Be a River Pioneer!

Judge Learned Hand's "Spirit of Liberty" speech delivered during the July, 1944 "I Am an American Day" celebration is the subject of a close reading activity that models for learners how to approach a dense, difficult text.

What an exceptional hands-on experience for learning about the period of Westward Expansion in the United States! Learners are divided into groups and embark on one of three "trails" to learn about the challenges early pioneers...

Students face a challenge. In this survival activity, 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...

To establish a context for an assessment or a study of pioneers and the American frontier in the 1800s, groups examine photos and record observations about clothing, housing, and travel.

What's the difference between a diary and a memoir? Young historians explore the ramifications of this question as they learn how to use primary source materials to gain an understanding of life on the Texas frontier.

The first pioneers faced many obstacles on their journey west. Middle schoolers read different historical fiction texts (ideas are provided), make connections, and complete a detailed packet (included). Reading guides, journal ideas, and...

What does it mean to "be of good character"? What are the qualities that define such a person? The 1825 Colonization Law of Coahuila y Texas required that all new immigrants into Mexican Texas present documentation that they were of good...

Students examine Aboriginal people of the Americas. In this history lesson plan, students make connections between their own lives and those of Aboriginal people. Students engage in a 'talking circle' and use storytelling as a mode of...

The year is 1835. The issue is the legality of the removal of the Cherokee people from Georgia. The question is whether the Cherokee should be forced to move to the Indian Territories. After examining and annotating primary and secondary...

As your young historians study Westward Expansion, practice in-depth primary source analysis with the documents and guidelines presented in this resource. They will examine a lithograph and excerpts from two letters written by a Nebraska...