ED 345 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form

Teacher: Date: Subject/ Topic/ Theme:

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
The Oregon Trail
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan? (If applicable.)
Unit: Westward Expansion Lesson: Travelling the Oregon Trail to get there
What are your objectives for this lesson? (As many as needed.) Indicate connections to applicable national or state standards. If
an objective applies to only certain students write the name(s) of the student(s) to whom it applies.

SWBAT act out a day on the Oregon Trail

SWBAT describe the states the trail passed through
SWBAT identify why the overlanders would want to travel west.

II. Before you start

Lessons 1 & 2
Prerequisite knowledge and skills.

Assessment
Questioning and active participation throughout
(formative and summative)

Oregon Trail, Reasons for heading west & A Day on the Trail pages from packet
Materials-what materials (books,
M&Ms
handouts, etc) do you need for this
lesson and do you have them?

Do you need to set up your Sitting on the floor and walking around the school.
classroom in any special way for
this lesson? If so, describe it.

III. The Plan

Time Parts The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher activities and student activities
Motivation
(Opening/
Introduction/ What have we learned so far about the overlanders?
Engagement) How do they travel west?
Who traveled west first? Why?

Today we are going to be overlanders on the Oregon Trail so listen carefully and get ready!

Development
Read Oregon Trail
What states did the trail pass through?
How long would it take them?
Why do you think they left in the spring?

Read Reasons for Heading West

Why would they go west?
What kind of adventure do you think they would find?
Why would you want to go west?

Alright its our turn to go on the Oregon Trail. We need to remember to be respectful to the classrooms
around us as we go on our adventure!

Get your backpacks, water bottles, and one thing you really want to bring and lets go!

Our Oregon Trail will start in the fourth grade breakout space.

Sit in a circle together. Read the first paragraph of A Day on the Trail talking about breakfast.
Students can act out what you are doing while you read.
Gather back in a circle.
What did the women do?
What did the men do?
What did they have for breakfast?

Give each student four m&ms. Yum!! Colorful bacon!

Read the second paragraph.

What did the men do as they walked?
What did the women do?

Lets do that as we continue on the Oregon Trail! If you are a boy hunt and if you are a woman you
should gossip play games or pick flowers. Here we go!

Walk slowly to the atrium doing these things. Stop in the atrium. Sit in a circle.

Read the third paragraph.

WOW! What a journey. We are only halfway through the day!
How many miles did they walk a day?
If we are halfway through the day, how far have we walked?
What did they eat for lunch?

Give each student five m&ms. Yum! Cold beans!

Now we have to cross the rocky mountains. This could be difficult and cold but I know we can do it!
Remember what the men and women did as they walked!

Walk slowly up the stairs (Rocky Mountains) and around the middle school area doing these things. Stop
in a breakout space. Wow! We made it up the Rocky Mountains! Its time for dinner!

Read the last paragraph.

Why would they put their livestock in a U shape or circle of wagons?
What happens if your oxen walks away?
What did they eat for dinner?

Give each student six m&ms. Yum! Boiled rice!

What did they do after dinner at night?

Alright we are going to walk back to the room but lets dance our way back like the overlanders did at
night! You can whisper the words to songs, but don't sing outloud!
 Wow! What a day! What did we learn about a day on the trail?
Closure
What was something you didn't know, but you know now?

Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time: