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Lesson Plan
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Wagons Ho! Hard Times! Hard Choices!

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

Quilting - A Pioneer Craft

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore quilting in pioneer families. In this quilting activity, 5th graders review the history of quilts, the role of women, and quilting patterns. They create their own pattern and quilt square.  
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Lesson Plan
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Pioneering Children on the Move

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students inquire about life for pioneer children. In this pioneer period lesson plan, students analyze photographs of children, make information foldables, and create a covered wagon that was typical of the ones of the past. Students...
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Lesson Plan
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Exploring Pioneer America

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research pioneers who had a strong influence on westward expansion. In this westward expansion lesson, 4th graders write an essay about four pioneers and an interview script about one. Students work in pairs to present...
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Lesson Plan
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Pioneer Scramble

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the concept of Manifest Destiny. In this Westward Movement lesson, students study why Americans emigrated west in the 1840s and 1850s. Students create interactive timelines, write exploration reports, and complete an art...
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Lesson Plan
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Keeping the Pioneers Warm

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to some of the history and background of the art of quilt making by 19th century pioneer women. They use tagboard shapes to design, construct and display quilt squares.
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Lesson Plan
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The Heritage of a Pioneer Quilt

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students discuss and view how the first quilts were made. They compare modern quilts to ones of the past. They create a quilt pattern by using math and creative thinking.
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Lesson Plan
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Making Corn-Husk Dolls

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders create corn husk dolls. In this pioneers lesson plan, 2nd graders use corn husks, thread, scissors and simple cloth to create corn husk dolls. They discuss how the pioneer children used these toys, this discussion is...
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Lesson Plan
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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
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Taming the Frontier

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Going West

For Teachers K - 2nd
Now this sounds like a fun lesson! Youngsters learn about pioneer life and the Westward Movement. First, they listen to the Copland's "Appalachian Spring," and then they discuss the elements of music found in the piece. They get into...
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Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

Quilt Making and Copland's Rodeo

For Teachers K - 2nd
Kids make quilts as they learn about pioneer life and the concept of tempo. The Aaron Copland piece, Rodeo is used to convey rhythm and tempo in music. As the children discuss tempo and rhythm, they also discuss what life was like for...
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Lesson Plan
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Wow! What A Hat!

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students examine and discuss the headwear of the pioneers. They design and create their own pioneer hat using the natural materials that were available to the pioneers. They present and discuss their hat to the class.
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Lesson Plan
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Heritage: For Some Must Push and Some Must Pull

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discuss modes of transportation of pioneers, listen to one of the handcart stories, build model handcart out of paper, and sing 'The Handcart Song.'
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Lesson Plan
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Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement instructional activity, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period....
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Lesson Plan
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Beisbol! Latino Baseball Pioneers and Legends

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students explore Latin America by researching the favorite past time, baseball. In this Latin culture lesson plan, students identify the leaders in the Latin American baseball movement such as Felipe Alou, Jose Mendze, and the great...
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Lesson Plan
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Rock Pioneers

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students explore geology by participating in a field trip exercise. For this rock analysis lesson, students discuss rock formations and how water moves rocks according to the tide. Students conduct a tide activity by marking a rock of...
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Lesson Plan
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Pioneers On and Off the Prairie- Willa Cather and Mary Cassatt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Lesson Plan
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Singing Around the Campfire

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders sing a pioneer song, "The Handcart Song," with correct pitch, rhythm and dynamics
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Lesson Plan
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Plant Dye Paints

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students create original paintings using natural dye techniques used in the past in this Art lesson about paint colors. The lesson may be supplemented with information about pioneers, or ancient civilizations, and how paints were made...
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Lesson Plan
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The Lure of The West

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Here is a fabulous series of lesson plans on four of the most celebrated artists of the Old Western period in American history. Learners study the works of Charles King, George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran. The pack is...
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Lesson Plan
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Bill Pickett, Bulldoggin' Cowboy

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Who was Bill Picket? Interested readers work through an informational passage to find out about a famous "bulldogger" from the old West. They answer several reading comprehension questions and use a seven step process to decode new...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson: Ginger Brooks Takahashi: Powerstich: A Forum for Community-Building

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This is a great way to build community in your school, experience process-based art, and explore the critical-thinking process. While quilting as a class collectively (just like a quilting bee) pupils listen to poetry and prose of a...

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