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The State of Mormonism
Pupils investigate the history of Mormonism and how this religion has shaped Utah's identity. They explore various websites, answer discussion questions, take a virtual tour of the Mormon Trail, and read newspaper articles about Mormonism.
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The Mormon Trail and Native Americans
Fifth graders identify the American Indian tribes who lived in the lands that the Mormon Trail went through. They investigate and describe the impact of western expansion on the American Indians.
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Mormon Era
Students learn the history of the Mormons and are able to explore items made during the Mormon era by creating their own by hand. In this Mormon Era lesson, students create covered wagons, can lanterns, candles and sourdough bread as...
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Raising the Mormon Battalion
Ninth graders simulate (role play) some of the original emotional responses to this request for soldiers. They list and evaluate reasons for and against creating the Mormon Battalion. They justify their own decision under such...
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The Mormon Trail Through Iowa
Young scholars read selections from travel diaries and create their own travel diary. In this Mormon Trail through Iowa lesson, students discover background of the Mormon Trek of 1846 and discuss how a group may be persecuted for...
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Oral Assessment Plan
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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the Effects of Differing Cultures on the Mormon Trail
Fourth graders, in groups, simulate some of the hardships the settlers faced on the Mormon Trail, particularly those problems caused by communication difficulties. They discuss budgets and provision planning with group members and keep...
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Western Expansion and Native Americans
Fifth graders research the Oregon, Old Spanish, California, and Mormon trails, and the impact western expansion had on the Native Americans living on those lands.
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Era of Self-Sufficiency - Pre-1890
Students investigate the relationship between physical geography and Utah's settlement. In this Utah land lesson, students view a PowerPoint about Utah land and work in groups to answer questions about the uniqueness of Utah's Mormon...
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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.
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Westmoreland Trail
Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the Westward expansion of the U.S. They play the computer game, Oregon Trail III, read primary source documents, conduct Internet research, write diary entries from the pioneer viewpoint, and...
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Las Vegas Mormon Fort
Students 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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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...
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Cycles of Change and Growth in the Mormon Trek: Contra
Fifth graders examine the contributions of Native American Indians, explorers, and Utah's pioneers. They play a "what if" game to illustrate cause and effect.
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Handcarts - A Unique Form of Transportation
An interesting historical fact about how handcarts benefitted to the Mormon pioneers is the context behind this math lesson. Using given facts and figures regarding the handcart, pupil pairs create math word problems, share them with the...
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Townsite Era
Students learn about the Townsite Era and are able to explore who they were and how they lived at that time. In this Townsite Era students create their own map of the Loma Linda are, design their own community and use a computer...
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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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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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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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Pioneer Currency in Utah: Have you got change for 5?
Eleventh graders examine why pioneer society needed a uniform medium of exchange -- not so much among themselves, but for use with non-Mormon suppliers and California immigrants.
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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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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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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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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.