Oregon or Bust:The Journey West Along the Oregon Trail

Students learn of the influence of places and environments on the events and conditionssettlers experienced on their journey along the Oregon Trail. These influences can be

compared mathematically using percentages.

Author Gretchen LokenGrade Level 5Duration 1 class period

NationalGeographyStandards

Arizona GeographyStrand

Other Arizona Standards

ESSENTIALELEMENT IV.HUMAN SYSTEMS9. Thecharacteristics,distribution, andmigration of humanpopulations onEarth's surface.ESSENTIALELEMENT VI.THE USES OFGEOGRAPHY17. How to applygeography tointerpret he past.

Concept 6: GeographicApplicationsPO 1. Describe howgeographic featuresinfluenced events in thepast in the Original ThirteenColonies, the Great Plains,and the Pacific Northwest.

Mathematics Common Core StandardsNumber and Operations in Base Ten5.NBT.5. Fluently multiply multi-digit wholenumbers using the standard algorithm.5.NBT.7. Add, subtract, multiply, and dividedecimals to hundredths, using concrete modelsor drawings and strategies based on place value,properties of operations, and/or the relationshipbetween addition and subtraction; relate thestrategy to a written method and explain thereasoning used.Measurement and Data5.MD.5. Relate volume to the operations ofmultiplication and addition and solve real worldand mathematical problems involving volume.b. Apply the formulas V = l x w x h and V = b x hfor rectangular prisms to find volumes of rightrectangular prisms with whole-number edgelengths in the context of solving real world andmathematical problems.Standards for Mathematical Practice5.MP.2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

Strand 1 American HistoryConcept 5: Westward ExpansionPO 3. Identify major westward migration routesof the 19th Century.

OverviewBetween 1840 and 1860, 300,000 to 600,000emigrants embarked upon the 2200-mile journeyalong the Oregon Trail from Independence,Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon. The variedterrain and weather conditions along the trailinfluenced the events and conditions of travelthe emigrants experienced.

PurposeIn this lesson students will learn about theterrain, weather, and traveling conditions alongthe Oregon Trail. Students will practicemultiplying with a decimal and finding thevolume of a space.

Oregon or Bust: The Journey West along the Oregon Trail

Materials• Reading titled “Oregon or Bust”• The Oregon Trail map• Paper, pencil• Assessment Worksheet and answer key• ObjectivesThe student will be able to:

1. Identify cause/effect relationships of theenvironments encountered along the OregonTrail.

2. Multiply with a decimal and find the volumeof a space.

ProceduresPrerequisite Reading Skill: Understanding ofcause-effect relationships.

1. Have students use the map "Oregon Trail” tofind the route emigrants traveled. Point out thecurrent states and landforms the trail included.

2. Brainstorm to assess students’ currentknowledge level regarding the Oregon Trail. Besure to discuss dates and numbers of peopletraveling. Discuss what the travelers had toprepare for on their journey: the terrain alongthe Oregon Trail and how it influenced theevents and conditions of travel and the weatherconditions along the Oregon Trail and how theyinfluenced the events and conditions of travel.

3. Have students read the selection entitled“Oregon or Bust”. As they are reading, havethem refer to their map of the Oregon Traillocating the different reference points along thetrail.

4. After students have completed the reading,lead a class discussion of the information.

Mention that as the settlers prepared for theirjourney, their knowledge of the terrain of theplaces and weather conditions of theenvironments they would encounter influencedtheir preparations. How so? Elicit from studentsspecific cause/effect relationships.Terrain: Wagons were 3 feet high to crossstreams, tar buckets were brought to waterproofthe wagons, extra wheels and axles were broughtto replace ones that would break, rope wasbrought to lower wagons on steep hills.Weather conditions: Wagon canopies were oiledto keep out the rain; sturdy shoes were broughtfor varying weather conditions.

5. Discuss how the settlers’ knowledge of thetrail affected their decisions as they made thejourney. As they made their journey, the terrainof the places and weather conditions of theenvironments they encountered influenced theevents and conditions of their journey. How so?Elicit from students specific cause-effectrelationships.Terrain: The tall grassy plains caused men tostand on the backs of horses to see. The PlatteRiver provided no wood for fires, so settlersused buffalo dung. The steep canyon ledgescaused settlers to take apart wagons and haulthem up the canyon. The slippery trails madesettlers tie logs on the back of the wagons to actas brakes.Weather conditions: If settlers left early in theyear, there would not be enough grass for animalgrazing. If they left later in the year, they couldget trapped in snow banks. They encounteredwindy thunderstorms, which caused them tochain the wagons together to keep them fromblowing away.

6. Model the sample mathematics problem withthe students. Answer any questions as needed.

Oregon or Bust: The Journey West along the Oregon Trail

7. Students should complete assessmentworksheet to test for comprehension ofgeography knowledge as well as math skills.

AssessmentAssessment Worksheet items 1-5 assessgeography knowledge, while items 6-10 assesspercentage knowledge of mathematics.Geography mastery is considered 4/5 or 80%.Mathematical percentage mastery is considered4/5 or 80%.

ExtensionsStudents can plan a move across country oroverseas. They need to research the terrain andweather conditions they will encounter on theirmove. Using what they have learned about thecause/effect relationship of the terrain andweather conditions during travel, they can maketheir plans accordingly.

A GeoLiteracy lesson created by Jane Chambersand produced by the Arizona GeographicAlliance focuses on the Oregon Trail: WestwardHo: The Difficulties of Emigrants MovingWest.http://geoalliance.asu.edu/azga/

SourcesThompson, Gare. Our Journey West. 2002,National Geographic Society: Washington, D.C.ISBN 0-7922-8676-6

Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Oregon Trail.1990, Holiday House: New York. (Actualphotographs from the time) ISBN 0823408337