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Lonesome Linda
Students analyze the create of Loma Linda. In this Western expansion activity, students look at the development of a resort in the desert and how a town is begun.
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Pioneer Perspectives-Diverse Opinions on Westward Migration
Students examine the Westward Migration and expansion of the United States from the perspective of a family migrating westward. They analyze pictures, and in small groups write and present a script based on a photograph, expressing the...
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Westward Expansion: The American Indian Experience
Students complete a brief presentation documenting the life of an American Indian. In class, students discuss the pros and cons of placing American Indians on a reservation. After their discussion, students choose a issue in Native...
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Westward Expansion: Chief Joseph's Words Of Surrender
Students explore westward expansion in the United States as it relates to Native Americans and the novel Holes. Students read a passage from Holes and discuss how westward expansion affected the Native Americans. Students compare and...
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The Western Migration Lesson Plan
Students examine the western migration in the United States in the early 19th century and identify the factors that caused the migration as well as how government adapted to meet the needs of an expanding country.
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Westward Expansion & Manifest Destiny (5)
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 12 matching questions regarding Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny. Students may check their answers immediately.
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First Nations vs. Euro-Americans
Students analyze primary and secondary source documents to help them describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among the American Indians and new settlers. Then, students analyze the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives...
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Westward Expansion
Fifth graders create a brochure outlining what he or she has studied throughout the unit. The brochure contains evidence that Students have understood and mastered the answers to the essential questions.
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America Moves Out!
First graders analyze the events of early American exploration. This is a unit resource for teachers in which there are six lessons about the American Western exploration and expansion. Within each lesson there are objectives, materials,...
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Trails West Map
In this United States historical map worksheet, students examine the trails that settlers of the Western United States took during the period of Western Expansion.
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Exploring Pioneer America
Fourth graders research pioneers who had a strong influence on westward expansion. In this westward expansion lesson, 4th graders write an essay about four pioneers and an interview script about one. Students work in pairs to present...
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The Wild, Wild West, or Was It?
Fifth graders explore the American West. In this Westward Expansion lesson, 5th graders examine the opportunities that the West offered American pioneers. Students watch a montage video and analyze primary documents regarding the topic.
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Deep Roots of Ancient Greece
Students investigate Greek contributions to modern America. In this ancient Greek influence lesson, students watch videos, listen to lectures, and conduct research regarding ancient Greek ideals in order to analyze and trace Greek...
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Analysis of the Diary of Narcissa Whitman
Seventh graders explore the West through the eyes of a settler. In this Westward Expansion lesson, 7th graders read excerpts from the diary of Narcissa Whitman as she journeyed West from Pennsylvania. Students respond to critical...
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Moving West
Students research the Westward Movement and struggles encountered by the pioneers as they moved from Nebraska, Westward along the Oregon Trail. In this Westward Expansion lesson plan, students read an Oregon Trail poem and visit 5...
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Indian Removal to the Great American Desert
Seventh graders examine American policies to relocate Native Americans. In this Native American history lesson, 7th graders determine why Native Americans were relocated and investigate their response to the policies as they analyze...
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Transcontinental Railroad
Eleventh graders explain the development of the American West following the Civil War. They also explore the Homestead Act of 1862 and the Pacific Railway Act of 1862. They also participate in a simulation about the American West.
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Keeping the Home Fires: The lives of Western women
Fourth graders explore the various trails that settlers took West from Missouri. They examine the reasons that people took these trails as well as the kind of people who made the journeys. They examine the Oregon, the Mormon, the Santa...
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African Americans and the Move West
Students examine the phases of westward migration in the United States during the 19th century focusing on the incentives that led many African Americans to make the move.
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Voluntary Movement or Not? Africian-American Movement to the West
Ninth graders, in groups, determine reasons for African-American migration to the west
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Photography and the National Park Service
During the 1800s the United States was expanding westward; land was there for the taking. Kids explore how some early photographers used their photography to influenced the US Congress to save areas like Mirror Lake. They complete a...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Settlement of Frontier Alabama
What comes to mind when the class imagines settlers traveling out West? The instructional activity teaches pupils about the western frontier of Alabama and what life was like for people traveling West—in wagons with few possessions....
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Guardians of the West
Eighth graders discover the role of American buffalo in Westward Expansion. In this Westward Expansion lesson, 8th graders examine primary and secondary sources in order to create a cause and effect chart that features the treatment of...
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Westward Ho
Middle schoolers examine primary sources regarding Western migration. In this Manifest Destiny lesson, students determine why the pioneers moved west and what the trip was like as they examine sources and write journals based on their...