OREGON TRAIL SIMULATION

 FOR TEACHERS

The "How To" Page

I've been asked many times how I run the Oregon Trail simulation in my classroom.  I've taught the Oregon Trail unit for many years and have come across some great materials and websites.  I created this simulation up over the years and each year I modify it to fit the year and group of students I am teaching.  Students love it and say it is one of their favorite things we did during the year.

I have two separate Oregon Trail simulations going at the same time in my classroom.  In the first simulation, student wagon train groups earn moves on the big Oregon Trail wall map headed from Independence, Missouri headed towards the Oregon Territory.  Moves are earned as for on-time homework completion each week.  In the other simulation, students write and illustrate a book from the perspective of a pioneer child as s/he travels the Oregon Trail.  See a sample book.

Before the Unit

Before beginning the unit, I check for prior knowledge about the Oregon Trail.  I pass out the Prior Knowledge worksheet and ask students to tell me anything they know about the Oregon Trail and any questions they may have.  This gives me a good idea of where I need to focus. 

Build Background Knowledge

To give students a good background, I begin by reading "Bound for Oregon" and watching movies about the Oregon Trail.  We have a class set of "If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon" so we read it together.  I typed up some landmark fact sheets and put them into a booklet.  We read and discuss the landmarks.  By now, students have a pretty good working knowledge of the trail and trail life.  I made worksheets that go along with the book. 

Classroom Simulation - Wagon Train Groups & Wall Map Directions

1)  Hang up the Wall Map.  Make and hang up a large map with the Oregon Trail landmarks listed.  Put wagon train markers on the map, one for each group.  This photo shows the wagon train family posters also.  Move wagons each Monday until you reach the Oregon Territory.

2)  Getting into wagon train groups.  Students draw a slip of paper and it determines the wagon train group s/he is assigned to.  I hang a banner with a wagon number on it over each wagon train group, numbered from 1 to 5.  Students move their desks into their new wagon train group and then they choose a wagon leader.  Students discuss their skills and persuade group members to vote for the student who will be voted as the wagon leader.  Students also choose a back-up leader (in case of absence).  Leaders help tally group points and act as a leader/encourager for the group.

3)  Moving the Wagons.  Students turn in homework packets the last school day of the week.  Homework points determine how many moves students will make as a group on the wall chart.  I organize the points using the wagon train point chart.  This is projected on the screen as we draw fates.  We move wagons Monday so I have time to look at the homework.  I wrote scenarios that give groups the element of a chance (we talk about probability) to earn more moving points.

Here is what a sample point chart looks like.

Point Chart Descriptions in More Detail

 

Points Needed to Move - You can adjust this to be whatever fits the system you use in your classroom.  I make my weekly homework packets worth $100 Collegiate Cash so it's easy to figure out homework points earned each week.  To slow down the simulation, you can make the landmark moves worth more points, or to speed it up, make the points needed to move smaller.  Giving 2-3 landmarks per week will allow you to finish the simulation in approximately 6-7 weeks, which is what I typically spend on this unit.

 

Group Homework Points Earned - In my classroom, each wagon train has 6 students so a perfect score for turning in homework is 600 points.  All homework points earned for the group are entered to find the total for the wagon train.

 

Missing Work Group Points Lost - In my class, I pass out missing work lists to each student.  Each missing assignment equals one delay point for the group.  Groups with no missing work EARN a bonus of 10 points.  To downplay this being punitive, we discuss ahead of time what pioneers would do when faced with adversity...they would work together and cooperate to help the whole group.  Students work to help their classmates finish work and assist as tutors. 

 

Bonus Earned or Delay Points - I award bonus points during the week to groups for random things like working together nicely, doing something nice for someone, listening attentively, helping a classmate in need, picking up a piece of trash "just because", etc.   Delay points are earned for put-downs, saying the "s" word (shut up), not being ready to learn, etc.  We discuss how positive behavior helps the whole group and how negative behavior hurts the group.

 

Fate Card Points Earned or Lost - I wrote a series of "fates" that can be positive or negative.  Wagon train groups can choose to draw up to two fates each Monday to try to earn more points for their team but sometimes the fate results in a loss of points so there is an element of chance to taking fate cards.  These are intended to be fun and are the part of the simulation that students look forward to the most.  Groups have to respond to the fates and choose members to play the games.

 

TOTAL POINTS - Add up the positive and negative points to arrive at the weekly total. 

 

Moves Earned This Week - 200 points are needed to make one move on the wall map.  I don't round this up to encourage students to work for every point possible.

5)  Taking Attendance Each Day - When taking attendance, the wagon train leaders account for each pioneer and if someone is absent I ask the leader, "What possible fate has befallen this pioneer today?"  Usual responses are something like, "He got bit by a snake," or "He got cholera in the night," or "He wandered away from camp and got lost."  This adds more life to our simulation.

5)  The first group to Oregon wins a fabulous prize  . . . .  a good feeling! 

Oregon Trail Story Book Writing Project

This is an in-depth project but students will write and illustrate an amazing book that they will cherish for years to come.  Guaranteed!   Here is a sample of Una's story book.

Landmark Reference Book - I gathered resources from all over (books, websites, pamphlets, etc.) and bound them into a booklet so each students has his/her own copy to use throughout the unit as a resource.  Included in the book are these pages: 

Supply Pictures

Pioneer Identities Boys 

Pioneer Identities Girls

Supply List with Prices 

Sample Quilt Patches  

Oregon Trail Map

Oregon Trail landmark Fact Sheets   (I summarized these for fourth graders to read)

1)  Students draw to become a pioneer boy identity or girl identity.  This becomes the child's identity and family in the story s/he will write.  If desired, students can draw a picture of their pioneer family for a hall bulletin board or to put around the large Trail map.

2)  Run off copies of the rough draft writing paper/packet.  As a class, read the landmark pages one at a time.  After discussion, students draw a scenario slip that corresponds with the landmark number.  This event will be written into the child's story while at that landmark.  Using a glue stick, glue the scenario in the box at the top of the page.   Repeat this for all 20 landmarks.  You can eliminate landmarks if you want to shorten the assignment.

3)  When you finished reading about the landmarks and have reached Oregon City, students are ready to begin writing the rough draft of their story on the story paper.  I have them write on every other line so we can edit between the lines.

4)  Use the writing process to revise and edit the story.  When ready, use the final copy writing paper.  Cut the paper into 8.5" x 8.5".

5)  Students trace the route they took on the Oregon Trail map.  This will go at the end or beginning of the story.

6)  Students think up a quilt block design that shows symmetry and recreate in using colored pencils or crayons on the final copy quilt block paper.

7)  Students write an "About the Author" page written in third person perspective.  For a technology component, students take photos of each other using the digital camera.  These pages are word processed and printed in color.

8)  Make the book cover and back.  Cut cardboard to 8.5 x 8.5 inches.  Cut calico fabric to 9.5 x 9.5 inches.  Cut wallpaper to 8 x 8 inches.  Put watered down white glue over the entire surface of the cardboard.  Lay the calico in the glue with the good side facing out.  On the back of the cardboard, put glue in the corners of the cardboard.  Fold the calico corners into the glue.  Put glue about 1 inch all around the back of the cardboard and wrap the calico over the edge into the glue.  Put glue on back of the wall paper.  Lay wallpaper over the wrong side of the book to hide the fabric edges.  Smooth with your hands to get the glue to dry into the wallpaper and fabric.  Repeat for the book back.  When dry, punch 2 holes with a 3-hole punch.  Have students braid two sets of yarn to hold the book together.  Take 3 strands of yarn, 12" long each and braid them together.

One year we used muslin fabric and students created a quilt block for their book cover.  I bought lots of coordinating calico fabrics, ironed Wonder Under on back of the quilt pieces - before you cut the fabric into smaller pieces) and cut kits of quilt blocks that students could choose from.  Students got a zip loc bag of quilt pieces and they ironed the design on the muslin.  That was a lot of cutting but the results were fabulous!

9)  Enjoy the story about life on the Oregon Trail!

Other Classroom Pioneer Activities

1)  We make Indian Fry Bread outside on the playground.  When all of our books have been published, we make Indian Fry Bread and butter and have a book sharing celebration.  To make the bread we take the dough from the biscuits that come in a tube.  They are inexpensive and can easily feed 30+ students for a few dollars.  Students take their dough and pull it to flatten it and poke a hole in the center (this speeds up the cooking time).  I bring my electric skillet from home and put about an inch of vegetable oil in the bottom.  Heat the oil until it is hot.  Put in maybe 5-6 biscuits and fry them for a minute or two, flipping them over.  Turn the heat on the oil down after a bit so it doesn't get too hot.  NOTE:  Make sure to fry the break outside.  Funny story - one year I did it inside, and our fire alarm system was set off and the fire trucks arrived.  Our whole school was outside at our fire drill stations while they determined that the hot oil set off a sensor.  Oops!  Keep a close eye on this and have students stay far away from the hot oil as the bread fries.  When the dough is fried, if the student desires, you can roll it in a bowl of cinnamon and sugar then put it onto a paper plate.  Wait a minute to eat it so it cools enough. 

2)  We also make our own butter in class and eat it with the Indian Fry Bread we made.  Take pint of whipping cream.  Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the container.  Pour about 1-2 inches of whipping cream liquid into a baby food jar.  Close the lid tightly and have students take turns shaking the jar until the cream begins to thicken and butter forms.  You will also have buttermilk left over that students can taste.

3)  One year a parent brought a large Dutch oven and students made Dutch oven apple crisp with the class.  Many students had never seen a Dutch oven, let alone see it create such an amazing dessert.  Students helped triple the recipe (great for fractions) and measure the ingredients.  She cooked this outside using charcoals on the bottom and top of the oven.  We kept our classroom door open and the smell as it cooked was amazing.  She brought little Dixie cups and every one got several spoonfuls. 

4)  Instead of writing a whole story book, one year students helped create a classroom book called "The ABCs of the Oregon Trail".

5)  We had a local teacher visit our class dressed as a Mountain Man.  Mr. Lay (retired teaching partner) attends Rendezvous and has lots of mountaineering skills. 

6)  Another year, Mr. Lay came dressed as a Wagon Guide and he shared many pioneer artifacts and talked with students about life during the pioneer times.

7)  One year our music teacher had the students perform Wagons West, a great musical production for parents.