| LE Title: Westward Ho : Westward Movement/The Oregon trail Using Power Point | Author(s): Cheryll Phippen |
| Grade Level: 5 | School : Parishville Hopkinton Central School |
| Topic/Subject Area: The Oregon Trail | Address: School
Street Parishville, NY 13672 |
| Email: cphippen@mum.neric.org | Phone/Fax:315-265-4642 |
Learning Context/Overview
Purpose or Focus of Experience
Students will research and examine the Westward Movement using a computer. In a computer technology class they will research the Westward Movement through use of the internet and software programs. The students will interact with the software program Oregon Trail and while using this program they will answer questions on a fact sheet. The students will create their own word search from facts they discover in their research or while interacting with the Oregon Trail software. During this unit, the students will read a book on the Westward expansion and write a book review using a word processor. A power point demonstration on the Oregon Trail is provided and can be used as a review to the unit. Students will also create a Power Point presentation pertaining to facts they learn about the westward movement.
Although this unit is specifically written to meet Elementary Technology Standards, suggestions have been given for field trips, guest speakers, books and music. This unit could be taught as a stand alone unit in elementary technology or part of a team teaching effort for the class room teacher, librarian, music teacher and the elementary technology teacher.
Connections to Standards
Elementary Technology
Benchmarks: #2 Tools, Resources and Technological Processes. The student will properly use the tools to word process a report, to navigate the desktop and properly interact with computer software programs, to research facts about the Oregon Trail using the Internet and to generate a word search puzzle.
Language for Literacy
Essential Question
What hardships did settlers experience in the Westward movement in the United States?
Why did people choose to leave a settled land and face the uncertainties of moving to a new and unsettled land?
What is the real story behind Native Americans and the westward movement? Television and movies portray the Native Americans as raiders, is that the truth?
Content Knowledge: Declarative, Procedural
Procedural Knowledge:
The student knows how to:
Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software
Use a word processor, identify and use the tools in a word processor
underline print spell check double-space center justify
left justify print save font size font style
Save to a disk
Identify address location and Internet tools such as
http://www.ukans.edu/kansas/seneca/Oregon/mainpage.html
or
http://www.over-land.com/westfort.html
identify and use the following buttons: back, forward, home, print, stop. Use “Go” to return to previously used .
Navigate the World Wide Web to research facts about the Oregon Trail
Produce a word search puzzle using software
Declarative Knowledge:
The Student Knows:
The student, using the Oregon trail software, will identify important places that the emigrants visited on the Oregon Trail
The student, using internet research, will list, common problems or hardships the emigrants experienced while on the trail
The student will describe how these hardships impacted the Westward Movement
The student will explain the concept of manifest destiny
The student will identify a minimum of 2 body of water the pioneers had to cross and identify what the common means of crossing the bodies of water were.
The student can name 3 people who were influential in opening up the West.
Procedure
(Chronologically ordered description of all teacher and student activities and interactions.)
INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS
No modifications, however the students should have access to a word processor, Microsoft power point, the internet and a program to generate a word find
TIME REQUIRED
Book Selection, reading a book and writing a book review: 3 weeks (student will read outside of class)
Word process a book review, class time 1 hour
Interact with the Oregon Trail Power Point: 10 minutes. ( Review or introduction)
Introduce and Interact with Oregon Trail software and fill out fact sheet: 1 hour
Introduce, Interact with Word Search Software and Produce a word search based on Oregon Trail Facts: 1 hour
Interact with the Internet to answer questions on a Student Fact Sheet: 1 hour
Suggested plan:
Week 1
Introduce the Westward Movement by use of the Oregon Trail software program
While using this software the students will fill out a fact sheet
Select a book to read ( Library or from classroom)
Examples:
THESE UNITED STATES, and How THEY CAME TO BE
Hartman, Gertrude
CALIFORNIA Pack, Janet
CORNERSTONES OF FREEDOM, THE STORY OF THE GOLD AT SUTTER’S MILL Stein, R. Conrad
PIONEERS, Harmer, Mabel
Declarative Knowledge Emphasis: the student, using the Oregon trail software, will identify important places that the emigrants visited on the Oregon Trail
Procedural Knowledge Emphasis: Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software
Week 2
Research the Westward Movement on the Internet:
Fill out Fact Sheets
Declarative Knowledge Emphasis: The student, using internet research, will list, common problems or hardships the emigrants experienced while on the trail
Procedural Knowledge Emphasis: Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software
Identify address location and Internet tools such as
http://www.ukans.edu/kansas/seneca/Oregon/mainpage.html
or
http://www.over-land.com/westfort.html
identify and use the following buttons: back, forward, home, print,stop. Use “Go” to return to previously used websites.
