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Pioneer Values in Willa Cather's My Antonia
Included in this resource are a variety of activities to do while reading Willa Cather's My Antonia. The activities, which range from mapping out Nebraska to writing activities about pioneer living, are all designed with one...
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Life as a Pioneer
Learners examine historical documents and research why early pioneers settled on the Iowa prairie.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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Go, West, Pack Light!
Students investigate the hardships related to pioneer life and the Wagon Train. They listen to an excerpt from the book "Little House on the Prairie," and discuss the hardships faced by pioneers travelling west. In small groups...
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Frontier Life Story
Students undertake a similar (but not quite as drastic) adventure as that of Frontier House as they explore the day-to-day realities of frontier life through a Laura Ingalls Wilder story, and reflect on which time period suits them...
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Pioneering Children on the Move
Learners inquire about life for pioneer children. In this pioneer period lesson, students analyze photographs of children, make information foldables, and create a covered wagon that was typical of the ones of the past. Learners will...
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A Picture is Worth...
Students use their photo analysis skills to gain an understanding of what pioneer life in Canada may have been like by examining historical photos. Students are then given an opportunity to present their findings to the class in a...
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Pioneer Women of Florida's Frontier
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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Family Life
Students investigate the lives of families in two different centuries. They compare the 1600's to the 1800's. Students write an essay about the differences and how they developed in history. Special attention is paid to the external...
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Going West
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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Pioneers On and Off the Prairie- Willa Cather and Mary Cassatt
Students examine the written work of Willa Cather and the impressionist art of Mary Cassatt. They describe parallels in the lives and work of both women and creat a Powerpoint presentation.
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Taming the Frontier
Students examine paintings by Thomas Cole and Jasper Francis Cropsey as windows into American frontier life. They consider the pioneer's relationship with nature and the role of Native Americans in the pioneer's lives and settlements.
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Webquest - Westward Ho!
Learners investigate life on the trail West. In this Oregon Trail instructional activity, students collaborate to research the pioneer life and then role play a family's life on the trail. Learners author an essay regarding their...
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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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The arly Suffragists
Students explore the suffragist movement through this futuristic lesson about the loss and creation of a commemorative stamp to honor a women's Suffrage Pioneer. The lesson takes us to 2080 and back to the 1800's to complete the tasks.
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Adventure Writing: Oregon's Landscape as a Setting
Students identify geographical features of different regions encountered by migrants on the Oregon trail. Students research how the Oregon landscape may have affected life and 19th century westward migration. Students write a narrative...
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Immigration and American Life on African-Americans
Students examine how human migration started in Africa, and draw maps of Africa and place the names of the countries and capitals on the maps. They write essays on how Africans came to America.
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Those Before Us
Learners examine medical pioneers and identify their characteristics. They survey their contributions to the medical field and society and present persuasive argument for or against modern medical pioneers.
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The People of Kansas: Who Are They and Why Are They Here?
Students examine the settlement patterns of the Kansas Territory. In this Kansas history instructional activity, students analyze primary documents from the pioneers in the territory. Students write letters or perform skits that feature...
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Roughing It in the Backwoods
Students have the opportunity to practice research and essay-writing skills using primary and secondary source materials. They explore aspects of early settlers' lives in the backwoods of Upper Canada.
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Oregon Trail Art
Learners describe events that happened on the Oregon Trail and in the daily lives of Native Americans by writing a narrative essay of a family traveling through Nebraska based on Thomas Hart Benton's paintings.
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Succession in the Classroom
Students investigate their environment by growing plants in class. In this botany activity, students discuss the lifespan of plants and animals and how they must be cared for continuously over time. Students grow a plant in...
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Who are the Women of the Pacific North West: 1830-1870?
Students view a picture from the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and discuss the people in the picture. They locate Cromwell's Map and discuss the villages located close to Fort Vancouver. Students read information regarding the role...
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Westward Expansion: The American Indian Experience
Students complete a brief presentation documenting the life of an American Indian. In class, students discuss the pros and cons of placing American Indians on a reservation. After their discussion, students choose a issue in Native...
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Centennial: Simple Gifts...Personal Contributions To Utah
Fourth graders consider how the concept of giving can affect a society for the better. They read various essays on giving and examine obituaries to highlight individuals who contributed to society over the course of their lives.