Description: Oregon Trail resource that has maps, pictures, facts, and descriptions.
Rationale: This source has many different links that can direct students to articles relating to the topic. Students can conduct their own research throughout this site.
Description: This site offers an interactive map detailing locations and events of the Westward Expansion
Rationale: Students can utilize this source to get an interactive and visual aid experience of the locations in the Westward Expansion. Students can also see from different locations what the expansion looked like.
Description: This site offers a history of the Westward Expansion of the United States. There are educational articles that students can explore; the articles are arranged through links and different topics related to the Westward Expansion.
Rationale: Students can use this site to conduct their own research and to explore more information and facts about the Westward Expansion. This site provides a lot of information, not only for students, but for teachers too. There is a lot of material here about the expansion and about key people during that time.
Description: This site gives articles that students can easily read about the Westward Expansion.There are different articles related to different topics of the Westward Expansion.
Rationale: This site is extremely kid friendly. After looking through the site well it is very evident that the creator of the site wants it to be kid friendly and a source that students can use easily. It is easy to navigate and offers more than just information related to the Westward Expansion. It offers resources for other subjects as well. This site can be used for students to conduct their own research or expand on instruction from class.
Description: This site provides tools and ideas that can be used in creating a lesson about the Westward Expansion.
Rationale: In these tools there are lesson plans and resources within them that can be utilized when creating your own lesson plan. Some of these resources include teaching tips and videos that can be shown to students about the topic.
Description: This site is the website of Copper Creek Elementary school. This site gives different types of resources that can be useful for creating lessons. Specifically for a Westward Expansion lesson, it provides a link to a game where students can simulate their life on the Organ Trail.
Rationale: Students can use the game to test their knowledge and understanding of what life was back during that time and what it took to survive the trail. It could also be an interesting game to use at the beginning and end of the lesson to see how their results had changed and if they made it further into the game the second time.
Description: This site offers videos of songs that help students learn about the content being taught in the lesson
Rationale: Through integrating music students can develop an understanding of the Westward Expansion. There are three videos that relate to different parts of the Westward Expansion that can be used as a teaching tool for students to grasp the concepts.
Description: This site from the history challenge provides information of the Westward Expansion through videos, articles and pictures.
Rationale: students are able to explore the topic through different types of media and different sources through this one site. Students can conduct their own research to learn more about the topic being taught in the lesson.
Description: This is a webquest that students can complete. In this quest students are put into the shoes of of someone who is facing the decision to go westward or stay home.
Rationale: This webquest gives students the opportunity to collaborate together in small groups, and allows them to do research. It also allows students to apply what they have learned and share with others with a rationale behind their reasoning of their decisions throughout the assignment.
Description: This site offers a visual map, facts and a timeline for students to explore.
Rationale: Students can use the map, facts and the timeline to conduct further research- through this outlet and others on this listly list- to create their own interactive timeline.
