Westward Expansion: Supplemental Guide | Introduction 3
Expansion Timeline using Instructional Master 2B-1 and image sheet
(Instructional Master 2B-2). Note: Keep this Timeline for the U.S. Civil
War domain.
- Transportation Brainstorm—A central theme in this domain is
transportation and the invention of the steamboat and locomotive
as well as the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad. Create a
Transportation Brainstorm for students to tell about the different
forms of transportation they already know and to show the types of
transportation used during westward expansion. (You may wish to
use the images from Instructional Master 1A-2.)
- Westward Expansion Map (Instructional Master 2A-2)—This is a
student copy of a map of America marked with different types of
routes to the west. It is recommended that a large U.S. map be
marked with these routes for students to reference. Students may use
this map to keep track of the routes referred to in the read-alouds by
coloring each route a different color.
- Westward Expansion Response Cards—Several Response Cards
are provided in this domain: Oregon Trail (Instructional Master 2A-
1); Steamboat vs. Flatboat (Instructional Master 3A-1); Sequoyah
(Instructional Master 4A-1); Pony Express (Instructional Master 7A-1);
Transcontinental Railroad (Instructional Master 8A-1); and Buffalo
Hunters (Instructional Master 9A-1). Students can use these Response
Cards to preview, review, and discuss content from the read-alouds.
- Westward Expansion Quilt—Students will be making “quilt” squares
for several read-aloud topics. They will draw and write the main topic
in the middle and write four details or related words on the corners.
On the back of their quilt pieces, they will write a sentence using
the words they have written on the front. You may wish to create a
cumulative class Westward Expansion quilt or have students create
their own individual quilts. Instructional Master 1B-2 is provided if
you would like to use it as a center square in your quilt.
- Music connections—You may wish to coordinate with the school’s
music teacher to practice singing the songs presented in this domain:
“The Erie Canal,” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.”
