Introduction

Dear Family,

How would you like to go with me on a driving trip across the country? I need to take a trip to Oregon City, Oregon to pick up some artifacts for the museum. I have a brand new RV that can take us across the country. We'll make some fun stops along the way. Meet me at my house in St. Louis and we'll get started. I've included a map so that you can see where we will be going.

It will take you about three days traveling by car from Maine to St. Louis. From St. Louis to Oregon City, it will take us about a week because we will be taking fun stops along the way. Did you know that if you were a pioneer traveling from Missouri to Oregon, it would take you over four months? You would travel by covered wagon. However, the wagon would be so full of supplies that you would have to walk the 2,000 miles in barefeet. Don't forget your shoes!!!! HA!HA!

Plan carefully what you will need to pack. The RV is big, but our whole family and our luggage will need to fit in the RV. I've sent along a suitcase for each of you to pack all of your things. After you've packed, you can get started on your trip.

See you soon!

Love,

Aunt Jenn

After you've packed your bags, click on what a typical pioneer family might have taken. Talk with your classmates and your teacher about the differences in what you need to take on your trip. You could also write or color these items on the other side of your suitcase.

Now that you've packed your bags, let's get started! Imagine that you've spent three days in a crowded car with your whole family during the 1,800 miles from Belfast, Maine to St. Louis, Missouri. Write or draw in your journal, what problems your family might have encountered on your 3 day journey. Are you tired? Frustrated with each other? What problems do you think the pioneers might have encountered on their journey? Click here to read the hardships pioneers encountered along the way.

Your job is to get to Oregon City. To do this, you must analyze and discuss artifacts and documents from the Western Expansion Period while learning about some sites the pioneers made famous along the way. Have fun!

Now we are ready to get started on our trip. Click on St. Louis, Missouri on the map and we can leave. At each location, you will find a letter from Aunt Jenn which will also have an artifact or document and a place to visit.

Your job is to look at each artifact or document and answer the questions that follow.

1. First read the letter from Aunt Jenn.
2. Then look at the artifact or document.
3. Answer the questions about the artifact or documents.
4. Next, click on the city name and go explore the area you are visiting.
5. When you are done exploring the area, move on to the next city and repeat the process.
6. Keep traveling until you get to Oregon City.

 

 

This evaluation can be printed to be used for each child.

Conclusion

By traveling from St. Louis, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon you have had the opportunity to have learned about the experience of the pioneers including their journey, hardships as well as some geography. You have analyzed actual artifacts from Pioneers in order to be able to understand people from a different time in our history while comparing them to ourselves. Hopefullly you have gained new knowledge and skills during this experience as well as a new interest in this time in history. The Oregon Trail was one of many routes pioneers took while going west. You might want to continue your research by exploring routes that pioneers took to California or the Southwest.

The photo of the couple standing with the wagon is from http://www.americaslibrary.gov

The exerpt from the diary of CATHERINE SAGER PRINGLE, the Oregon Trail map see above, the information about supplies and hardships, as well as all of the historic sites are from http://americanhistory.about.com/homework/americanhistory/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.isu.edu%2F%7Etrinmich%2FOregontrail.html

The image of the bathtub is from the Steiner museum. http://theenchantedforest.com/steiner_museum/museum/museum.html.

The information and image of the rug beater is from Bristol School. http://www.museum.siu.edu/university_museum/museum_classroom_grant/Museum_Explorers/school_pages/Bristol/PIONEER

Thanks to Phil for all of the hard work, help, and patience.

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Teacher Page

Dear Teacher,

We are all well aware that for K-2 students, access to computers, computing, and reading and writing skills are limited. This webquest is designed to be teacher led. I tried to make the activities multiage or open to different levels of complexity. Feel free to adapt the activities to suit the individual needs of your students. The preliminary activities of packing and writing the journal could take two days. Each stop at a city along the way could be a day's activities as well. Each city could also be expanded to last longer than a day. Links from the cities are very interesting and you may want to divert to explore those.Chimney Rock, Devils Gate, and Fort Hall have options of panoramic views of these places. This is a really neat thing for the students to see. All you need to do is click where it says "Panoramic view of. . ." and follow the directions from there. Some of the other places have modern day pictures as well. If time allows you may want to explore those. You may want to set this webquest to your Favorites so you can get back to the map easily from your city sites. Click here to print a suitcase for your students to pack.