Westward Expansion Unit Plans
Posted by Cindy on January 4, 2009
Our Pioneer unit will soon be underway! I thought I’d share some of our plans as I try to get my thoughts organized.
I’ve added some links, activity books and literature books that I plan to use for our Pioneer Unit in my sidebar – scroll pretty far down.
Here’s the rest of the plan….
Daily
Copywork Quotes from Amanda Bennett’s Pioneers
Timeline and Map work
Reading/Research
Work on one or more projects (project ideas below) and/or work on a hands-on project from Westward Ho!, Pioneer Days or Wild West Days
Order of Learning – most of the outline comes from Amanda Bennett’s Pioneers, I have noted when I added something with an *.
Daniel Boone – pioneer, frontier boundaries after Revolutionary War, Wilderness Road, Northwest Ordinance
Thomas Jefferson – Louisiana Purchase
Lewis and Clark – Northwest Passage, plants and animals discovered (nature journals), geographic barriers, cartography, map of Native American tribes across N. America
Sacagawea – conestoga wagons, Monroe Doctrine, fur trade, Oregon Fever (*use some of the Sacagawea unit)
*War of 1812 – America & Great Britain, disagreement over shipping & trade on seas – Embargo Act, Henry Clay, fought in America & Canada, Star Spangled Banner, Treaty of Ghent
Jedediah Smith – Oregon Trail, Santa Fe Trail (*use bits and pieces of Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail units)
Davy Crockett – prairie schooner, Jason Lee, Independence Rock
*Trail of Tears – Indian Removal Act, Andrew Jackson, Cherokee history
Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) – six states created from 1816-1821, wagon groupings, Pony Express
*The Battle of the Alamo – some of Alamo unit
*Oklahoma Land Run – some of Oklahoma Land Run unit
*Chisolm Trail and Cowboys – some of Chisolm Trail unit, Buffalo Bill, Ben Holladay, Annie Oakley, Wild Bill Hickock
Potential Projects
Choose one major pioneer to research and complete a biography project.
Choose one major westward expansion movement or event and create a presentation project.
Interview grandma (who is very much into our family’s history) about a pioneer relative. Put together a book including the story behind the person with pictures if able.
Plan and prepare for a “no electricity day”.
Prepare a book report on assigned chapter book.
As usual, I’ll be sharing bits and pieces of the unit as we go along. As my blog’s title says, we’re just about ready to go on “Our Journey Westward”!
Related posts:
- Plans For A Kentucky Unit
- Middle Ages Unit Plans
- Revolutionary War Unit Plans
- American Revolution Unit
- 2008-09 Overall Plans
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You might like to look at Lewis and Clark For Kids for that piece. All the For Kids books have detailed information as well as many hands-on projects. I have liked others in the series.
I am putting together a Native American unit so a lot of your info overlaps–so glad you’ve done this since I am a bit behind on mine, LOL!
January 05 2009 -
Found your blog through a google alert on Lewis & Clark and found it interesting…I don’t homeschool but like to work along with my children on various real life things to help them learn.
We live very near the Winter camp of the Corps. of Discovery at the Pacific Ocean so it’s easy for us to show them history in life and pique their interest on family outings. Lots of great history here in Astoria!
Our business is centered around it, too…started with Lewis & Clark maps.
Anyway, great blog, I’m sure I’ll be back for inspiration.January 05 2009 -
Diane
I enjoy your blog so much. I try to read it every day. You have such creative ideas and you really inspire me. We have studied alot in the past year about Westward Expansion also. Right now we are working our way through the Prairie Primer for the Little House Series and have enjoyed it very much.
January 05 2009
