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Teaching American History Program - Lesson Plans and Teaching Ideas for Western Expansion and Life on the Frontier.

The Myths and Realities of Western Films and other Media

1. “Class Debate Based Historical Fiction: Jack Schaefer’s Shane and the Role of Firearms” by Mike Buono Grade 7 Inclusion and Heterogeneous. (PDF)
2. “Call me Shane” by Anne Stahl Unit Plan on Shane by Jack Schaefer. (PDF)
3. "Popular Mythology that Permeates Popular Perceptions of the American West" by Masten Woodward Grade 9. (PDF)
4. Students' Images of "the West", Grade 7, three class periods, by Mike Breslau.

Native Americans

1. "Native American Tribes” with presentation rubric by Warren Stevenson. Grade 11. (PDF)
2. “The Dawes Act and the Indian Way of Life” by James Barry Grade 11, College Prep. (PDF)
3. "The Effects of United States Federal Policy on Native Americans", Grade 11, three class periods, by Andrea Barry.
4. "Web Quest on the role and responsibility of General Nelson Miles in the Massacre at Wounded Knee", Grade 10 by Dana Altobelli.
5. "The Role of the American Federal Government in Native American History", Grade 10, College Preparatory, three 50 minute classes, one 90 minutes class, by Mary Dennehy.
6. "Indian Wars - Sand Creek Massacre", Grade 10 - College Prep/Honors, two 40 minute classes, by John Gardella. Part I, Part II and Part III of Lesson Plan.
7. "Wounded Knee", Grade 9, one 75 minute class period, by Phil Malone. Study Questions and Chronology.
8. "The United States Treatment of the Native American Peoples During the Expansion of the West through U.S. Policy", Grade 10, three class periods, by Mandy L. Matthews. PowerPoint Presentation and Native American Scraps Collection.
9. "Diaspora of Native Americans", Grade 10, two class periods, by Christine Miranda. PowerPoint Presentation and Questions.

Life On The Western Frontier?

1. “Goes West – A Gentleman’s Journey – George Reed” by Camie Hoffmann Grade 5. (PDF)
2. “To the West: American Emigrants and European Immigrants” by Michelle Snouffer. Grade 10. (PDF)
3. “Lesson Plan on Dr. Charles and Mrs. Sarah Robinson: A Local Connection with Western Expansion" (PowerPoint Presentation) by Mary-Elizabeth Maynard Grades 10 and 11. (PDF)
4. "The Chisholm Trail", Grade 5, three class periods, by Kevin Paul Maynard.
5. "The Oregon Trail, Over Landers and The Native American Perspective", Grade 10, college preparatory, 1.5 to 2 class periods, by Earl Martin. PowerPoint Presentation.
6. "Immigration: Open or Restricted", Grade 8 inclusion-very mixed abilities, three class periods, by Peter Birney.
7. "The Effect of Westward Expansion on the Environment", Grades 7 and 8, one week of class periods, by Judith Miller.
8. "The Journey West: The Emigrant Experience: The Diaries of Jane Gould Tourtillot and Lydia Allen Rudd", Grade 8, one class period, by Christine Olson.
9. "Democracy in the West: Exploration of Access and Denial of Democracy to Groups Residng in the American West", Grade 11, four class periods, by Christine Olson. Questions.
10. "California Gold Rush", Grade 10 College Prep, four clas periods, by Robert McNamara. Part I, Part II and Part III.
11. "Making Your Journey Across the Overland Trail", Grade 8, one class period (one block - 90 minutes) by Eric Glazier.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1. Lewis and Clark—What Is Out There?” by Thomas Kennedy.  Grade 9. (PDF)
2. "The Lewis and Clark Expedition” by Mary Jane Flaherty Grade 10. (PDF)
3. "The Lewis and Clark Expedition” by June Kelly Grade 10 Honors. (PDF)
4. “The Lewis and Clark Expedition” by Kay Paulsen Grade 5. (PDF)
5. " Exploring the Far West: The Lewis and Clark Expedition" by Ron Williams, Sophomore Level One. (PDF)
6. "The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition", four class periods, by Erick M. Eiben.
7. "Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark and the Coin", Grade 9 Honors, four class periods (72 minutes each), by Julia Stitson Fehmel.
8. "How the Lewis and Clark Expedition Scientifically Described the Western Part of Our Country", Grade 8, one 60 minute class period, by Maureen Vanderhoof. Primary Source Document I and Primary Source Document II.

The Railroad

1. “Westward Expansion and Railroad Songs” by David Kelly. (PDF)
2. “Fitchburg, Massachusetts: Its ties to the Continental Railroad and the Western Mines: A PowerPoint Presentation”, "Fitchburg--Burleigh Rock Drill" by Marilyn Zavorski Grades 5 to 12. (PDF)
3. “The Transcontinental Railroad”, "Map Resources for Transcontinental Railroad Big Map", "Analysis Worksheet", "The Pacific Railway Act", "Timeline: Transcontinental Railroad", "Primary Sources: Reports from the End of the Track", "Written Document Analysis Worksheet", "Blank Map of Western US", "West Map" (5 Lessons accompanied with many supplementary materials i.e. maps, photos, and primary documents) by Bob Jones Grade 8, could be modified for 5th or 9th. (PDF)
4. "The Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad as an emormous engineering achievement", Grades 5 to 8, two class periods, by Virginia May.
5. "The Transcontinental Railroad: Linking the East to the West", Grades 9 to 12, five class periods (80 minute classes), by Mary Martorella. Group Projects, PowerPoint Presentation, and Web Quest.

Western Expansion and Statehood

1. “How the United States obtained New Mexico and California.” by Joanne Diaz Grade 11. (PDF)
2. “The Road to Statehood: Texas from Colony to State” by Joanne Diaz Grade 11. (PDF)
3. "Remember the Alamo!" and "equally libel", Grades 10 and 11, five class periods, by Kay Alverson Hillman.
4. "How was Manifest Destiny a graceful way to justify something unjustifiable?", Grade 11 - College Prep United States History, one 50 minute class periods, by Steven Forte.

The Dust Bowl

1. The "Dust Bowl” by Scott Rogers (PDF file lesson plan and large materials file) Grade 8. (PDF)
2. “Sounds of the Dust Bowl” with PowerPoint Presentation by Thomas Lamey Grade 10. (PDF)

Miscellaneous

1. "Websites related to the Western Frontier" by Camie Hoffmann. (PDF)
2. “The Homestead Act 1862” by Michael McMann. (PDF)
3. “The California Gold Rush” by Donna Crowley. Grade 8. (PDF)
4.  “Where Did the Story of the West Begin?” By Timothy Sheasgreen, Grade 8. (PDF)
5. "Fitchburg and the Free Kansas Movement" by Robin Allain-Moody Grade 8. (PDF)
6. “From Gardner to Utah” by Diane M. Boucher Grade 8. (PDF)                       
7. “Using Oral Traditions As A Way to Understand A Different Culture: Native American Stories: A Different View" by Todd Goodwin. (PDF)
8. "Dr. Charles Robinson and Ties to the Gold Rush", "Robinson Materials", and PowerPoint Presentation "Fitchburg's Ties to the Isthmus of Panama Emigrant Route and the Gold Rush", by Marilyn Zavorski. Grades 5 - 12. (PDF)
9. "Literary Expressions in Gold Rush Letters" "Fitchburg Sentinel Excerpt December 15, 1848", Fitchburg Sentinel Excerpt August 3, 1849", by Marilyn Zavorski. Grades 5 - 12. (PDF)
10. "Barbed Wire: Washburn & Moen Manufacturing Co., Worcester, Massachusetts, and Sole Manufacturer of Glidden Steel Barb Fence Wire", Grade 11, by Valerie Spar.
11. "Introduction to the West", Grade 8, two 60 minute class periods, by Adam Caragher.