Format
Welcome (virtually) to Chimney Rock and the beginning of our journey on the Oregon Trail! Students will connect via Google Meets, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams with a History Nebraska Educator at the Chimney Rock Museum in Bayard, Nebraska. Together we compare and contrast the experiences of those closely connected to the Oregon trail through primary sources such as photos, objects, and artifacts from settlers, trail workers, and indigenous people. This program is designed for elementary school students to explore this well-known topic in American History through different lenses and the impact of the great migration on the Midwest.
Lesson Details:
- Lesson Timing: 45 min
- Prep Timing (Optional): 10-30 minutes
- Post Lesson Activity Timing (Optional): 20-30 min
Objectives
- Students will learn about people who lived, worked, and traveled on the Oregon Trail and how the trail changed their lives.
- Students will also look at the route the Oregon Trail took through Nebraska and the importance of Chimney Rock as a landmark on the trail.
- Students will analyze the Oregon Trail through the eyes of trail workers
- Students will analyze the Oregon Trail through the eyes of settlers
- Students will analyze the Oregon Trail through the eyes of indigenous people
Standards Alignment
State Standards
Nebraska State Educational Standards Addressed:
SS 3.3.1, SS 3.3.2, SS 3.3.4.b, SS 3.4.2, SS 4.4.2, SS 4.4.2.a, SS 4.4.2.b, SS 4.4.3.b, SS 4.4.4.c, SS 5.3.4, SS 5.3.5.a, SS 5.4.4