Students examine what it was like to travel west on the Oregon Trail. They develop a list of questions about the trip, explore various websites, and create a story about the experiences of a 19th century family travelling on the Oregon...

Students access the Oregon Trial website to find information on what it was like to experience traveling the Oregon Trial. Then, in groups, they create dioramas depicting events that could have happened along the Oregon Trail.

Young scholars map data on employment in wood products manufacturing in Oregon counties. In this Oregon forest lesson, students discover the percentage of people employed in the forest manufacturing industry. Young scholars create a box...

How did early American pioneers decide what to take with them on their journeys, and what was their traveling experience like? Here you'll find a collection of activities to help you explore Westward Expansion with your young learners.

High schoolers use the newspaper as a tool to make connections about what the five freedoms guarantee in the First Amendment. In this first amendment lesson plan, students analyze events in the newspaper to form conclusions about the...

Fifth graders research a famous person or building associated with Oregon City. In this local history lesson plan, 5th graders work in groups to research and create a poster board about a famous person or building found in Oregon City.

Students examine laws that have benefited the nation in a variety of ways. The congressperson in the legislative branch of the government primarily responsible for the passage of the law and the current representatives are sought in this...

Journal writing can be a fun way to bring history to life. Upper graders read a series of journals from the time of the westward expansion, specifically the pioneer journey along the Oregon Trail. They compose an ongoing journal from the...

It's time to hear about some adventures in travel! The Transcontinental Railroad changed life and travel in the United States during the 1800s. Practicing online research skills, pupils discover the features they would like to visit on...

Film is a wonderful way to communicate any concept or idea. Fifth graders will use IMovie and GarageBand software to create a IMovie about one of eight European explorers. They will chose an explorer, research his travels and life, then...

Students examine immigration. In this Oregon history lesson, students compare and contrast the population patterns of the state in the 1800's and the 1900's.

Students examine democratic values. In this democracy lesson, students research the political systems of Canada, Mexico, and the United States in order to compare and contrast them. Students also discuss domestic and international events...

Learners locate the many forests located in Oregon. In groups, they use the internet to research employment data on wood products made in the state. They discuss how looking at information presented in a different way can change their...

Fourth graders explore the Oregon Trail. For this Oregon Trail lesson, 4th graders collaborate to conduct Internet research regarding states along the Oregon trail route. Students present their findings to their peers.

Students 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.

Students research Native American culture. In this Native Americans lesson, students read the folk tale, The Strongest One and identify the natural resources in the poem. Students participate in a discussion of how Native Americans got...

Eighth graders experience the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this Corps of Discovery lesson, 8th graders research details regarding the expedition in order to complete a classroom project that requires them to create journals that might...

Young scholars examine the conditions that affected the way people settled in the United States. Using maps, they examine the topography and climate of different locations and determine the factors that do and do not allow settlement to...

Students read and write journals to relate to events of the past, in this case the Oregon Trail travels. They watch a video and read journal accounts dealing with the trip to the West as they attempt to keep a journal of what the trip...

Young scholars identify requirements for becoming a U.S. Representative or a U.S. Senator, explain procedure for running for representative or senator, and create an informational brochure.

Students describe the changes undergone by rocks during the rock cycle and develop an understanding of the interconnectedness of the rock cycle.

Third graders explore the landforms and population diversity. They read maps and examine geographic terms. Students create their own map of the United States and answer questions about the location of people. After exploring the map, 3rd...

Students explore the physical geography of Oregon. In groups, students collect weather and elevation information on Oregon. They organize the data and create maps and graphs of the information. Afterward, students compare the...

I Have A Dream ... that after the lesson, all individuals master the reading, writing, researching, listening, and speaking skills the biography project helps them develop. Martin Luther King, Jr. serves as a topic example for a model...