Social Studies Unit for EDU 383 Social Studies Methods

Name: Jeffrey Pettibone

Social Studies Unit Topic:
Grade Level:
A Road to a New Beginning
4th grade
Enduring Understanding
Students will understand what the Oregon Trail is and its impact on the United States.
TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS AND UNIT DESIGN
Essential Questions for the Unit (2-5):

Background Materials Used:

History- What is the history behind the

Oregon Trail and why did people
decide to travel on this long trip
westward?

Economics- What did people do to

acquire new supplies while on the
Oregon Trail?

Geography- What types of geography,

landforms, people, animals,
resources, etc. might travelers
encountered on the Oregon Trail?

Sociology/Anthropology- What was life

YouTube
Computer
Internet
Read Alouds (The Oregon Trail: In American
History, On to Oregon, and Wagons West.)
Handouts of the Map of the Oregon Trail
Handouts for the pricing list for purchasing
items plus activity items such as cups, pennies,
etc.
Spiral Notebooks for each student
Blank paper for covers of the notebooks
Laminator
Bulletin board materials (bandanas, paper,
baling twine, yarn, burlap, pushpins, and die-cut
letters.)

like on the Oregon Trail?

Civics- How were people governed on
the Oregon Trail such as decisions
and rules?
Introductory Lesson
List Learning Targets for Lesson
1) The students will create an Oregon
Trail Travelers Guide Book that they will
place any important information into
during out unit.
2) The students will know a basic
understanding of what the Oregon trail
is and why it came to be.

Die-Cut Machine
SmartBoard
Audio system
1 to 1 Technology *One computer per student*

Content Areas Addressed

List 1-2
(6 areas of SS, Reading, Math, Science, etc)

3) The students will explore what the

Oregon Trail looked like.
4) The students will be able to see the
trail and learn of the major cities it
passed through. Starting with the
jumping off point of Independence, MO.
Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated Learning

Geography
History
Civics
Sociology/Anthropology
Writing
Reading

 Show parts of a documentary about the Oregon Trail

Read aloud The Oregon Trail: In American History by Rebecca Stefoff
Students log in to their computer and view photos of the Oregon Trail
http://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=00EAA6A9-155D-451F672C00249C16B197
Together we will learn about how the government gave this land to the people use
http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/louisiana_purchase.php and
http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/oregon_trail.php
Have students brainstorm on a mind map what they would do if someone gave them a
piece of land as large as Oregon.
Show students the jumping off places or major cities the Oregon Trail passed through.
http://www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/aug14.html
As a class, we will view the map of the United States, find Independence, MO and
discuss the history of Independence.
Place a dot at Independence on the classroom map/ bulletin board and place the Class
Wagon there.
Using the students ideas, I will write a short notecard about Independence. i.e. date,
major landmark, todays population, 1840s population, and one other interesting fact
(They will do this every day after today with a student I have chosen).
Day #2 Lesson List Learning Targets
Content Areas Addressed
for Lesson
List 1-2
(6 areas of SS, Reading, Math, Science, etc)
1) Students will learn about what
essentials people had to buy for the
Economics
Oregon Trail.
Geography

2) Students will gain an understanding

in price differences and inflation.

Writing
Math
Reading

3) Students will know the difference

between needs and wants.
Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated Learning
Students will be given the handouts with all of the prices for items at the Jumpin Off
Country Store and a list of examples of Necessities and Non Essentials for reference.
o With this activity, students will be given a certain amount of people in their family.
With this amount, they must determine the amount of essentials they have to buy.
o Once they determine this, they must calculate the amount for these items and
then purchase them.
o After students have purchased these items, students must decide if they want to
purchase more now, or more later. This money is theirs to use in any way they
want as well.
Once they have purchased certain items, students must go online and find similar items
and record the name of the item, 1840s price, current price, and the site they found
that info or the store. (they must create the document or the poster.)
Student may use this website for any descriptions or questions they may have about
particular items http://www.oregontrailcenter.org/HistoricalTrails/Supplies.htm
Ask students to think if location changes the price of items too. Have them find an item
in one location and one in a far different location and compare the two prices.
With these activities, students will understand a difference between needs and wants
due to price and staying alive or not. Explain the idea to them based on modern

concepts such as Xboxs, PlayStation, iPhone 6s, etc.

Day #3 Lesson Instructional
Content Areas Addressed
Objectives for Lesson
List 1-2
(6 areas of SS, Reading, Math, Science, etc)
1) The student will be able to create a
poster advertising for the movement
History
west on the Oregon Trail with a guide
Geography
company
Civics
Sociology/Anthropology
Writing
2) The students will learn over
Reading
researching about landforms, animals,
resources, etc. that travelers may have
encountered.
3) The students will learn about trail
guides and how they helped people
reach Oregon safely.
Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated
Learning
The student will be able to name
their guide company, research 3
reasons for moving on the Oregon
Trail, provide two reasons why your
guide company is the best or the
benefits of them going with your

company, the location of your

company from the list of major
cities all using accurate
information about the trail, etc.
The poster must be creative,
memorable, fun and a realistic
poster.
Read aloud On to Oregon! By
Henore Morrow
Day #4 Lesson Instructional
Objectives for Lesson
1) The students will be able to discover
major landmarks, landforms, animals,
resources, etc. that are along the
Oregon Trail from Independence, MO to
Independence Rock, WY.
2) Students will learn of the history of
each location and how they came to be
as well.
3) Students will take notes in their
Travelers Guide as we progress through
each city and will reflect on each city.

Content Areas
Addressed
List 1-2
(6 areas of SS,
Reading, Math,
Science, etc)

Geography
History
Writing
Reading
Science

Expected Key Knowledge & Skills

(GLEs/CCSS)
List 2-4 on each lesson
GLE:
SS3 1.10 (Summarize the
events in westward
expansion, including peoples
motivation, their hardships,
and Missouri as a jumping-off
point to the West.)
SS5 1.6, 1.8 (Construct and
Interpret Maps.)
SS5 1.6 (Describe Human
Characteristics of a place,
(such as population

They may draw or anything that will

help them as well.

composition, architecture,
kinds of economic and
recreational activities,
transportation, and
communication networks,
etc.)
SS5 1.6 (Compare regions
(e.g., explain how life in a city
region is different from life in
a rural region or how
landscapes in mountainous
regions look different from
landscapes in plains regions.)
SS7 1.5, 1.10 (Identify and
use library and media
resources.)
SS7 1.8, 2.1 (Create maps,
timelines, diagrams, and
cartoons to enhance studies
in civics, history, economics,
and geography.)
CCSS:
ELA.W.4.2.B (Develop the
topic with facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations,

or other information and

examples related to the
topic.)
ELA.W.4.2.D (Use precise
language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.)
ELA.W.4.10 (Write routinely
over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection,
and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a
day or two) for a range of
discipline-specific tasks,
purposes, and audiences.)
ELA.SL.4.3 (Identify the
reasons and evidence a
speaker provides to support
particular points.)
Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated Learning
A different student each time will go to the bulletin board and move the wagon as we
move along.
With each city, a student chosen from the stick jar will write a notecard for each
location describing the basic information that we covered with the example note card of

Independence, MO.
After each location, students will turn and talk about their likes and dislikes and if the
place looks like somewhere they would like to go and why.
Students will be taking notes in their Travelers Guide and placing any useful information
into it. They may do so however they choose, including drawings.
Day #5 Lesson Instructional
Content Areas
Expected Key Knowledge & Skills
Objectives for Lesson
Addressed
(GLEs/CCSS)
List 1-2
List 2-4 on each lesson
1) The students will be able to discover
(6 areas of SS,
major landmarks, landforms, animals,
Reading, Math,
GLE:
resources, etc. that are along the
Science, etc)
SS3 1.10 (Summarize the
Oregon Trail from Fort Bridger, WY to
Geography
events in westward
Oregon City, OR
History
expansion, including peoples
Writing
motivation, their hardships,
Reading
2) Students will learn of the history of
and Missouri as a jumping-off
Science
each location and how they came to be
point to the West.)
as well.
SS5 1.6, 1.8 (Construct and
Interpret Maps.)
3) Students will take notes in their
SS5 1.6 (Describe Human
Travelers Guide as we progress through
Characteristics of a place,
each city and will reflect on each city.
(such as population
They may draw or anything that will
composition, architecture,
help them as well.
kinds of economic and
recreational activities,
transportation, and

Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated

Learning

communication networks,
etc.)
SS5 1.6 (Compare regions
(e.g., explain how life in a city
region is different from life in
a rural region or how
landscapes in mountainous
regions look different from
landscapes in plains regions.)
SS7 1.5, 1.10 (Identify and
use library and media
resources.)
SS7 1.8, 2.1 (Create maps,
timelines, diagrams, and
cartoons to enhance studies
in civics, history, economics,
and geography.)
CCSS:
ELA.W.4.2.B (Develop the
topic with facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations,
or other information and
examples related to the
topic.)
ELA.W.4.2.D (Use precise

 A different student each time will

go to the bulletin board and move
the wagon as we move along.
With each city, a student chosen
from the stick jar will write a
notecard for each location
describing the basic information
that we covered with the example
note card of Independence, MO.
After each location, students will
turn and talk about their likes and
dislikes and if the place looks like
somewhere they would like to go
and why.
Students will be taking notes in
their Travelers Guide and placing
any useful information into it. They
may do so however they choose,
including drawings.
Day #6 Lesson Instructional
Objectives for Lesson
1) Students will be able to see the
hardships that these travelers
experienced, from sickness, landscape,

language and domain-specific

vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic.)
ELA.W.4.10 (Write routinely
over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection,
and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a
day or two) for a range of
discipline-specific tasks,
purposes, and audiences.)
ELA.SL.4.3 (Identify the
reasons and evidence a
speaker provides to support
particular points.)

