primary source pictures of an aspect of pioneer life on the trail. Students will be given five minutes to write on the piece given. Students will pass their paper until each student in the group has added to it.   

Procedure:
Click here to find a website for primary source pictures for this activity. Type the word ‘Pioneer’ to bring-up a variety of useful images.
A different primary source picture will be given to each student. Students, in groups of three, will individually analyze their primary source pictures and come up with their idea of what is happening. Students may respond by writing a story, poem, diary account, newspaper entry or simply a description of what is seen.  Students write until the teacher calls for them to switch. This continues until all have written on each picture. When students receive their own paper, it is read aloud to their group. They then vote on one paper to share with the entire class.

Evaluation Rubric:

Activity 2 – Wordle

How Shall We Get There?

Learning Goal:
Students will analyze groups of words on their “Wordle” sheet to find similarities as other words given. The teacher will not reveal the topic or theme for which they will be looking. Students will compare and contrast the words using a graphic organizer.

Procedure:
Wordle Sheets are made up from advertisements to lure people West. Students get into groups of three to view and discuss their first “Wordle”. Students look for similarities or a theme. When there seems to be a level of understanding within the groups, a Compare and Contrast graphic organizer is given to guide students. Students will switch to repeat this process with a different “Wordle". Teacher will then lead an all-class discussion, using the overhead projector (or interactive whiteboard) to display and fill in the Compare and Contrast graphic organizer. Students will learn of the different modes of transportation available at the time, as a result of people desiring a faster and safer way to get to the West AND the reasons for people to make this journey.

Group Evaluation Rubric:

Activity 3 - Literature Connection

Trail Mail

Literature: Snowshoe Thompson, by Nancy Smiler Levinson, (Pictures by Joan Sandin) – based on a true story, this book tells of John Thompson, a Norway-born gold miner of Placerville, California in the 1850’s. Being Scandinavian, he was a skier, and saw that mail could still be delivered even when California was cut off from the rest of the country. He became well-known for his heroic trip through the impassable Sierra Nevada Mountains delivering mail and often rescuing lost and half frozen men along the way.

Learning Goal: Students will listen to Snowshoe Thompson and consider how difficult it could be to communicate with loved ones far away during the 1850’s.  Students will write letters to a close family member living far away as if they lived in the 1850’s.  The only mail service available is that by land and students will understand that the letter may not arrive to the recipient, due to weather.

Procedure:
Teacher will talk about letter and card writing during a holiday such as Christmas.  Students will consider that they may have to be away from a loved one at that time. Discuss the feelings they may have. The teacher will read Snowshoe Thompson and carry on a short discussion about the story.  Students will first brainstorm their ideas and topics for their letters. The teacher would review the friendly letter form, and then have students complete rough and final draft letters. Students will share their letters in an inside/outside circle format.

Evaluation Rubric:

Activity 4 - Foldable

Conestoga Cootie Catcher

Learning Goal: 
The students will create “Cootie Catcher” foldables to enhance vocabulary skills after learning about Conestoga wagons. Students will gain an understanding of the type of games or activities that pioneer children participated in, which were simple and could not take up much space in storage in their wagon. Pioneer children, very well, could have make “Cootie Catcher”!

Procedure:
Students will fold paper into “Cootie-Catchers”. Eight vocabulary words and definitions will be “hidden” inside to help students study and quiz themselves and others. A list of vocabulary words with definitions and a diagram of the wagon will be used as a visual aid.
Click here for directions for making a Cootie Catcher
Click here for link for Conestoga Wagon diagram

Vocabulary Words: 

sideboard – wooden boards that line the sides of the wagon bed  
axle – also called the iron skein located at the very center of the wheel; this attaches two wheels together
yoke – also called the neck yoke, the wooden cross piece that attaches to the harness then to the oxen
bonnet – the protective covering over the wagon made of canvas
jockey box – a box often placed on the side or front of the wagon for valuables
hub – the outer part of the axel       
tongue – the long wooden piece that connects the wagon to the yoke
Yankee bed – watertight floor of the wagon that could be floated when crossing deep water
wagon bow – pre-formed bow that held the bonnet over the wagon bed; several were necessary to hold it in place
felly rim – the outermost part of the wheel made of wood but usually clad with metal for durability

Evaluation Rubric:

Activity 5: Internet Technology – Option 1: Websites for Children

The Web’s Best for Trails West

Activity:  Work and Play – Then and Now

Learning Goal:  Using the provided website, students will research and answer the question: What did pioneer children do while on the trails going West? Students will compare their work and play activities to those of the pioneer children. Students will recognize that changes in technology take place through time.

