Introduction

This WebQuest is designed to bring a journey on the Oregon Trail to life for your students. They will compare a journey on the Oregon Trail with a modern trip.  Then they will use their knowledge of technology, math, and science to make recommendations for the journey.  They will focus on recommendations regarding supplies, the most significant place on the journey, and ways to face challenges effectively.  Their interaction in teams will result in a Digital Guide for the Oregon Trail that will be designed to describe a journey in the time frame between 1830 and 1869, including recommendations for pioneers that would enhance the journey westward.

                                                    By:

Helen Maddox                                                    Debra Coffey

Instructional Technology Coach                   Associate Professor

Bagwell College of Education                         Bagwell College of Education

Kennesaw State University                              Kennesaw State University

Learners

Students in Grades 3 to 12

This activity is appropriate for a wide range of students, depending on the reading materials chosen for the activity.  This WebQuest will help students to use critical thinking skills to consider the supplies that are needed for a journey on the Oregon Trail, the significant places, and the challenges involved in the journey.  They will personalize the journey to determine what the pioneers experienced, and they will consider the ways modern technology and knowledge of medicine, science, and math make the journey over the same territory much easier today. As they consider a comparison and contrast between pioneer times and now, they will work in teams to identify recommendations they would give to pioneers on the Oregon Trail to make the journey more pleasant and less complicated.

Standards

English Language Arts Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) 6-8

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Pages/ELA-6-8.aspx

ELAGSE6R1

Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

ELAGSE6R17

Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

ELAGSE6W2

Write information  / explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

ISTE Standards for Students

1. Creativity and innovation Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes

b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities

2. Communication and collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats

d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

3. Research and information fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.

a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry

b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media

c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks

d. Process data and report results

4. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.

a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation

b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project

c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions

d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions

5. Digital citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior.

a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology

b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity

c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning

d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship

6. Technology operations and concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.

a. Understand and use technology systems

b. Select and use applications effectively and productively

c. Troubleshoot systems and applications

d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies

Process

This WebQuest is designed to be a culminating activity for a unit on the Oregon Trail. When students do the activities in this WebQuest they will be very familiar with the Oregon Trail and the events pioneers experienced during the journey.  It will be important to prepare them to write about the journey using books, articles, videos, and other resources.

Provide Resources

As you select books and other resources, consider ways to differentiate instruction and promote student engagement as they learn about the Oregon Trail. When you look for materials, you will find a wide range of resources from books and primary source materials to an array of videos and media to match the needs and interests of struggling readers, English language learners, and gifted students.  Pictures and maps can be used to capture the imagination and make students feel like they are experiencing the Oregon Trail.

Steps 1-4 for Preparing a Digital Guide

After you have provided a wide range of resources, divide students into teams of four and guide them  as they complete Steps 1 to 4. The teams will check for your approval regarding the design of the Digital Guide for the Oregon Trail.

Optional Add Ons:

Join Skype for Educators and search for experts on the Oregon Trail, animals found on the trail, or history. Invite experts to SKYPE with students.  

NearPod Oregon Trail Virtual Fieldtrip - image above also links to site.

Digital Guide - The Product

Teams will produce a Digital Guide that will contain an Introduction to the Oregon Trail, information about the journey, and a conclusion.  Within the guide the team will share information on supplies, places, and challenges that were encountered in their readings about the Oregon Trail.  Then they will make recommendations for travelers on the Oregon Trail.

Features of The Digital Guide

Then - Now

Supplies

Supplies necessary for traveling the Oregon Trail

Recommendations for effectively choosing supplies from readings, research, playing the Oregon Trail game, including information and technology from today

Places

A significant place from the journey

Recommendations for travel, including information and technology from today, that can aid travelers as they visit places along the Trail

Challenges

A challenge experienced during the journey on the Oregon Trail

Recommendations for facing and overcoming challenges including using information and technology from today

Team Discussion

Once students have gathered information for each component above, teams will meet to discuss (then and now) reflections and recommendations.  The reporter will help the team to consolidate the introduction, reflections, and conclusion with recommendations into a final product - “The Digital Guide to the Oregon Trail.”  The chart above could be used in the classroom as an anchor chart to give students a frame of reference and help them to make sure they are including all components for “The Digital Guide to the Oregon Trail.”  The digital guide may be designed using most any form of media, such as a video, Glogster, Google Slides, etc. You will want to be sure the choice of media matches students’ expertise, ability levels, and the intended time frame for the activity.

Differentiation:

The Webquest has been designed to support differentiation and varied learning styles.  Students can be assigned roles by the teacher, and aligned to their areas of interest and learning style.  Students that enjoy writing may work as a reporter, others that enjoy being creative may work in designing the digital guide.  Students with limited language proficiency can use translation software or browser add on. Accommodations can be made to support students with disabilities and tools like screen readers, adaptive devices, and others specified in their IEP’s can be integrated. Teachers will also want to be sure the choice of media matches students’ expertise, ability levels, and the intended time frame for the activit

Resources

Literature Trips - website by Kathy Beck (great resource page!)

https://sites.google.com/site/literaturetrips/home

The Oregon Trail (Historyglobe.com) - http://www.historyglobe.com/ot/otmap2.htm

The Oregon Trail - http://oregontrail101.com/

The Oregon Trail Map - http://www.historyglobe.com/ot/otmap1.htm

Virtual Trail - Oregon~California Trail Association - http://www.octa-trails.org/learn/virtual-trail

Photo Tour of the Trail - IndependenceRock.org - http://www.independencerock.org/phototour.html

National Historic Oregan Trail Interpretive Center:

http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/education-kids-trail.php - Kids on the Trail

http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/diary.php - Kids Diaries

http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/education-kids-homework.php - Homework Helpers

http://www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail/junior.php - Junior Explorer Books

Pictures - Citation

Circled wagons outside National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

Image:  By Gorilla Jones - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40641568

Buffalo Herd in Yellowstone

Image By Debeo Morium (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Register Cliff Oregon-California Trail Wyoming.JPG
Chris Light at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Deschutes River Trail to Benham Falls, Oregon (2014) - 23.JPG
By Another Believer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons