Westerns Lesson Plans

Students analyze transportation systems. In this West Virginia history lesson, students research Internet and print sources to determine how transportation systems prompted western expansion in the state. Students create posters that feature their findings.

Pupils investigate Islamic cultural influence in western civilization. They locate cities whose names have originated from Arabic influence. They locate in their community examples of Islamic architecture and art.

Tenth graders examine climate data for various sites in the western United States. Using the internet, they investigate an ecosystem using the tools of an ecologist. They compare climate changes and how it affects the migration patterns of the Tundra Swan

Students create a weather report for their state. They explore weather information about the United States and other areas of the Western Hemisphere and present their weather reports to the class.

Students study the process of consensus and the value of studying history as we try to craft a more perfect society. They examine President Franklin D. Roosevelt's decision to incarcerate Japanese Americans in the Western United States, and discuss whether this was an appropriate use of an executive order.

Students explore characteristics of Indian Tales/ Parables. In this literature lesson, students compare contemporary society to western culture through analysis. Students create their own tales using this genre.

Learners explore how Jesus was a simple carpenter, yet His words transformed the course of Western Civilization. From his birth in Bethlehem to His final days and crucifixion.

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 Gold Rush and immigration.

Eleventh graders demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the western settlement patterns on American Indians. They analyze the growth and division of the United States from 1820 through 1877 and examine the non-Indian concept of land ownership and desire for precious metals.

Students compare and contrast traditional Chinese and contemporary Western approaches to medicine. They bring a rational and scientific approach to the evaluation of alternative medicines. They study acupuncture from a Chinese and Western perspective.