Procedure:
Students will use the graphic organizer to first fill in the work and play activities in which they participate.  Students will log on to the website below and use computer research skills to locate information to answer the same questions for the pioneer children. Students will then compare their lists. The teacher will lead a class discussion on the similarities and differences in work and play habits of children from the 1840’s until today. The need and desire for better, faster and more sophisticated products will be discussed and that technology is always changing.

Click on the first two websites for student research for this activity.

Kid Friendly Websites

http:/library.thinkquest.org/6400/travel.htm
This colorful and easy to navigate site has many questions and answers about pioneer life.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/whmi/educate/kids/kids.htm
This kid-friendly website provides links, activities, crafts, stories and games for pioneer studies.

http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/sodhouse/
This site is from Smithsonian National Museum of American History. There are activities offered like “How to build a sod house”, a typical settlers’ home structure.

http://www.americaslibrary.gov
This Library of Congress website has link choices such as “Today in History”, “America’s Memory” and “America’s Library”.

http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/education/projects/webquests/oregon/t-index.htm
The student page challenges the students to assume a role, and then become a pioneer on the Oregon Trail, making choices along the way.

www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/westwardmovement.htm
Learn what it was like on the different trails heading west. There are links to Oregon and California Trails.

http://eyewitnesstohistory.com/owfrm.htm
Here one can find links to websites with more about Buffalo Hunts, Donner Party, the Gold Rush and more.

http://nevada-history.org
This has a Nevada timeline and many links to just about anything you might want to know about Nevada’s past, including its earliest emigrants.

http://www.onlinenevada.org
There is a lot of information about Nevada counties, historical markers, History and Culture for Kids link, and other website suggestions.

http://www.octa-trails.org
The Oregon-California Trails Association offers a lot of information regarding the trails that came through and around Nevada.

Activity 7 - Student Project

Chautauqua Event

Learning Goal: Students select a figure involved in the Westward Movement. The students will research their person, take notes, and then form a short presentation.

Procedure:
Students collect library books and/or explore internet sites that can provide them with about ten time-line facts and visuals. I provide the students with a Biographical Character Folder, numbered fact cards (index cards) a form for the note cards (included below) and extension lessons once the research is done.
Research note cards should be set up like this.

Once the students have completed ten note cards beginning with birth and ending with death, they write the most interesting piece of information on a separate card. This card will help the student form the opening line of their presentation.  Students complete an artistic representation of their character. Students transfer their “notes” onto an accordion booklet time line. The completed portrait becomes the cover for this booklet. Students imagine the clothing items they would need in order to portray their person. A dress up box is provided and students find at least three items, clothing or props representing their character. A discussion regarding Chautauqua events occurs which includes a talk about characters being considered “still alive” while giving their performance, and how to speak in “First Person”. So the last entry on the time line is omitted for obvious reasons. (Date of death) The project culminates with a rehearsed casual or formal Chautauqua Event.  The use of a microphone and an audience of parents and classmates make this event a wonderful opportunity for improving speaking skills.

Lesson Extensions:

•Students take their completed time line accordion booklets to create a Biographical PowerPoint presentation.
•Students perform for other classes.
•Guest Young Chautauquans are invited to perform at the   school.
•Post photographs of historical Chautauquans to a class bulletin board.  Add photographs to students’ class Memory Books at the end of the year.

 

Websites

http://images.search.yahoo.com

      pioneers
      pioneer families
      westward expansion
      westward movement
 
http://cprr.org/Museum/index.html

http://www.nps.gov/index.htm
 
http://www.octa-trails.org

www.Wordle.net

http:/schoolweb.missouri.edu/poplarbluff.k12.mo.us/lowe/wagondiagram.gif

http:/wikihow.com/Make-a-Cootie-Catcher