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Find the Main Idea: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
An excerpt from Willa Cather's O Pioneer's! provides learners with practice in finding the main idea and supporting details in a narrative. As readers record the bleak details on the included graphic organizer, they can conclude that...
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Survival Challenge: Would You Make It?
Students face a challenge. In this survival lesson, students discover the hardships faced by the pioneers who moved west and see if they would survive a similar situation. They discuss essential items they need to survive and...
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Pioneer Life: Food
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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The Donner Party
Who is the Donner Party? Find out why this group of pioneers lives in infamy. A lot of information is provided in this resource, but you will have to copy and paste the text to acquire the handouts. Learners will look at primary sources,...
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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. For this Westward Expansion lesson, students read an Oregon Trail poem and visit 5 different...
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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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Pioneers to Kansas
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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Food Time Line
Fourth graders make a timeline to include the immigrants of 1880-1910. Then, in groups, they research foods consumed, purchase, and serve it to the class.
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Fluency Passages, 3rd Grade
What would it be like to travel in a covered wagon? Learn about the life of a pioneer with a short informational reading passage. Kids read four paragraphs about traveling in a covered wagon and how it is different than traveling today,...
Teacher Printables
My Report Pack for. . .
Here is a handy guide for putting together a research report on birds, or on a selection of other topics (see the added materials.). Individuals are guided to think of three questions about their topic, they narrow down subtopics, use a...
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Frontier Life Story
Students explore American frontier life. In this history instructional activity, students participate in a series of activities that challenge them to discover what pioneer life was really like.
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Whats so Different Between Them
Students evaluate primary sources. In this Westward Expansion lesson, students will write essays that compare and contrast the differences and similarities between pioneers and Native Americans. Students will engage in a wide variety of...
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Long, Long, Ago
Students discover details of pioneer life. In this history lesson, students examine artifacts and play games from pioneer times.
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Occupations of Black Pioneers
Students analyze Black Pioneers in Nova Scotia. They explore the many different occupations and tradtions that were continued in Nova Scotia. They examine their resourcefulness despite the poor opportunities at the time of their...
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You are a Pioneer!
For this pioneer worksheet, students imagine they are pioneers traveling from St. Louis to San Diego, drawing their route on a map, and make a list of the foods and clothing they would take on the trip.
San Francisco Symphony
Quilt Making and Copland's Rodeo
Kids make quilts as they learn about pioneer life and the concept of tempo. The Aaron Copland piece, Rodeo is used to convey rhythm and tempo in music. As the children discuss tempo and rhythm, they also discuss what life was like for...
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Fish and Wildlife in America
Some of the details of the use of wildlife as food and crop resources are given at the beginning of this slideshow. Next, the historical problems with wildlife are explained, as are some mistakes that have been made leading to extinction...
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A Trail Across the Plains
Students discuss how pioneers reached Utah, and create a mural of the pioneer trek with captions explaining what is happening along the trail.
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Through The Looking Glass
Students examine the time period of westward expansion. In groups, they use the internet to research the reasons why people moved west during the 1800s. They write their own narratives playing the role of a member of a pioneer family...
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The History of Maple Syrup
Students explore the process of harvesting maple syrup. In this science and history lesson plan, 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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Able Was I Ere I Saw Elba
Students explore palindromes and try writing some of their own. A second lesson centers around French food and restaurants. They create a business plan and menu for an imaginary French restaurant.
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Breaking News English: British Food Best in the World
In this English worksheet, students read "British Food Best in the World," and then respond to 47 fill in the blank, 7 short answer, 20 matching, and 8 true or false questions about the selection.
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Hunting, Farming and Market Gardening
Learners examine the hunting and farming practices of the Black Pioneer. They identify crops raised by black pioneers, and explore the contribution of children to the success of the family farm. Students explore the importance of...
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Floristic Relay
Fifth graders identify the role succession plays in the adaptation of our environment. Students identify pioneer and climax species and order habitats in succession. They recognize that different characteristics of species make them...