Transcontinental Railroad Teacher Resources

The move West was greatly effected by the first transcontinental railroad. Present your class with well-organized information regarding major causes, players, and effects the railroad had on the face of an expanding America. Note: A...

Middle schoolers examine aspects of the Transcontinental Railroad. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students conduct a web-quest in order to gather information about the Transcontinental Railroad. Middle schoolers will use their...

Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Western Expansion lesson, students conduct research to find out how the Transcontinental Railroad fueled territorial expansion in the United...

Who built the Transcontinental Railroad and why was it important? Your class can learn about the laying down of these tracks by reading a short passage. Pupils then respond to five questions related to the text.

Students participation in a simulation of laying the track of Transcontinental Railroad starting from three different locations. They use toothpicks and coffee stirrers to build the rails. They evaluate which group laid the most track...

Get your class working on the railroad with this detailed and interactive lesson. After reading and discussing Ten Mile Day, learners explore division of labor, human capital, and productivity with a hands-on group activity in which they...

Fourth graders examine the challenges faced by the work crews that constructed the first transcontinental railroad. They read and discuss text and illustrations, role-play jobs and the difficulties faced by the railroad workers, write a...

In this reading comprehension and writing exercise worksheet, students read a 1 paragraph selection about the Transcontinental Railroad then respond to 1 short answer question pertaining to views of the Native Americans.

In this American railroads worksheet, high schoolers respond to 22 fill in the blank questions about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The Chinese Exclusion Act was the first race-based restriction on immigration in American history. Why was the act passed after Chinese immigrants helped build the Transcontinental Railroad? A series of documents, including speeches and...

Seventh graders explore the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad.  In this American History lesson, 7th graders create a map of where the railroad existed.  Students present their projects to class.  

Sixth graders explore the American West. In this American history lesson, 6th graders use propaganda to create a poster advertising the use of the Transcontinental Railroad to head West.

Once your historians are ready to take a test on the western frontier, give them a study guide like this to help them prepare. Although this guide is fairly specific, you can easily use it as an outline for your own (or to guide your...

New ReviewExamine a time of political division and upheaval— not unlike our own—using firsthand accounts. While study of the Civil War often takes center stage in the classroom, the 1850s and 1860s were a period of profound change in other areas...

New ReviewWhat do Abraham Lincoln and the Transcontinental Railroad have in common? Using a set of primary source documents, including pictures, maps, and treaties, class members link together the common themes of expansion into the American West....

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Sixth graders research the history of the transcontinental railroad. They use advertising propaganda techniques to design and create a poster encouraging people to explore the West by rail.

Fourth graders study the lasting influence of the Pony Express, Overland Mail Service, Western Union, and the building of the transcontinental railroad, including the contributions of Chinese workers to its construction. They explore the...

Learners stop action and determine how history may have been altered. In this historical perspectives lesson, students consider how the Cherokee Removal, the Transcontinental Railroad, the Immigration Act of 1924, and the dropping of the...

If you build it they can come. After reading a short article about the impact of western expansion, middle schoolers cite evidence from the article to explain how this expansion forced changes in transportation.

Eighth graders study the lives of cowboys and Indians during the time of Western Expansion.  For this American History lesson, 8th graders analyze various posters dealing with the Industrial Revolution and Westward Expansion.  Students...

Grab the popcorn and take a seat for a Hollywood premier! Eighth graders grasp the concepts behind Westward Expansion and create engaging videos by working through a set of 18 engaging tasks. They also hone their technology, social...

Pupils examine the various roles Washington Irving had in his lifetime. Examining the situation in Europe and the United States, they are encouraged to relate Irving's experiences to different events. They examine themselves in many ways...

Students investigate the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. For this Chinese immigration activity, students study evidence and develop hypotheses about reasons for Chinese immigration and exclusion. Students use a timeline and graphic...