One of the most popular software programs is "The Oregon Trail". But did
you know that The Oregon Trail was real? In fact, the trail, in the 1800's,
played had a significant role on the growth and economic development of our
country. Thousands of hopeful emigrants traveled for three or four months on
the dusty and frequently dangerous pathway leading west. Emigrants hoped to
find a better way of life and the promise of riches at the end of the trail.
Explore this web quest and learn more about emigrants, Native Americans, and
why The Oregon Trail is more than a fun software program.
This web quest has been divided into five activity pages. Each has it's own
tasks, processes,and evaluations. You can chose to participate in one or all
five.
If you wanted language arts and history activities then you could choose:
Book Project - Select a book from the literature list about the Oregon Trail
westward expansion then make a KWL chart explaining everything
you knew before, during, and after reading.
Scavenger Hunt - If you are unable to read books on the literature list, don't
worry! You can read all about the Oregon Trail by taking the
internet Scavenger Hunt. Mrs. Wolf has links to a site that
is filled with data, maps, pictures, and unusual fun facts.
How many answers to the questions will you find?
If you like looking at maps and working with clay then check out:
Trail Geography- This page is packed with activities about landforms. Did
know that the trail was over 2000 miles long? It crossed
rivers, traversed up mountain ranges, and through narrow
valleys. Creating a relief map will help you appreciate how
difficult the journey must have been.
Or if you prefer hands on activities and science experiments go to:
Covered Wagon - You will make a shoe box or K-Nex "covered wagon" then
conduct experiments to discover how much force was needed
to pull the wagons up the Rocky and Cascade Mountains.
Do you like math? Check out:
Wagon Dimensions - This page explains how large or small the covered wagons
were. Imagine spending three to six months on the trail
traveling by wagon train. How much space do you think you
would need to start a brand new life?
