School Resources

Lesson Plans, Presentations & Video

These resources listed here are suitable for learners of all ages, but some are specifically designed for elementary and middle school students.

8th Grade Curriculum

In Pursuit of a Dream

This multiple award-winning film shows modern teenagers learning firsthand what it was like to be an emigrant traveling West on a wagon train.

What would it be like to go back in time (with no cell phones, IM’ing, Twitter and Facebook or running water for that matter) and travel across the country just like the pioneers did. That’s what 24 kids from across the US, (some who had never been out of their home town EVER), did for their summer vacation. Led by three amazing teachers these new age “emigrants” trekked through Wyoming and north to Oregon on a once-in-a-lifetime journey that challenged even the toughest in the group.

They traded their modern conveniences for long dresses and overalls, loaded their wagons and took off for adventure on the Oregon and California Trails. Along the way they met gold seekers, scoundrels and natives. And while they learned about what made us a great nation as we moved west, they also learned about themselves and how the decisions they made could have serious and unexpected consequences for their group. Some made it, others did not. Join these kids in this 83 minute-long drama as they are challenged to find the right direction, “In Pursuit of a Dream”.

Activity Books

America's westward march has been captured in OCTA's four educational Activity Books. They are appropriate for use at the middle and high school level, and parts may be adapted for use in lower levels.

Lesson Plans & Units

Selecting Gear and Starting Out

detailed drawing of emigrant covered wagon
Written by Lethene Parks - This is a Pathfinder, which by definition is a guide to a specific topic; it is not designed to be a complete reference, but rather to provide some ideas to start you thinking and to give you some resources and strategies for starting your own research.

Who Were the Buckeye Rovers?

freight wagons pulled by many teams of mules in an open desert landscape
Written by Cathy Sato - People from every state in the Union went across the overland trails to Oregon and California. Often, their leaving, their return, letters, and other information were reported in local newspapers or later recounted in county histories.

America's Westward Movement

bronze statue of American Indian woman Sacajawea holding baby
Designed for students in grades 3-4, this 3-week interdisciplinary unit covers Lewis and Clark, Mountain Men, and the Oregon Trail

Road to Oregon

Oregon Trail marker placed next to trail ruts
Written by Dr. Jim Tompkins, prominent Oregon City historian and descendant of Oregon Trail emigrants, this is a good primer on the history of the Oregon Trail.

Presentations

PowerPoint overview presentations designed for elementary students.

Reading & Reference