Lesson Title: Oregon Trail – Web 2.

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Teacher Name: Mrs. Birgit Hanson
Subject: Social Studies integrated with Math, English, and Technology Grade Level: 5
Time Required (days; time/day): 4 sessions / 45 minutes each in addition to Field Trip
Topic: Westward Expansion
Essential Question: What would it have been like to move west with your family during the 1800’s?
How can we use the internet to gain better understanding of this time period?
Pre-requisites (Prior Knowledge):
Implement a KWL chart to determine prior knowledge of Pioneer Life and Westward Expansion, as
well as what they want to know to help plan lessons that will stimulate interest.
Students will have basic Math and English skills.

STAGE 1 - DESIRED RESULTS

A. Content Area Standard(s): (include complete standard, not just standard #)

Social Studies
Standard 1-History of the United States and New York Students will: use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes,
developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.
Standard 2- History of the United States and New York Students will: use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes,
developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from
a variety of perspectives.
English / Language Arts
Standard 2- Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and
performances; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding
of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent.
As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language for self-expression and
artistic creation.
Standard 3- Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. As
listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues
presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, students
will use oral and written language and form a variety of perspectives, their opinions and
judgments on experiences, ideas, information, and issues.
Math
Problem Solving standards
3- Interpret information correctly, identify the problem, and generate possible strategies and
solutions
10- Work in collaboration with others to solve problems
17- Determine what information is needed to solve problem
Learning standards for Mathematics, Science and Technology
Standard 2 - Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using
appropriate technologies.
Standard 7 - Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science,
and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

B. Intended Learning Outcome Define what students will know and be able to do and at what level of
mastery they should be able to do it. NOTE: Add/subtract rows from below each column heading,
© 2009, Gradel & Jabot (adapted from Jabot, Maheady, Rey, 2005; adapted from Wiggins & McTighe) 1
 Student will know… Student will be able to…
Social Studies – information about the Social Studies – communicate the pros and
different routes west cons of different routes west
English - how to communicate using proper English – write a letter home to tell someone
English why they should take a specific route west
- reply to another students letter
Math - the method to determine the amount of Math – to determine the amount of supplies
supplies they will need to travel west needed to take his/her family west
Technology - how to follow a Webquest and Technology - use a Webquest and research
research on the internet to find out information online resources to gather information
on Westward Expansion - use a Blog to successfully communicate
– how to post to a Blog and post information discovered through on-
line and other modes of research
STAGE 2 - ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Students will demonstrate their learning/understanding in the following way(s):
A. Teacher-Created Assessments:
Pre-test: Post-test:

• Discussion • Persuasive Letter and response Blog

• KWL • Supply List Blog
• Interest Survey • Assessment of Blogs with the following
rubric. Westward Expansion Rubric

B. Performance Assessments:

• Persuasive Letter and response Blog

• Supply List Blog see Student work sample
• Discussion

C. Other Assessments (e.g., Peer, Self):

• Students will read and respond to others persuasive letters on the Blog.
• Students will check supply lists of others for accuracy on the Blog.

D. Assessment Adaptations:

• Students with writing disabilities may be able to correct a letter they find instead of
creating and editing their own letter.
• Student may work with a partner as they determine together the amount of supplies
they will need to take both families west. Each must explain to the teacher verbally how
they figured it out
• Student may present his / her choice of trails west verbally or dictate it to a peer to type
into the Blog.
• Student may use computer applications to construct a proper letter that is then pasted
into the Blog.

STAGE 3 - LEARNING PLAN

© 2009, Gradel & Jabot (adapted from Jabot, Maheady, Rey, 2005; adapted from Wiggins & McTighe) 2
 A. Learning Activities
1. Instructional Strategies/Learning Activities:
(e.g., demonstration, discussion, small groups, role play, etc.)

• Books / maps / atlases for research

• Webquest
• Computers for research and Blogs
• Small group discussions
• Whole class discussions
• Persuasive Letter Writing on Blog
• Supply list blog
• Response to persuasive Letter
• Video
• KWL chart
• Other artifacts or examples of items that would help students understand Pioneer Life

2. Introducing the Lesson: (capturing students’ attention, activating students’ prior knowledge).

• Show the Little House movie to introduce Westward Expansion.

• Show books and copies of letters as well as on-line resources about life on the trail.
• Show period brochures used to encourage westward Expansion and other visuals
available on-line.
• Discuss how life might have been different in the 1800’s as compared to the present.
• Discuss what students know already and what they don’t know or might like to know.

3. Instructional Sequence:
(representing the content: teaching/learning activities, connecting to students’ prior knowledge, etc.)
Complete the following two columns, showing teacher activity in correspondence with student activity.
Add/subtract rows as needed.