Content Areas
Addressed
List 1-2
(6 areas of SS,
Reading, Math,
Science, etc)

Expected Key Knowledge & Skills

(GLEs/CCSS)
List 2-4 on each lesson
GLE:
Science S4.1.A.4B (Identify

animals, etc.
2) Students will be able to see examples
of what life was like on the Oregon Trail
and see just how difficult it was.
3) Students will be able to see who
helped keep people together on the trail
and made decisions and rules.
4) Students will reflect on the learning
from the past five lessons and write in
their Travelers Guide and opinion piece
on if they would do this trip or not.

Civics
Sociology/
Anthropolo
gy
History
Writing
Reading
Science

and describe different

environments (i.e. pond,
forest, prairie) support the life
of different types of plants
and animals.)
Science S5.1.A.4B (Compare
the physical properties (i.e.,
size, shape, color, texture,
layering, presence of fossils)
of rocks (mixtures of different
Earth materials, each with
observable physical
properties)
SS3 1.10 (Summarize the
events in westward
expansion, including peoples
motivation, their hardships,
and Missouri as a jumping-off
point to the West.)
SS5 1.6 (Describe how people
are affected by, depend on,
adapt to and change their
environments.)
SS5 1.6 (Compare regions
(e.g., explain how life in a city

region is different from life in

a rural region or how
landscapes in mountainous
regions look different from
landscapes in plains regions.)
SS7 1.5, 1.10 (Identify and
use library and media
resources.)
SS7 1.8, 2.1 (Create maps,
timelines, diagrams, and
cartoons to enhance studies
in civics, history, economics,
and geography.)
CCSS:
ELA.RI.4.3 (Explain events,
procedures, ideas, or
concepts in a historical,
scientific, or technical text,
including what happened and
why, based on specific
information in the text.)
ELA.W.4.1 (Write opinion
pieces on topics or texts,
supporting a point of view
with reasons and

information.)
ELA.W.4.4 (Produce clear and
coherent writing in which the
development and
organization are appropriate
to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types
are defined in standards 1-3
above.)
ELA.SL.4.3 (Identify the
reasons and evidence a
speaker provides to support
particular points.)
ELA.L.4.2 (Demonstrate
command of the conventions
of standard English
capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.)
Possible Lesson Activities/Integrated Learning
Read aloud the short book called Wagons West by Roy Gerrard
Students will read the following short article on the Oregon Trail and the life on it
http://www.oregontrailcenter.org/HistoricalTrails/Dangers.htm
Students then can see some interesting facts to lighten the mood a bit
http://www.america101.us/trail/Facts.html

 In addition, students will reflect on their learning by completing an opinion piece in their
Travelers Guide.
o This opinion piece is to cover if they would take this trip or not in the 1840s and
why? They must use supporting details and facts to strengthen their argument.
Day 7 - Possible Assessments to
Personal reflection on what was most challenging and
assess STUDENT performance (list
most rewarding for YOU during the planning of this unit
ideas you will elaborate on the
Assessment Plan)
The most challenging part of planning this unit was
finishing it on time. With my busy schedule, even
Assessment on
though I had plenty of time, I still procrastinated and
The Travelers Guide that students put off a large portion of this assignment. Other than
time, I think finding activities that students might
have created. I will base my
actually find interesting was the most challenging. I
assessment on creativity, time,
am always second-guessing myself on if students will
and content.
truly enjoy what I am about to teach or if it is just
Listening to group discussions
something they will not remember tomorrow.
The items they chose to buy for
their trip and the poster or
document that went along with it. The most rewarding part of planning this unit is the
The poster of the Guide Company fact that I now have experience of making one. I can
now feel more comfortable when I walk into a school
and the research done on that
and have to collaborate with other teacher and
along with the creativity, etc.
Opinion piece paper
produce a week or two-week long unitpossibly longer
Written Test over the Oregon Trail even! It takes time and I will have to become a better
with M/C questions, T/F
time manager. This gives me comfort knowing the
questions, fill in the blank, short
material and knowing what needs to be placed in each

answer, and essay question.

List some of the ways you

addressed the Cognitive, Affective,
and Psychomotor needs of students
within this unit plan

and every day. Obviously, I do not have room or time

to place everything that I want in each day but I can
do my best to summarize it.
Reflections on things YOU plan to do differently when
using the unit plan in the future

In the future, I will definitely not procrastinate an

assignment like this. It has come back around to hurt
C=Students are writing, thinking,
me.I plan to teach elementary school and hopefully I
reflecting, creating, and performing. can pull this from my records, tweak it a little and
A=Students are responding to
implement these ideas so that my life is a little easier.
questions, talking with students,
Work smarter, not harder! I would probably add a
discussing ideas and topics,
few days on and definitely, I think this unit could be
researching, seeing how they feel
stretched over almost 2 weeks. The Oregon Trail is a
about traveling to Oregon in the
large subject to talk about because students need a
1840s, valuing Westward
firm understanding of Westward Expansion in order to
Expansion.
grasp this concept. I would enjoy having speakers
P=Students are moving to
come in to talk to the class about the Oregon Trail and
collaborate with students, they are
such as well. I would also like to find more resources
pacing the wagon in a different city, such as videos or interactive items for the
making note cards and placing
SmartBoard. Also, I would have to differentiate more
them on each city, moving for read based on the needs of my students as well.
aloud time, moving around during
the game/activity for purchasing
items.