oregon trail web quest
DESCRIPTION
This WebQuest was designed to cover sixth-eighth grade content under the Colorado Model Content Standards for history.TRANSCRIPT
Student Page
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
[Teacher Page]
A WebQuest for 6-8th Grade (American History)
Designed by
Jeff Neises
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page
The Great Migration On the Oregon Trail
Image courtesy of the University of Oregon
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Main
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Evaluation
Conclusion
Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page
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Introduction
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[Teacher Page]
Here we go….
In 1803, United States of America President Thomas Jefferson secretly planned to send Captains Lewis and Clark out on an expedition to explore the uncharted territory between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean. The expedition would be carried out in secrecy due to the fact that the French had ownership rights to the territory. For this reason, the Lewis and Clark expedition would be considered trespassing. However, a stroke of good luck hit the United States later that year when the French offered the entire territory for a cost of $150,000,000. Thomas Jefferson and the United States immediately accepted the offer and gained ownership rights to the uncharted territory. In 1804 Captains Lewis and Clark embarked from St. Louis on their expedition. Finally, they successfully returned in 1807 receiving a warm welcome from the entire nation. What they didn’t know is that their journey had sparked a movement, known as westward expansion.
Nearly thirty years later the Oregon Trail had been established. The first pioneers to navigate the Oregon Trail by covered wagon, and successfully reach the northwest, made the journey in 1836. Their success provided opportunity for those who had considered moving west. In the early 1840’s, the United States made an agreement with the British, which stated, “The Oregon territory would belong to the first country to settle the most people in that region.” Thus, in 1843 the migration of United States citizens to Oregon began. This mass migration of people along the Oregon Trail to the Oregon territory came to be known as the “Great Migration”.
A band of eager settlers are in the process of forming a group of travelers to accompany them on their journey. You will have to pack what you can fit in your wagon and on your back, being forced to sell or trade the rest of your belongings. Do you have what it takes to journey along the Oregon Trail? If so, don’t forget to bring your travel log to document your various experiences along the way. You will use your travel log as a record of certain experiences one should expect when embarking on the Oregon Trail. You will also create a map of your route and specific landmarks on the way. Your travel log and map will be seen by Americans living on the east coast, so don’t let them down!
Introduction
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
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Introduction
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Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Evaluation
Conclusion
Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page
Introduction
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Conclusion
Credits
[Teacher Page]The Oregon Trail is yours to tackle as you journey into the western United States. From your travels out of St. Louis to the corridor of the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon territory is calling out your name. Your job is to become a strong member in the band of settlers you will be accompanying along the Oregon Trail. You will partake in research by the following:
•Studying maps and letters of citizens who have successfully navigated the Oregon Trail.•Navigating the Oregon Trail through the recognition of different landmarks. •Becoming familiar with historical sites along the trail.•Encountering new terrain that had never been explored by American citizens on the east coast.•Learning about the different Native American cultures that were affected by the Oregon Trail settlers.
All of your research will be carried out via the Internet. You will be diving into an abundance of information regarding the Oregon Trail. Make sure that you are recording all of your findings in your travel log. Remember, you are responsible for informing American citizens living on the east coast about life traveling along the Oregon Trail! Upon your completion of your expedition, you will be responsible for sharing your research with your group. Each person in your group will be responsible for researching a different field. By sharing your individual research, you will all be able to learn about each person’s field from one another. When you complete your journey along the Oregon Trail, you will have the opportunity to reflect on all that you learned along the way. You will carry this out by putting together a professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail that includes research from all of your individual fields. Remember to refer back to each person’s travel log when compiling the traveler’s guide so you don’t leave out any important details of your voyage!
Title
The Task
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Evaluation
Conclusion
Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Evaluation
Conclusion
Credits
[Teacher Page]
You packed what you could in your covered wagon and sold the rest of your belongings, it looks like you have what it takes to journey along the Oregon Trail. You are about to embark on an adventure into the northwest territory of the United States that will come to be known as the “Great Migration”. Prior to your journey, your instructor will assign you into groups of four students. Your teamwork is imperative to safe, successful travels along the Oregon Trail! Read the following background information. This will give you and your team of settlers an idea about what lies ahead on your journey. Good luck to you and your team! You are an American citizen living in the heart of St. Louis. Since 1836 you have heard stories about the Oregon Trail. With every spring season comes an increasing number of settlers who are eager to travel west. The year is now 1843 and you are getting tired of working a factory job day after day. Recently you heard that the United States government is encouraging people to move to the northwest via the Oregon Trail by offering land for homesteading. You decide that you are going to sell most of your belongings, bring only what you absolutely need, and embark on the journey for yourself. Spring is right around the corner and you decide that you need to find a group of settlers for you and your family to travel with. You go down to banks of the Missouri River where the first ferry is scheduled to leave upstream in two weeks. There you find a band of settlers who are looking for four more travelers to join them. Your family is the perfect fit with yourself, your wife, and two teenagers. You supplied each member of your family with a blank travel log to record your experiences throughout the journey. Your traveling companions all have similar backgrounds to yours, they are from the St. Louis area and are looking to leave the big city and make a new life for themselves.
The Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
Title
Introduction
Task
Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Evaluation
Conclusion
Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
The Process IIStudent Page[Teacher Page]
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Introduction
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Evaluation
Conclusion
Your fellow settlers have compiled an abundance of information regarding the Oregon Trail. They lend it to you for the next couple of days being that they have already studied it in-depth. Take a look around the following websites to get you and your family caught up!
•Become familiar with the general information about your journey at Discovering the Oregon Trail.
•Learn about the route of the Oregon Trail at What Trails Did They Use.
•Learn about the different people you and your family will be traveling with at Trail Blazers.
•Find interesting information about the journey that lies ahead at The End of the Oregon Trail.
•Discover the Great Migration at Westward Expansion.
•Find out the history behind the Oregon Trail at The Oregon National Historic Trail.
•Learn various exciting facts at The Oregon Trail.
•Discover all the Oregon Trail had to offer at The National Oregon/California Trail Center.
•Learn about the western frontier at The Frontier Trails of the Old West.
•Research what lies ahead for you and your family at The End of the Oregon Trail A Local Legacy.
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
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Process
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Conclusion
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Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
The Process IIIStudent Page[Teacher Page]
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Conclusion
Process III
We are extremely excited that you have decided to become part of this adventure. Now that you have completed all of the necessary research for you to have a successful journey, the time has come for you to embark on the Oregon Trail. During your journey make sure that you remember that you are each an expert in a different field, your fellow travelers and American citizens along the east coast are depending on you. Therefore make sure that record all of your experiences in your individual travel log. Each team member will be assigned to one of the following Oregon Trail areas of expertise:
•Travel Expert: records travel conditions and living conditions along the Oregon Trail. Also takes record of the settlers’ daily routine.
•Native American Expert: takes record of interaction with the Native Americans. Also takes note on how the settlers affect them as well as what effcts the Native Americans had on the settlers.
•Topographer: takes record of any important landmarks along the way. The topographer pays special attention to the topography along the trail. Essentially the topographer is responsible for guiding the team in the creation of a detailed map to be included in the professional traveler’s guide.
•Hardship Expert: takes record of what types of hardships were experienced on the Oregon Trail
Get ready and pack up, the ferry leaves upstream on the Missouri River in the morning. Each individual team member is responsible for keeping a travel log along the journey. Make sure to record each and every experience that you encounter along the way. Illustrations of maps and important landmarks may be found to be very helpful later on. Each area of expertise will be assigned their own questions to be answered along the way. Your recordings and illustrations in your travel log will be of great importance in compiling a professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail (See Professional Traveler’s Guide for more information). Now decide who will become an expert in each of the specific areas listed above. Once the decisions have been made, click on your specific area of expertise to learn more about your role during your journey along the Oregon Trail!
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Student Page[Teacher Page]
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Introduction
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Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Evaluation
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Process III
Credits
Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
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Credits
[Teacher Page]
10 Points 8 Points 6 Points 4 Points Total
Organization Information gained from experiences is well organized. Student uses headings and complete sentences with easily readable hand-writing.
Information gained from experiences is fairly organized. Student groups information without headings but does use complete sentences with easily readable hand-writing.
Information gained from experiences is not organized. Student fails to group similar information and uses sloppy hand-writing.
Student’s show no organization and fails to group similar information.
Amount of information gained from experiences
Student gathers a sufficient amount of information in their research. All questions are thoroughly addressed with detailed answers of 2-3 sentences.
Student gathers a fairly sufficient amount of information in their research. Most questions are thoroughly addressed with answers of 2-3 sentences.
Student gathers a less than sufficient amount of information in their research. Questions are not thoroughly addressed.
Student gathers little or no information from their research.
Quality of information gained from experiences
Student gathers high quality of information in their research. Their information thoroughly answers the question in a detailed manner that provides examples as well.
Student gathers a mediocre quality of information in their research. Their information answers the question in a fairly detailed manner and they provide examples for some of the questions.
Student gathers a low quality of information in their research. Their information answers some of the questions in a basic manner and no examples are provided.
Student gathers an extremely low quality of information from their research.
Questions are answered from travel log information
Student uses information from their travel log to answer all of the questions provided. Their travel log information specifically targets each question.
Student uses information from their travel log to answer over half of the questions provided. Their travel log information only specifically targets certain questions.
Student uses information from their travel log to answer less than half of the questions provided. Their travel log information doesn’t specifically target any questions.
Student does not use information from their travel log to answer the questions provided.
Evaluation
Process II
Professional Traveler’s Guide
Process III
Evaluation II
Travel Log Rubric
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
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10 Points 8 Points 5 Points 4 Points Total
Accuracy Students demonstrate an accurate understanding of the route the Oregon Trail takes. Each of the major topographical features are labeled and students also label at least five significant landmarks.
Students demonstrate a fairly accurate understanding of the route the Oregon Trail takes. Most of the major topographical features are labeled and students also label at least three significant landmarks.
Students fail to demonstrate an accurate understanding of the route the Oregon Trail takes. A few of the major topographical features are labeled and students also label less than three significant landmarks.
Students completely fail to demonstrate any accurate understanding of the route the Oregon Trail takes. Little or no topographical features and significant landmarks are labeled.
Attractiveness and organization
Students use a wide variety of colors throughout their professional traveler's guide. Specifically within the mapping portion, students use a good amount of contrast to distinguish topographical features. Finished product is well organized and easily navigable.
Students use a fair amount of colors throughout their professional traveler's guide. Specifically within the mapping portion, students use a fair amount of contrast to distinguish topographical features. Finished product is fairly organized and fairly easy to navigate.
Students fail to use a fair amount of colors throughout their professional traveler’s guide. Specifically within the mapping portion, students fail to use a fair amount of contrast to distinguish topographical features. Finished product is not organized and is difficult to navigate.
Students use only a few colors throughout their professional traveler’s guide. Student’s mapping portion shows little or no contrast. Finished product shows no organization and is extremely difficult to navigate.
Student Cooperation
Students show a good deal of cooperation. The workload was evenly distributed among all of the team members. No single person took on more of the workload than their other teammates.
Students show a fair amount of cooperation. The workload was somewhat evenly distributed throughout the teammates.
Students show little cooperation. The workload was not evenly distributed throughout teammates.
Students show no cooperation. The workload was not evenly distributed throughout teammates what so ever.
Creativity Creativity is evident in the final product. Each section of the professional traveler’s guide shows a high degree of creativity.
Creativity is somewhat evident in the final product. Each section of the professional traveler’s guide shows a mediocre amount of creativity.
Creativity is not evident in the final product. Creativity is not obvious in any of the sections within the professional traveler’s guide.
No creativity is evident.
Professional Traveler’s Guide Rubric
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Evaluation II
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Professional Traveler’s GuideStudent Page[Teacher Page]
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Evaluation II
Once you have completed your journey west on the Oregon Trail, you and your teammates will be required to create a professional traveler’s guide to share with your instructor and classmates. All four of you have developed into experts in different fields. Look back at all of the research you have conducted and organized in your travel logs along the way. Be sure to first share your individual travel logs with each other prior to beginning the creation of your professional traveler’s guide. You will then be familiar with everyone’s research and findings. Now it’s time to bring your adventure to life and create your prefessional traveler’s guide, good luck!
Materials:
•Construction Paper
•Colorful writing utensils
•Any other materials that might make your professional traveler’s guide more attractive.
As an expert in each of your specific areas you will cooperatively construct your professional travler’s guide. Each of you will be given specific questions to answer with the research you have obtained. Your answers to the questions will be the information that you need to include in your final product.
Once you have each sufficiently answered your questions you will arrange your information in an organized manner on your construction paper. Be sure to use plenty of colors and be creative! When you finish your arrangement of information, you will then collectively create a topographical map of the Oregon Trail to be the center-piece of your final product. Don’t forget to follow the rubric guidelines to make sure you’re on the right track!
Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
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Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
Professional Traveler’s Guide QuestionsTravel Expert
• What were the travel conditions like?
• How were their living conditions, what did they eat and drink on a daily basis?
• What interaction did the Oregon Trail settlers have with the Native Americans?
Native American Expert
• How did the settlers affect the native Americans?
• How did the Native Americans affect the Oregon Trail Settlers?
• What type of interaction did the Oregon Trail settlers experience with the Native Americans?
Topographer
• What important landmarks were there along the Oregon Trail?
• Was the overall topography along the trail difficult terrain to travel with covered wagons?
• What were some of the important physical features (I.e. rivers, mountains, etc.) the Oregon Trail settlers had to traverse?
Hardship Expert
• Did most of the settlers walk or ride along the Oregon Trail?
• How did the weather affect the settlers along the Oregon Trail?
• Name and describe some of the hardships the settlers experienced along the Oregon Trail?
Credits
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Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
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You have successfully navigated the Oregon Trail, congratulations to you and your team members! You survived off of burnt bread, without bathing, avoided Cholera, and arrived in Oregon territory! Now that you have finally completed your expedition across the United States, you finally have the opportunity to reflect on all that you have experienced. Along the way you took record of the living conditions, encounters with Native Americans, topography and the different hardships that you and other settlers have gone through. The time has come for you and your teammates to tie it all together! By this time I am sure that all of your travel logs are bursting at the seams with information from your expedition. Now is the time for you and your teammates to make a complete record of your experiences along the Oregon Trail. After all, you are responsible for sharing all that you have experienced with Americans living on the east coast. You will carry this out by compiling a professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail (See Professional Traveler’s Guide for more information). By completing this traveler’s guide, you will give many American citizens a glimpse of what life is like along the Oregon Trail. Now, page through each of your individual travel logs and review your recordings and illustrations. Let’s begin the exciting process, only you have the ability to show what one will go through when navigating the Oregon Trail!
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Evaluation II
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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This WebQuest was created by Jeff Neises, who is a current student at the University of Colorado State. He is studying in the Education department. The WebQuest was completed in the spring semester of the year 2008. It was a project for an Educational Technology course.
© 2008Copyright Notice:
This WebQuest lesson is restricted to classroom use only. The reproduction of any area of this lesson is prohibited. No part of this lesson may be transmitted, recorded, published or stored in any way without the permission of Jeff Neises.
Based on a template from The Webquest Page
Background information provided by the following websites:Discovering the Oregon TrailWhat Trails Did They UseTrail BlazersThe End of the Oregon TrailWestward ExpansionThe Oregon National Historic TrailThe Oregon TrailThe National Oregon/California Trail CenterThe Frontier Trails of the Old WestThe End of the Oregon Trail A Local Legacy
Credits & References
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Professional Traveler’s Guide
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Professional Traveler’s Guide Questions
[Student Page]
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Teacher Page
A WebQuest for 6-8th Grade (American History)
Designed by
Jeff Neises
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page
Evaluation
Teacher Script
Conclusion
Main (Teacher)The Great Migration On the Oregon Trail
Image courtesy of the University of Oregon
Process II
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Teacher Page
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Learners
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Credits
Process II
Process III
[Student Page]
Title
Introduction
Learners
Standards
Process
Resources
Credits
Teacher Page
This WebQuest was created by Jeff Neises, who is a current student at the University of Colorado State. He is studying in the Education department. The WebQuest was completed in the spring semester of the year 2008. It was a project for an Educational Technology course.
This Oregon Trail WebQuest was designed to take teams of four students on an adventure, giving them a better understanding of the Great Migration. Each team member will become an expert in a different area along their Oregon Trail adventure. Once they have completed their research and completely answered each of their questions, the travel expert, Native American expert, topographer, and hardship expert will cooperatively come together in order to create a final product. This final product is a professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail. In the completion of this WebQuest project the teams of students will use the internet as a source to carry out their individual research. Teams will use different websites that readily have available textual information, journal excerpts, documentaries, various figures, and maps. These different sources of information will allow each team member to become an expert in their given field. Before students begin their expedition, they will benefit through the exploration of different websites to gain the necessary background information on the Oregon Trail.
Teachers must allow students to have a sufficient amount of time for the completion of this WebQuest activity. In their exploration of websites, students should be given about one day to become familiar with the different aspects of the Oregon Trail. Once students have learned an appropriate amount of background information, they will need an additional 2-3 class periods to develop an expertise in their area of research. Make sure they are recording their findings in their individual travel logs. Assigning each student with a specific area of research will allow the students to learn from their teammates, without receiving an overwhelming amount of information.
The professional traveler’s guide will require students to use an additional 2-3 class periods to construct. Students need to use the research they obtained to answer each of their various questions, and place it somewhere in their traveler’s guide. The professional traveler’s guide should be creative and well-organized, which in-class work time should allow the different teams to do. Once all teams have completed their Oregon Trail WebQuest, they should be allowed one class period to share and learn from other teams research.
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Teacher Page
This WebQuest was designed to cover sixth-eighth grade content under the Colorado Model Content Standards for history. The students will each use a travel log along their journey to help them carry out their research more efficiently. Teams will collectively show their creativity and organizational skills through the construction of a professional traveler’s guide. This professional traveler’s guide will tie each of their areas of expertise together into a single final product.
Learners will need to be familiar with basic navigation skills on the internet. The list of websites will provide them with a sufficient level of background knowledge on the Oregon Trail.
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Teacher PageThis Oregon Trail WebQuest has been created to have a relation to the following standards found in the Colorado Model Content Standards:
History Standards Addressed•(1.1) Students know the general chronological order of events and people in history.•(1.3) Students use chronology to examine and explain historical relationships.•(2.1) Students know how to formulate questions and hypotheses regarding what happened in the past and to obtains and analyze historical data to answer questions and test hypotheses.•(2.2) Students know how to interpret and evaluate primary and secondary sources of historical information.•(3.1) Students know how various societies were affected by contacts and exchanges among diverse peoples.•(4.1) Students understand the impact of scientific and technological developments on indivuduals and societies.•(4.2) Students understand how economic factors have influenced historical events.
Geography Standards Addressed•(1.2) Constructing maps using fundamental cartographic* principles including translating narrativesabout places and events into graphic representations.•(1.3) Interpreting maps and other geographic tools, through the analysis of case studies and usingdata.•(1.4) Using geographic tools to represent and interpret Earth's physical and human systems.
Reading and Writing Standards Addressed•(2.2) Choosing vocabulary and figures of speech that communicate clearly.•(2.3) Drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading for a legible final copy.•(2.4) Applying skills in analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and explanation to their writing andspeaking.•(2.6) Writing and speaking in the content areas (for example, science, geography, history, literature),using the technical vocabulary of the subject accurately;•(2.7) Recognizing stylistic elements such as voice, tone, and style.
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Curriculum Standards (Teacher)
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Teacher PagePrior to students embarking on this WebQuest, they must be divided into teams of four. Students will be working together and cooperating to complete the final product. Be sure that the strengths and weaknesses of each group aren’t too drastic in either direction. Each student in the group of four will need to be provided with a “travel log” where they will take note on their individual research. Once each team member has completed their individual research, the group will need to be given the necessary materials to complete their final product (see Professional Traveler’s Guide). The process the students will carry out is posted below.
You packed what you could in your covered wagon and sold the rest of your belongings, it looks like you have what it takes to journey along the Oregon Trail. You are about to embark on an adventure into the northwest territory of the United States that will come to be known as the “Great Migration”. Prior to your journey, your instructor will assign you into groups of four students. Your teamwork is imperative to safe, successful travels along the Oregon Trail! Read the following background information. This will give you and your team of settlers an idea about what lies ahead on your journey. Good luck to you and your team! You are an American citizen living in the heart of St. Louis. Since 1836 you have heard stories about the Oregon Trail. With every spring season comes an increasing number of settlers who are eager to travel west. The year is now 1843 and you are getting tired of working a factory job day after day. Recently you heard that the United States government is encouraging people to move to the northwest via the Oregon Trail by offering land for homesteading. You decide that you are going to sell most of your belongings, bring only what you absolutely need, and embark on the journey for yourself. Spring is right around the corner and you decide that you need to find a group of settlers for you and your family to travel with. You go down to banks of the Missouri River where the first ferry is scheduled to leave upstream in two weeks. There you find a band of settlers who are looking for four more travelers to join them. Your family is the perfect fit with yourself, your wife, and two teenagers. You supplied each member of your family with a blank travel log to record your experiences throughout the journey. Your traveling companions all have similar backgrounds to yours, they are from the St. Louis area and are looking to leave the big city and make a new life for themselves.
Evaluation
Teacher Script
Conclusion
The Process (Teacher)
Process II
[Student Page]
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Learners
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The Process II (Teacher)[Student Page]
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Learners
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Teacher Script
Conclusion
Credits
Your fellow settlers have compiled an abundance of information regarding the Oregon Trail. They lend it to you for the next couple of days being that they have already studied it in-depth. Take a look around the following websites to get you and your family caught up!
•Become familiar with the general information about your journey at Discovering the Oregon Trail.
•Learn about the route of the Oregon Trail at What Trails Did They Use.
•Learn about the different people you and your family will be traveling with at Trail Blazers.
•Find interesting information about the journey that lies ahead at The End of the Oregon Trail.
•Discover the Great Migration at Westward Expansion.
•Find out the history behind the Oregon Trail at The Oregon National Historic Trail.
•Learn various exciting facts at The Oregon Trail.
•Discover all the Oregon Trail had to offer at The National Oregon/California Trail Center.
•Learn about the western frontier at The Frontier Trails of the Old West.
•Research what lies ahead for you and your family at The End of the Oregon Trail A Local Legacy.
Process II
[Student Page]
Teacher Page
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Introduction
Learners
Standards
Process
Resources
Evaluation
Teacher Script
Conclusion
Credits
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Process III
The Process III (Teacher)[Student Page]
Teacher Page
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Learners
Standards
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Resources
Evaluation
Teacher Script
Conclusion
Credits
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Process III
We are extremely excited that you have decided to become part of this adventure. Now that you have completed all of the necessary research for you to have a successful journey, the time has come for you to embark on the Oregon Trail. During your journey make sure that you remember that you are each an expert in a different field, your fellow travelers and American citizens along the east coast are depending on you. Therefore make sure that record all of your experiences in your individual travel log. Each team member will be assigned to one of the following Oregon Trail areas of expertise:
•Travel Expert: records travel conditions and living conditions along the Oregon Trail. Also takes record of the settlers’ daily routine.
•Native American Expert: takes record of interaction with the Native Americans. Also takes note on how the settlers affect them as well as what effcts the Native Americans had on the settlers.
•Topographer: takes record of any important landmarks along the way. The topographer pays special attention to the topography along the trail. Essentially the topographer is responsible for guiding the team in the creation of a detailed map to be included in the professional traveler’s guide.
•Hardship Expert: takes record of what types of hardships were experienced on the Oregon Trail
Get ready and pack up, the ferry leaves upstream on the Missouri River in the morning. Each individual team member is responsible for keeping a travel log along the journey. Make sure to record each and every experience that you encounter along the way. Illustrations of maps and important landmarks may be found to be very helpful later on. Each area of expertise will be assigned their own questions to be answered along the way. Your recordings and illustrations in your travel log will be of great importance in compiling a professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail (See Professional Traveler’s Guide for more information). Now decide who will become an expert in each of the specific areas listed above. Once the decisions have been made, click on your specific area of expertise to learn more about your role during your journey along the Oregon Trail!
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Teacher PageThe list of resources below are some of which can be used to gain a more specific amount of background knowledge on the Oregon Trail:
ReadingsBenson, A. Oregon Trail: An American Saga. Magill Book Reviews (2005).
Campbell, C. Gridlock on the Oregon Trail. The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 23, No. 4 (1993), p. 6-7.
Fox, B.; Frederiksen, L. Oregon: State of Wonder West to Oregon: Along the Oregon Trail. Library Journal, Vol. 128, No. 8 (2003).
Galloway, A. It Happened On the Oregon Trail. Journal of the West, Vol. 44, No. 4 (2005).
Grimes, W. 3 Miles an Hour on the Oregon Trail. New York Times Book Reviews (2004).
Lindley, W. From Oregon Trail Desert to Choice Farm Country. Journal of the West, Vol. 40, No. 3 (2001).
McCartney, L. Across the Great Divide: Robert Stuart and the Discovery of the Oregon Trail. Contemporary Review, Vol. 286, No. 1668 (2005).
Sherif, S.; Mandell, P. The Wild Year: Joshua’s Oregon Trail Diary. School Library Journal, Vol. 50, No. 5 (2004).
Wall, D. Disease, Disgust and Desire in The Oregon Trail. European Journal of American Culture, Vol. 27, No. 1 (2008), p. 29-42.
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Teacher PageStudents will be evaluated in two different ways. The first evaluation will be on their individual research that they recorded in their “travel log.” The travel log is essential to the student’s expertise in their given field. The rubric for the travel log will be followed in the evaluation of each student individually. The travel log should be written in legible handwriting, well organized, and contain detailed research that relates to their area of expertise. Students should answer the questions that relate to their area through their recordings in their travel log. Students must efficiently answer these questions in their travel guide, as they will be used later in the creation of their team’s professional travel guide. See Evaluation for the complete rubric on students’ individual travel log.
The second evaluation will be on their team’s completion of the professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail. The traveler’s guide should be full of color and contrast. Students need to recoginze the fact that the more attractive their travler’s guide is, the more other students and teachers will want to observe it. Students must accurately display their answers to the questions in some arrangment on the traveler’s guide. The center-piece of the traveler’s guide will be a topographical map. This is the topographer’s area of expertise, however teams need to cooperatively complete this portion as a group as well. Students will be rewarded a better score for their team’s creativity in designing their professional traveler’s guide of the Oregon Trail. See Evaluation II for the complete rubric on team’s professional traveler’s guide.
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Teacher Page Throughout your students WebQuest journey on the Oregon Trail, you will find yourself doing some facilitation. Each teacher will have to facilitate their classroom to a different degree. This WebQuest model is best suited for learners who can navigate through the internet on their own, and are capable of comprehending the materials that are typically found on the web. For this reason, classrooms with special education students or ESL students will need more facilitating than a classroom that is made up of advanced learners.
Introduction•Be sure you have given your students a sufficient amount of information regarding the Oregon Trail. Try to have every student on the same page, having received the same basic information. This will result in each team having an equal amount of background knowledge before diving into this activity.
Task•Make sure that each student understands that all of their research will be carried out through websites on the internet. They are to work as a team, but each team member will have their individual responsibilities that will be addressed in the process. When your team is finished conducting research, you will use your individual travel logs to collectively complete your professional traveler’s guide for the Oregon Trail.
Process•Make sure that students are aware of the ultimate goal for carrying out the WebQuest. They must be able to apply the knowledge they have gained through research to their collective professional traveler’s guide. Use all of the resources given to become an expert in your specified field. “Your team is counting on you to do the best job you can possibly do.”
Professional Traveler’s Guide•Encourage students to be as creative as they can possibly be. Provide a wide range of materials for students to use, to ensure that each team’s will be different. This should be a fun learning experience, so allow students to have a good time with it as long as they are under control!
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Teacher PageThe WebQuest on the Oregon Trail is a useful exercise for students for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, this is a fun and exciting way for students to work in groups and take a look at the Great Migration. When students finish the Oregon Trail WebQuest, they will have gained a better understanding on the route of the Oregon Trail, the topography of the terrain traveled, settlers interaction and affect on the Native Americans, important landmarks along the way, and the different hardships that settlers experienced. They will become more comfortable conducting research on the internet, which will greatly benefit them in the future. They will record their findings in a travel log, that will help them become more comfortable with the note-taking process they will experience in the future. Students will share what they have learned through the completion of the professional traveler’s guide. This WebQuest promotes student development in different areas, which makes this a creative and extremely useful exercise in an American History classroom.
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Teacher PageThis WebQuest was created by Jeff Neises, who is a current student at the University of Colorado State. He is studying in the Education department. The WebQuest was completed in the spring semester of the year 2008. It was a project for an Educational Technology course.
© 2008Copyright Notice:
This WebQuest lesson is restricted to classroom use only. The reproduction of any area of this lesson is prohibited. No part of this lesson may be transmitted, recorded, published or stored in any way without the permission of Jeff Neises.
Based on a template from The Webquest Page
Background information provided by the following websites:Discovering the Oregon TrailWhat Trails Did They UseTrail BlazersThe End of the Oregon TrailWestward ExpansionThe Oregon National Historic TrailThe Oregon TrailThe National Oregon/California Trail CenterThe Frontier Trails of the Old WestThe End of the Oregon Trail A Local Legacy
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