The Oregon Trail

You will be collecting information about the Oregon Trail in a journal. Using the internet and the book, If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine, you will discover many interesting facts about this long and dangerous journey. The information you gather will be used to make both an alphabet book and a game that you will construct and play with your class. HAVE FUN !!

The Route Where did the trail start? Where did it end? http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/maplibrary/oregontrail.html Where did the trail start? Where did it end? Name 5 places the pioneers passed through: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Supplies How much did it cost to outfit a wagon? http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/outfit.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/barlowrd.htm#provisions How much did it cost to outfit a wagon? List food, supplies, clothing and bedding, guns and trading goods that pioneers needed to bring for their journey. What did you eat on the trip?

How did they travel? http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/wagons.html The pioneers on the Oregon Trail traveled in a covered wagon. Another name for this covered wagon was a _____________________. It weighed _____lbs. empty and was pulled by a team of __ to __ _______. Draw a picture of the wagon and label 4 parts.

The Wagon Train What was a wagon train? What did they do with the wagons at night? Why? http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/travel.htm The leader of the caravan was called the ___________. Many scouts that guided the trains had been _______ or ________. A famous scout was ___________. His nickname was “___________”.

Hardships and Dangers http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Hardships.html http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/Dangers%20on%20the%20Trail.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/Crossing%20the%20Rivers.htm Many things could go wrong during the journey. Make a list of 15 things that could happen. 1. 2. 3 . 4. 5 . 6. 7 . 8. 9 . 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Crossing Rivers and Mountains http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/Crossing%20the%20Rivers.htm If the river was shallow wagons would cross by ____________. _______ would pull the wagons across. If the water was deeper how did the wagons get across? How long would it take for a wagon train to cross a river?

Life on the Trail What was a typical day like? http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/lives.htm What was a typical day like? How far did they travel every day? What did the children do all day? What chores were children responsible for on the trail? How was the ride in the wagon? Where did you sleep? What happened if it rained? What did you do for clothing?

Fire http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/fire.htm What did they use to make a fire? How did they do it? http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/fire.htm

Pioneer Tools http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/tools.htm What is a Corn seeder Fro Auger Draw knife Grinding stone Two person saw ?

Pioneer Food http://www.nps.gov/archive/whmi/educate/ortrtg/ortrtg14.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/cooking.htm

Fun http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/toys1.htm What was a bullroarer? What was a whimmydiddle? What was a buzzsaw? What is a mountain bolo?

Music http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/songs.htm Which song is your favorite?

Pioneer Food http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/cooking.htm http://www.nps.gov/archive/whmi/educate/ortrtg/ortrtg14.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/cooking.htm Pioneers did not have many of the foods we have today. They ate ______ in some variety at every meal. Choose a recipe from the websites and copy it into your journal. Would we serve this to our families today? ____

The Whitmans Who was Narcissa Whitman? http://www.nps.gov/archive/whmi/history/narcbio.htm Who was Narcissa Whitman? What did she and her husband do?

Glossary Find the meanings of: Conestoga Fording Pelt Stockade http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/glossary.htm#H Find the meanings of: Conestoga Fording Pelt Stockade Westward Expansion Prairie Schooner

ABC http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/glossary.htm#H Create a list of words related to the Oregon trail to use in your ABC book A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

More Information about the Oregon Trail http://courses.missouristate.edu/ShaeJohnson/oregontrail.htm