Teacher activity (The teacher is doing….) Student activity (The student is doing…)
KWL chart KWL chart

Introductory Movie – stopping movie to ask Watching Movie and answering questions
questions or explain situations
Show how and assist students in writing Writing persuasive letters on Blog
letters on blog. Write a sample letter
Assist students in figuring out supply list. Students figure out supply list
Show students a sample
Introduce Webquest and how to navigate it, Students navigate the Webquest
assist as needed

B. Adaptations to the Instructional Sequence to Differentiate:

• Correct a letter you found on-line about someone’s trip or arrival in the west in the
1800’s.
• Student may work with a peer.
• Additional adaptations in accordance with student’s IEP or 504.
• Consultant teacher will be made aware of expectations and assignments.
• If a student has an interest in a related topic that would be beneficial to the class, work
© 2009, Gradel & Jabot (adapted from Jabot, Maheady, Rey, 2005; adapted from Wiggins & McTighe) 3
 with them to create an alternate assignment

C. Discussion and Assessment of Learning: (Pointing out to students how what they are
learning is related to the driving question; assessing students’ learning as a result of the lesson)

• Ask students why it is important to know about our past

• Discuss what they are learning about the past that surprises them
• Discuss similarities and differences between the two time periods
• Discuss how the USA would be different if pioneers had not settled the West.
• Discuss how we use Math and English in our everyday lives
• Discuss why it might be important to be able communicate effectively in writing or on the
computer
• Discuss how we can use the computer to find out about History and other topics we
might want to know more about.

D. Closure:
1. Overall Closure Plans:

• Discussions of what students have learned about Westward Expansion and researching
on computers, etc.
• Sharing Blogs with the class
• Completion of KWL chart

2. Extensions for Early Finishers:

• The student may research a topic of interest to him/her on–line and how it differs in the
two time periods
• Pick a creative activity that would have been performed on the trail and make a sample
• Pick a game that would have been played on the trail and teach a classmate to play it
• Play Oregon Trail or another computer game about the time period

3. Alternate strategies for struggling students or those who learn differently:

• Allow students to work in pairs and determine how many supplies they would need for
the families to travel together and post to the Blog as a team
• Have student correct grammar and spelling of an existing letter by typing it into the
computer.
• Have student dictate their letter to a voice to text software.
• Have the student write his or her letter on the computer with grammar and spell checks
and paste it into the blog.
• Have students verbally explain why a specific route west would be the one they would
choose and why, using a graphic organizer they created on-line.
• Allow any other adaptations as indicated by IEP or 504

D. Procedures: (both already established procedures to be used, and procedures to be taught for
this lesson)

• Use basic Math and reasoning to determine amounts of supplies. Brainstorm if

necessary to review.
• Teacher will model posting to a Blog. Students will post supply list and persuasive letter
© 2009, Gradel & Jabot (adapted from Jabot, Maheady, Rey, 2005; adapted from Wiggins & McTighe) 4
 / response to Blog.
• Use basic research skills to study maps and brochures and research on-line
• Use on-line graphic organizers to determine pros and cons of different routes. Teacher
will model as necessary.
• Writing skills / grammar / format for persuasive letter and computer applications for
persuasive letter writing.
• Lecture / listening skills to watch movie and gather information from visitors / field trips /
internet

LESSON DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

A. Technology Tools and Materials: (classroom set-up, preparations, resources, etc.)

• Safari System / TV & Video player

• Computers / Webquest / Blog
• Various books, atlases, maps, facsimiles of brochures etc.
• Desks / tables set up in groups
• Ask families to share applicable knowledge or family history with the class
• Ask Fenton or McClurg mansion to send someone to present to the school or take a
Field Trip
• Get school Permission for visitors / Field Trip
• Parent Permission for Field Trip

C. Parent/Community Resources:

• Fenton Museum
• McClurg Mansion
• Civil War Era re-enactors
• Parents / volunteers interested in history
• County / Town Historian
• Chautauqua/Cattaraugus Library System
• Permission slips for Field Trip and computer usage
• Letter home to ask parents if they can assist in any way
•
D. Contact Information:

Birgit M. Hanson
hans1448@fredonia.edu

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Additional concerns:

• Ask school permission for visitors / field trip

• Check with Tech Coordinator and administration to verify that web searches,
Webquest, and blog are acceptable and meet the criteria of the school system.

• Make sure the school server does not block desired technologies.

© 2009, Gradel & Jabot (adapted from Jabot, Maheady, Rey, 2005; adapted from Wiggins & McTighe) 5