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...

Students investigate the types of food the pioneers ate, and how they prepared and preserved their meals. They explore websites, view video diaries from PBS Frontier Life, read recipes, and complete a crossword puzzle.

An excerpt from Willa Cather's O Pioneer's! provides learners with practice in finding the main idea and supporting details in a narrative. As readers record the bleak details on the included graphic organizer, they can conclude that...

Students explore American frontier life. In this history lesson, students participate in a series of activities that challenge them to discover what pioneer life was really like.

Sometimes conservationists use specific plants to prevent erosion or fight invasive species. A 50-slide presentation covers both nonvascular and vascular plants. It discusses the plants, their stages and life cycles, reproduction, uses,...

Students face a challenge. For 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...

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...

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,...

Students discover details of pioneer life. In this history lesson plan, students examine artifacts and play games from pioneer times.

Learners 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...

Explore non-fiction comprehension strategies with your class. They will visualize daily activities and label a 4 circle Venn diagram with related phrases. They must identify the overlapping sections as "main ideas," then complete a...

In this communities worksheet, students will look at the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors and the effect these factors have on organism populations. Students will also order the succession steps that occur over time in an...

What would it be like to travel in a covered wagon? Learn about the life of a pioneer with a short informational reading passage. Kids read four paragraphs about traveling in a covered wagon and how it is different than traveling today,...

Young scholars learn that heredity comes down to the flip of a coin with this cross-curricular math and science lesson. Using smiley faces as a model, young scholars toss coins to determine which dominant or recessive...

In this healthy heart nutrition worksheet, students substitute heart-healthy foods for the high cholesterol choices shown. The purpose is to encourage nutritious choices.

Young scholars compare the living conditions in Arkansas when it was a territory with contemporary times. They participate in a role play activities of the territorial times.

Learners analyze Black Pioneers in Nova Scotia. They explore the many different occupations and tradtions that were continued in Nova Scotia. They examine their resourcefulness despite the poor opportunities at the time of their...

Fourth graders are introduced to the hunting and gathering techniques used by the Native American tribes living in the region that is now Utah. They prepare a role-play of hunting and gathering appropriate to specific geographical areas.

Learners examine the time period of westward expansion. In groups, they use the internet to research the reasons why people moved west during the 1800s. They write their own narratives playing the role of a member of a pioneer family...

First graders investigate the concept of play and work. They use primary and secondary resources in order to find the information of comparing the concepts in the context of the past to present day. Students brainstorm to find the...

High schoolers research the history of the Meals on Wheels program. Using the internet, they discover their community's connection with the program and other programs similar to them. They discuss options in which to help more...

Learners engage in a study of apples using children's literature. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Student list facts about apples and compare them while answering some guided questions. They plant some apple seeds and...

Fifth graders identify the role succession plays in the adaptation of our environment. Students identify pioneer and climax species and order habitats in succession. They recognize that different characteristics of species make them...

Sixth graders work in small groups to organize a wagon train for a trek westward. They determine leadership responsibilities and rules needed to make a successful trek.