Navigate the World Wide Web to research facts about the Oregon Trail
Week 3
Interact with Word Search about the Oregon Trail
Using facts the students have acquired about the Oregon Trail produce their own word search puzzle
Declarative Knowledge Emphasis: (The student will describe how these hardships impacted the Westward Movement
The student will explain the concept of manifest destiny
The student will identify a minimum of 2 body of water the pioneers had to cross and identify what the common means of crossing the bodies of water were.
The student can name 3 people who were influential in opening up the West.)
Procedural Knowledge Emphasis: Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software. Produce a word search puzzle using software, Save to a disk
Week 4
Word Process Book Review
A. Declarative Knowledge Emphasis
B. Procedural Knowledge Emphasis: Use a word processor, identify and use the tools in a word processor
underline print spell check double-space center justify
left justify print save font size font style
Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software
Save to a disk
Week 5
Use the Power Point Demonstration to review the Oregon Trail (included in this unit)
Declarative Knowledge Emphasis: The student will review facts on the Westward Movement
Procedural Knowledge Emphasis: Open and close programs, navigate the desktop to utilize software
RESOURCES
Attachments in this unit:
Work sheet for Oregon Trail (student)
Work sheet for Internet Research (student)
Worksheet for Internet Research (teacher)
Teacher Fact Sheet
Word Search
Power point (can be used for a review or introduction to the Westward movement)
Student Important Fact sheet (This information maybe added to your teacher information sheets)
Netscape Sites:
http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html
http://www.ukans.edu/kansas/seneca/Oregon/mainpage.html
http://www.over-land.com/westfort.html
http://www. http://www.over-land.com/trore.html
http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_trail/ore.htm
http://www.pbs.org/opb/oregontrail/index.html
http://www.ohwy.com/or/o/oregontr.htm
The following is a list of important places, peoples or facts the pioneers may have encountered along the way. Any of these topics or a combinations of topics would give students good ideas for reports
Rivers
The Dalles:
Big Blue river
Green River
Sweetwater river
Kansas River
Forts:
Fort Boise
Fort Brodger
Fort Hall
Fort Kearney
Fort Laramie
Fort Walla Walla
Other notable places:
Independence Rock
Independence Missouri
Native American Tribes who lived on the way:
Arapaho Indians
Bannock Indians
Blackfoot Indians
Cheyenne Indians
Chinook Indians
Pawnee Indians
Plains Indians
Shoshoni Indians
Sioux Indians (Lakota)
Book List
This section includes a list of books on the westward movement. This list is not inclusive, but rather just a suggested list. Books may be selected for reports depending on the availability of books in your school:
THESE UNITED STATES, and How THEY CAME TO BE
Hartman, Gertrude
CALIFORNIA Pack, Janet
CORNERSTONES OF FREEDOM, THE STORY OF THE GOLD AT SUTTER’S MILL Stein, R. Conrad
PIONEERS, Harmer, Mabel
DOWN ON THE FARM, Holbrook, Stewart
MY NAME IS AMERICA, THE JOURNAL OF SEAN SULLIVAN,
Durbin, William
RACHEL’S JOURNAL, Moss, Marissa
CHILDREN OF THE WILD WEST, Freedman, Russell
COWBOYS OF THE WILD WEST, Freedman, Russell
SNOWBOUND, THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE DONNER PARTY,
Lavender, David
FULL STEAM AHEAD, Blumberg, Rhoda
LANDMARKS OF WESTWARD EXPANSION, Broenneke, Karen
THE PIONEERS, Gorsline, Marie and Douglas
WOMEN WHO SHAPED THE WEST, Fox, Mary Virginia
SWAMP ANGEL, Isaacs, Anne
MY PRAIRIE YEAR, Harvey, Brett
THE SECRET VALLEY, Bulla, Clyde Robert
THE AMERICAN WEST, Beebe, Lucius & Clegg, Charles
CHILDREN OF THE WILD WEST, Freedman, Russell
MISTAKES THAT WORKED, Jones, Charlotte Foltz
FULL STEAM AHEAD, Blumberg, Rhoda
THE GREAT AMERICAN GOLD RUSH, Blumberg, Rhoda
WESTWARD MOVEMENT, Pofahl, Jane
IF YOU TRAVELED WEST IN A COVERED WAGON, Levine,
Ellen
FLATBOATS ON THE OHIO WESTWARD BOUND, Chambers, Catherine E.
Wild West Dramer,
Wagons West Off to Oregon, Chambers, Catherine E.
Outline for book review:
Proper heading at the top of page
Paragraph 1 must include the title, author and illustrator.
Paragraph 2 and 3 will include the characters of the book and the plot
Paragraph 4 will include your personal reaction to the book and why or why not you would recommend the book to other students. Reasons must be given to back up your recommendation.
