Curated OER
Five Utah Indian Tribes
Fourth graders study the five Utah Indian Tribes being able to identify the tribes by name and location.
Curated OER
Making A New Nation
Eighth graders read standard road maps and topographical maps, and examine the lives of pathfinders who opened the trails to the West. They develop Living History presentations, role-playing a character from the past.
Curated OER
Fort at No. 4 History
Young scholars examine the history of Fort No. 4 in New Hampshire before visiting the site. They identify key events and people that occured at the fort as well. They complete questions and teach them to their group.
Curated OER
STORY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH JAPANESE ART
Eighth graders create a story to explain the art object being studied. The story displays students knowledge of writing conventions, elements of a short story, literary conflict, and the use of descriptive text.
Curated OER
Patterns of Settlement in Early Alabama
Fourth graders study the settlement of Alabama. They collect data from the U.S. census website and answer questions regarding settlement patterns in the counties of Alabama in 1820. They write a paagraph describing where they would have...
Curated OER
Oregon City: A Convergence of Endings
Young scholars describe the activities that occurred in the Willamette Valley before the establishment of the Oregon Trail and agricultural settlement and explain the impact that American settlement had on the landscape and native groups...
Curated OER
Maps of Indian Territory, the Dawes Act, and Will Rogers' Enrollment Case File
Students, in groups, analyze one map at a time, first the 1885 map, then the 1891 map. After they have completed the analysis sheets, they compare the two maps and answer questions imbedded in the plan.
Curated OER
Reconstruction Word Search Puzzle
In this social studies learning exercise, students look for the words in the puzzle that are related to the theme of the word search. Spelling skills are worked on.
Curated OER
The Oregon Trail
Students discuss migration and reasons people came across the Oregon trail. Students create a time line of important events along the Oregon trail. A Historical Time Line is included for student use. Students work in small groups to...
Son of the South
Son of the South: Westward Expansion
Discusses the major events and acquisitions in the westward expansion of the United States. Includes Louisiana Purchase, Florida Purchase, Oregon Territory, the Republic of Texas, Gadsden Purchase, etc.
PBS
Wgbh/pbs: Westward Expansion 1860 1890
Many changes across the country during the westward expansion were features that could be captured on a map. Review this map and select characteristics to be illustrated. Characteristics such as population, major cities, railroads, and...
San Diego State University
Sdsu College of Education: Westward Movement
A group of organized lessons provides ideas for teachers when planning a unit on westward expansion in the US. Some activities include planning what to pack in your wagon, learning what obstacles were faced, mapping, and more.
Read Works
Read Works: Westward Expansion Westward Expansion Timeline
[Free Registration/Login Required] A timeline of westward expansion in the United States. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Library of Congress
Loc: Primary Source Set: Westward Expansion Teacher's Guide [Pdf]
As the United States expanded westward, many cultural groups came into contact with one another, such as Native American tribes, Chinese, and various Europeans. In this set of exercises, students use primary source documents to explore...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Contested Territories
This site highlights the westward expansion of settlers in North America and the effects this expansion had on Native Americans between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Westward Expansion, 1790 1850
This interactive map explores the territorial and population changes in the United States between 1790 and 1850. It also covers the beginning of the transportation revolution and the Native American land cessions and forced removals.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Westward Expansion, 1860 1890
In this interactive map, explore several ways in which the United States experienced substantial growth between the years 1860-1890.
Intel Corporation
Intel: Music of the Western Expansion
What was life like for a western pioneer? Students take a journey through westward expansion using music to understand the experience of the pioneers. As they listen to lyrics and analyze the different types of music that was being sung...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Westward Expansion: The Louisiana Purchase
Read about the fortuitous purchase made that doubled the size of the United States. See why Napoleon was willing to sell the land, and find out about the quandary Thomas Jefferson was in as he had to go against his strict construction...
University of Maryland
Howard County History Labs: Westward Expansion
Lesson plan assesses historical thinking skills by providing two primary sources on Thomas Jefferson's views on the constitutionality of the Louisiana Purchase.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History History Unit: Period 6: 1865 1898: Unit Test
This unit practice test from Khan Academy covers Period 6: 1865-1898 in American History. Western expansion, the Gilded Age, and the "New South" are components of this unit test. This resource is designed as a review for the AP US...
Ducksters
Ducksters: History: Timeline of Westward Expansion for Kids
Kids learn the timeline of Westward Expansion of the United States on this site. Follow the timeline of how pioneers and settlers moved west of the Mississippi all the way to California.
Henry J. Sage
Sage American History: Expansion and War: The United States 1840 1860
Article on the era of westward expansion and the resulting Mexican American War. The author demonstrates how Manifest Destiny and frontier settlement led to the annexation of Texas and ultimately war with Mexico over the territory.
Ohio State University
Osu History Teaching Institute: Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion
This lesson looks at ways that the ideology of Manifest Destiny expressed both national political objectives and the goals of ordinary men and women who settled the west.