Curated OER
Making a Brand for Ourselves the "Cowboy" Way
Fourth graders research the history of Utah. Students explore westward expansion and the importance of ranching in Utah's history. Students also investigate cattle drives in Utah.
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Out in the Middle of Nowhere: Inevitable Lifestyle Changes
Eleventh graders examine the interaction between Utah's geography and its inhabitants. They explain how looking at cause/effect relationships is an example of historical thinking.
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Curiosity Drives Change: Early Pioneers' Sense of Disc
Fifth graders examine the journals of some of the earliest pioneers in Utah. They discover the attitudes of pioneer living and summarize what they have learned.
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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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Desert Dynamics
Fourth graders examine the various types of plants and animals found in the deserts of Utah. In groups, they discover how the plants and animals have adapted to the harsh environment. To end the activity, they compare and contrast the...
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Heritage: What if the Mormons had not come to Utah?
Fourth graders use critical thinking, evaluation, and geography skills to find alternative locations that Brigham Young could have taken the Mormons to settle. They present their findings to Brigham Young and the class with a short...
Curated OER
Las Vegas Mormon Fort
Learners 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 their...
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Salt Lake City, Utah
Students research the history of the Salt Lake City. In this geography lesson, students select an activity in Salt Lake City to research, such as snow skiing. Students write a research report.
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Mystery State #5
In this mystery state learning exercise, students answer five clues to identify the state in question. They then locate that state on a map.
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Westward Expansion
Eighth graders explore the components of the Westward Movement in the United States. Understanding the past and the linkages it has to the present is the intended goal of this seventeen day unit.
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Handcarts - A Unique Form of Transportation
Fourth graders research the use of handcarts as a form of transportation for mid-19th century Mormon pioneers. They write mathematical story problems about this unique form of transportation and incorporate their researched data.
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Grasshopper Plague
Students study grasshoppers and Mormon crickets by visiting website to view images and listen to sound. They research the issue of serious insect infestation. They read about students who eat the insects as snacks and read insect recipes.
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Pushing the Boundaries: The Pioneer Spirit
Eleventh graders recognize how social reform occurred at the turn of the century. Through a debate, 11th graders determine advantages and drawbacks of traveling west using original sources and descriptions of the attitudes, beliefs, and...
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Holiday Celebrations
Fourth graders explore three cultural holidays and compare and contrast the ways varied cultural groups celebrate their heritage. They participate in activities that promote cultural understanding and good citizenship.
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Map Scale and the Pioneer Journey
Fourth graders use a map, ruler and calculato to determine the distance the pioneers traveled from Nauvoo, Ill. to the Salt Lake Valley.
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Bryce Canyon National Park: Hoodoos Cast Their Spell (64)
Students explore the natural wonders of this once remote area in Utah and explore how it became a popular tourist destination in the early 20th century. They examine how the region was used by Mormon settlers, scientists and the government.
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Desert Dynamics
Students investigate the plants and animals found in Utah deserts and how these organisms have adapted to their environment. They brainstorm ways that desert plants are different from or similar to wetland plants.
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Bison on the Plains
Fifth graders explore U.S. geography by reading assigned text about American Indians. In this migration lesson, 5th graders identify the differences between Native Americans and European settlers who traveled through middle America in...
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Narrative Prompt
Reading about history is nothing like experiencing it firsthand. Encourage your eighth graders to do the next best thing with a historical narrative prompt, in which they describe the experience of a first-time traveler on the...
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The History of The Cyclorama and Moving Panorama
Here is a lesson designed to acquaint learners with two amazing forms of entertainment from the 19th century: The Cyclorama and the Moving Panorama. After seeing what these two contraptions were all about, pupils make their own version...
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Manifest Destiny
In this United States history worksheet, students utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions pertaining to Manifest Destiny. A short answer question is included as well.
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From a New Nation to a Divided Nation
Quiz your students or prepare them for the big exam with this presentation. Included are 24 multiple choice questions related to Early American Government, The Colonial Period, Westward Expansion, and State Formation.
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Cricket Wars
Learners investigate crickets in their habitat. In this insect lesson, students create a cricket habitat by using a glass jar with grass clippings and cloth. Learners observe how crickets interact with each other and their eating habits.
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Baa, Ram, Ewe....Sheep Tales
Students compare real and make believe animal behaviors by drawing and comparing them. In this real and make believe animals lesson plan, students compare the animal behaviors, express how colors create a mood in artwork, and investigate...