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Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

African American Pioneers in Aviation

For Teachers 6th - 9th Standards
Bessie Coleman. William Powell. Willa Brown. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. While these names may not be familiar to many Americans, they are African American pioneers in aviation history. Class members have an opportunity to research the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Worksheet #79 - American Pioneer

For Students 7th - 8th
In this American pioneer quiz worksheet, students advance their understanding of the early American pioneer days by answering ten fill in the blank questions.
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Unit Plan
Curated OER

Little House on the Prairie

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Hop into a covered wagon and follow Laura Ingalls Wilder through the Midwest. A series of lessons based on Little House on the Prairie encourages young pioneers to see the world through Laura's eyes as they map her journey, discuss the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer America: Pioneer Living

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research pioneer life. For this pioneer lesson, 4th graders read the book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and discuss what life was like for early pioneers. They research pioneers and show what they...
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Lesson Plan
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area

Life as a Pioneer

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Learners examine historical documents and research why early pioneers settled on the Iowa prairie. They review maps, describe the impact of railroading, describe life in pioneer times, and identify the effects of drought, prairie fire,...
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Lesson Plan
PBS

African-Americans in the American West

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Secondary learners explore the westward movement of African Americans. Segmented into four time periods, the lesson provides an overview of how African Americans experienced westward expansion. Learners view PBS specials on the westward...
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Activity
HISTORY Channel

Westward Expansion of the United States

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
How did early American pioneers decide what to take with them on their journeys, and what was their traveling experience like? Here you'll find a collection of activities to help you explore Westward Expansion with your young learners.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer America: Journey West

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders experience pioneer life on the Oregon trail. In this pioneer instructional activity, 4th graders research the reasons for moving west and what life was like on the trail. They create a map, complete an oral presentation,...
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Unit Plan
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Scholastic

The Flight of Amelia Earhart Teaching Guide

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
Amelia Earhart's accomplishments and strength of character extend beyond her status as one of the first female aviators in America. Elementary and middle schoolers learn about Earhart's early life and the historical context surrounding...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer Life: Food

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students investigate the types of food the pioneers ate, and how they prepared and preserved their meals. They explore websites, view video diaries from PBS Frontier Life, read recipes, and complete a crossword puzzle.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Melba Pattillo and Ruby Bridges: Two Heroes of School Integration

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners put themselves in the shoes of young scholars who integrated Little Rock High School in 1957-58. Note: The primary resources in this activity provide powerful and poignant descriptions of what those students faced.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Cotton Gin

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are introduced to an early American inventor, Eli Whitney, and his experiences with the Patent Office. The economic importance of the cotton gin and its impact on slavery are also addressed.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The History of Maple Syrup

For Teachers K - 3rd
Learners explore the process of harvesting maple syrup. In this science and history lesson, students make their own maple syrup and create a picture book that shows the Native American and American pioneer methods of making the syrup.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer Women of Florida's Frontier

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders read the passage, "Florida's Fabulous Frontier Females" and write two narrative essays, one expository, using examples of differences in life in Florida during frontier times and today. They then complete one descriptive...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneers to Kansas

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate items for basic survival, needed for survival, and luxury items. They compare what they need to what Indians and Pioneers needed in the 1700's and 1800's.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 6: Native Americans in the West

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students recall their knowledge of Native American people who lived in the West and reflect on how their perspectives differed from pioneers and argonauts of the 19th century.
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Stamp Stories of Westward Expansion

For Teachers 4th - 7th Standards
What a fantastic project idea for discussing not only the history of America's expansion into the West, but for reviewing any major unit of history in your class. Pupils build stamp collections to visually represent themes of the unit,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Las Vegas Mormon Fort

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Young scholars use maps, readings, letters, photos and drawings to identify why Mormons came to the Las Vegas area and what they hoped to accomplish by establishing an outpost. They consider the roles of early women pioneers and outline...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Going West

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students examine the lives of early pioneers who traveled west for better opportunities. They listen to story "Josafina and the Story Quilt", and discuss hardships encountered by traveling families. Students then complete research and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

At Home On The Range

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students explore the history and domestication of the Bovidae family and their importance to our prairie ecosystem. Using a map of the United States, students located the American Great Plains. They complete worksheets and discuss...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering the Oregon Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore U.S. history by researching the Oregon Trail. In this American exploration lesson, students read the story On the Shore of the River and define the exact path early settlers took to find the state of Oregon. Students...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer Homes

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students compare and contrast Native American dwellings with pioneer homes. They identify the progression of these homes and locate examples on a frontier map.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Myth and the Reality: Pioneering in the Midwest

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students examine the myth and reality of settlement in the Upper Midwest during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arkansas Black Pioneers: A History of African-American Colonies in Arkansas

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students research regions of early Arkansas as they relate to African American colonies in Arkansas after the Civil War. They discuss the characteristics of the regions, view a Powerpoint presentation, and write reflective journals.