The Oregon Trail Unit Plan

1. The Oregon Trail

2. Analyze Learner
The students for whom this lesson is
intended are 5th graders enrolled in a
specialized school for the deaf and hearing
impaired. There are 12 students (the maximum
allowed without a teacher’s aid): seven males
and five females.

3. Main Objectives
The students will understand the reasons for pushing
west in the mid-1800’s and recognize the pros/cons of the
journey, identify with a person traveling on the Oregon
Trail through journaling, learn the importance of planning
ahead and using a budget, recognize the general
route/geography of the Oregon Trail, understand the
mechanics/uses of covered wagons, and discuss/identify
foods eaten on the Oregon Trail with 85% accuracy.

4. Day-By-Day
▪ Monday: Read and discuss unit chapter on The Oregon Trail. Group
students into “families”. Discuss newspaper articles and decide path.
▪ Tuesday: Begin “Dear America” book. Budget /supplies activity. Hw:
Find and turn-in five facts about the covered wagon.
▪ Wednesday: Make a covered wagon using gummy bears, twizzlers,
graham crackers, etc. Hw: Identify three major locations along the
Oregon Trail and provide four facts about each location.
▪ Thursday: Draw Oregon Trail maps. Hw: Make a “pioneer” recipe.
▪ Friday: “Welcome to Oregon” party. Pioneer recipes brought to class.
▪ Daily: Oregon Trail journaling.

5. Technology
▪ PowerPoint – Instructions.
▪ Google Chrome-Research.
▪ Document Camera – Sharing work with the
class.

6. Works Cited
• DEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT: QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERSThird Edition, 1994. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2015, from
http://research.gallaudet.edu/Demographics/factsheet.php#Q5
• Newberry, L. (n.d.).TravelingThe OregonTrail. Retrieved January 30, 2015,
from
http://teacherbulletin.ehclients.com/media/resources/V03_Oregon_Trail.p
df
• The OregonTrail Web QuestTeacher Page. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1,
2015, from http://fg.ed.pacificu.edu/sweb/updike/files/The OregonTrail
Web QuestTeacher Page.html