Western Region of the US: Early Beginnings
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Bring the Wild West to Life in Your Classroom!
This unforgettable journey through history immerses students in the dramatic story of westward expansion, highlighting the people, events, and innovations that shaped the American West.
Explore the Earliest Inhabitants – Discover the diverse Native American tribes who first called the West home and learn about their rich cultures and traditions.
Spanish Colonization & Missions – Witness the arrival of Spanish explorers, the building of missions, and their lasting impact on the region.
The California Gold Rush & Mormon Migration – Feel the excitement of the Gold Rush and the determined journey of Mormon settlers seeking a new homeland.
Trailblazers & Pioneers – Follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they map the Oregon Trail and open the door to westward migration. Meet the fearless Jedediah Smith, whose bravery paved the way for future explorers.
The Transcontinental Railroad – See how this ground-breaking innovation transformed travel and trade, making expansion faster and more accessible.
Alaska & Hawaii: The Final Frontier – Learn the fascinating stories behind how these distant territories became the 49th and 50th states.
Turn your classroom into a gateway to the past with this immersive virtual field trip.
Companion Video to:
Video Length: 24:25 minutes
Learning Resources with this Video*
Quiz
Settling the West
Native American Tribes of the West
A Timeline for Settling the West
Draw a Scene
Universal Resources
National Standards
*Links are active on Full Video page.
Topics Covered In This Video
Native American Tribes in the West
The Arrival of the Spanish
Missions
California Gold Rush
Mormon Trail
Oregon Trail
Lewis & Clark Expedition
Sacagawea
Trans-Continental Railway
Alaska becomes a state
Hawaii becomes a state
Classroom Ideas
Western Region of the US: Early Beginnings
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Print out or look at a map of the Western Region.
Identify landforms and bodies of water in the Western Region.
Cloze Practice
A cloze piece has full sentences used in the virtual field trip with blanks where students can write in the information that is missing. This task requires close listening to the trip in order to complete it.
Art and Social Studies
Draw a scene from the video you just watched.
Create Quizzes
Students create a quiz based on the information presented for their peers. This can be used as a review for a test, or Jigsaw class activity where students are responsible for teaching other students assigned topics.
Visual Learning
Offer videos to struggling learners as another form of creating knowledge and accessing information.
Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos
Here are dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!
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