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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Survival Challenge: Would You Make It?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wagons Ho! Hard Times! Hard Choices!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
You have just hit the lesson plan jackpot! This isn't just a lesson plan, it's a ten-day unit covering westward expansion, pioneer life, and the Oregon Trail. Activities include baking, model building, role-play, newspaper writing,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Look Through My Antonia's Eyes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Thoroughly delve into My Antonia by Willa Cather with a plethora of activities. Engage scholars with videos and web sites in this week-long unit that explains the historical context and creates pioneers in the field of research. An...
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Study Guide
Penguin Books

A Teacher's Guide to the Signet Classics Edition of Willa Cather's My Ántonia

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Willa Cather's My Antonia might seem like a hard sell for today's teen readers. Rather than dramatic plot twists, trysts, and terrors, the novel celebrates the pioneer spirit that lead immigrants to a small Nebraska town. The Signet...
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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
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media

Westward Expansion: Image and Reality

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
As your young historians study Westward Expansion, practice in-depth primary source analysis with the documents and guidelines presented in this resource. They will examine a lithograph and excerpts from two letters written by a Nebraska...
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Activity
Smarter Balanced

American West in the 1800s

For Teachers 8th - 12th
To establish a context for an assessment or a study of pioneers and the American frontier in the 1800s, groups examine photos and record observations about clothing, housing, and travel.
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Printables
Teacher Printables

My Report Pack for. . .

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mountain Vista

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students participate in a role play activity in which they play an American pioneer moving west. During the role play, they select an occupation and a town to live in. In groups, they use a map to determine the best route to arrive to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wagons West!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The first pioneers faced many obstacles on their journey west. Middle schoolers read different historical fiction texts (ideas are provided), make connections, and complete a detailed packet (included). Reading guides, journal ideas, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Donner Party

For Teachers 3rd
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sodbusters!

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students study American settlers, how and where they lived by observing images. They investigate how the settlers used sod to build houses that were adaptable to the plains environment. They compare living in a sod homes with their home.
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Organizer
Polk Bros Foundation

Topic Report Learning Organizer

For Teachers 3rd - 10th Standards
If you'd like to quickly access a simple graphic organizer designed for a class to divide and conquer a larger subject, then check out this resource. Assign class members to study a specific topic within a historical theme or event, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moving West With Pioneers

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders read a book written by Laura Ingalls Wilder to examine the hardships that were endured by pioneers traveling during the Westward Expansion of the US. They predict, summarize and participate in literature circles. They visit...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Westward Expansion

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students locate California and New York on a map and explore available means of travel in the 19th century. Students explore the role of trade in pioneer America and simulate various barter transactions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer America: Pioneer Living

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research pioneer life. In this pioneer instructional activity, 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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oral Assessment Plan

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students practice active listening skills.  In this literacy and U.S. history lesson, students predict the hardships pioneers using the Mormon Trail might have faced. Students view the movie "Children of the Wagon Train," then confirm or...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer Problems

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create number sentences for a given word problem. In this word problem instructional activity, students read word problems, create a number sentence, then work the problems and give an answer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Firsts from Aboriginal Peoples to Pioneers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine Aboriginal people of the Americas. In this history lesson, students make connections between their own lives and those of Aboriginal people. Students engage in a 'talking circle' and use storytelling as a mode of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moving West

For Teachers 1st - 5th
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, students read an Oregon Trail poem and visit 5 different...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Johnny Appleseed

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate Johnny Appleseed.  In this cross curriculum literacy and U.S. history lesson, students listen to Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg, and dictate important events in his life as the teacher writes them on index...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Look Through My Antonia's Eyes

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars explore life as a pioneer in the late 1890's. In this appreciation of history instructional activity, students read excerpts from My Antonia. Young scholars create presentations about life and culture in Nebraska. ...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Life in a Sod House: Get a Sense of It

For Students 3rd - 12th
In this history of Nebraska worksheet, students read information about pioneer life in a sod house.  Students conduct 4 experiments where they use measurement skills and observational skills to imagine the size, light levels, smell of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Wild, Wild West, or Was It?

For Teachers 5th
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.