Suggested speakers or guests:
Fur trapper in the area
Representative from National Fur Trappers Association
A fiddler
Your music teacher (you may wish to team teach with this teacher. During the time you are on this unit the music teacher could do songs from this period)
A representative from Cooperative Extension on drying foods
A parent who would like to demonstrate cooking a pioneer food
A taxidermist who could bring in replicas of animals and talk about ecology. (The pioneers were your first ecologists. They valued the natural resources and did not, as a general rule squander the resources.
Field trip to your Local museum to view commonly found artifacts.
Artifacts you may find in your community:
arrow heads cast iron cook ware wooden bows
wooden spoons flint lock pan leg hold traps
wash board pelts of different animals wooden dun fork for
collecting hay
bees wax candles wagon wheels
Songs:
Music was a very important part of the westward movement. Pioneers , fur trappers and explorers sang. I would highly recommend Front Porch Old Time songs Jokes and Stories by Wayne Erbsen. This book will give you an idea of the music the pioneer people liked to sing.
Songs:
Oh, them Golden Slippers
Amazing Grace
Buffalo Gals
Ground Hog
My Old Kentucky Home
Old Susanna
ASSESSMENT PLAN
(Include samples of rubrics, checklists, etc.)
Rubric for Software use:
Turn on a computer (10 Points) Points ____________
Recognize program icon (10 Points)
Points ____________
Double Click to open program (10 Points) Points __________
Utilize the mouse to properly interact with the program (10 Points)
Points __________
Use the mouse or keyboard to change options (10 Points) Points __________
Properly close programs (10 points) Points __________
Ability to save program or document (10 points) Points __________
While using this program answer any questions on fact sheets (30 points)
Points __________
Total Points _____________
Rubric for Creation of Word Search:
Turn on a computer (5 Points) Points ____________
Recognize program icon (5 Points)
Points ____________
Double Click to open program (10 Points) Points __________
Utilize the keyboard to add 15 words to the word search list (15 Points)
Points __________
Use the mouse to change layout options (10 Points) Points __________
Use the options to create a 4 column list of words for word search (10 points)
Points __________
Use the options to create a full screen word search (10 points) Points __________
Save word search puzzle the student created (10 points) Points __________
Close programs (5 points) Points __________
Print a word search (10 points) Points __________
Print the key for the word search (10 points) Points __________
Total Points _____________
Rubric for Power Point presentation:
Create a title page (5 points) Points __________
Title font in a minimum of 36 point size (5 points) Points __________
Colored Background (5 points) Points __________
Graphic (5 points) Points __________
transition (4 points) Points __________
2 additional slides each having the following characteristics;
Slide 1 (4 points) Points __________
Text (4 points) Points __________
Graphic (4 points) Points __________
Transition (4 points) Points __________
Background color (4 points) Points __________
Slide 2 (4 points) Points ___________
Text (4 points) Points __________
Graphic (5 points) Points __________
Transition (4 points) Points __________
Background color (4 points) Points __________
Use of colored text in one of the slides (5 Points) Points ___________
Credit Given to the appropriate source (5 Points) Points ___________
Save document (5 Points) Points ___________
Prepared to show slide show on the appropriate date (10 Pointd) Points ___________
Spell Checked (5 Points) Points ___________
Neat (5 Points) Points _________
Total Grade ___________
STUDENT WORK
(Include samples of students work showing different levels of performance)
REFLECTIONS
Evaluations and Insights
I would also like to thank the following for their assistance: Joy Bowles, Michele Pinard, Irene Sinclair, Sandy Henry and Celest Norman
I found this unit exciting to prepare. Since I work closely with the classroom teachers to meet standards, the actual production of the unit was easy to complete. I did
find that the unit was forever changing.
Examples:
One of the standards I tried to meet in my class was the use of the internet to find information. After completing a worksheet for the student to be filled out while navigating the web and a teacher guide for the teacher, I felt secure that this worksheet was complete. However, about 2 weeks into the project the original website was removed from the web and students or teacher could no longer obtain information form that site. At this time another site, where students could obtain information about the Oregon Trail was found. The questions on the students worksheet also had to be revised due to the site being deleted from the internet.
When the original Power Point presentation was viewed a lively class discussion followed. Students then selected topics in social studies and produced a minimum of 3 slides for a mark. Even students who are reluctant to write, found this project worth while and enjoyable. Students produced slide show up to 17 slides.
During the week of April 10th the 5/6 multi-age class and grade 5 and got together to view all student slide projects. As a general rule students were very excited and proud of their projects.
Although this project will be used countless times over the next few years, the actual ideas, and way it is carried out will have to be reviewed and adjusted depending on the class, needs, and resources.
I did enjoy doing this project and believe the students benefited from the project. Since all worksheets were put together in a packet, student could and did work at their own pace.