2-2-2 Grade 5 Reading Lesson Plan; The Oregon Trail

Grade 5 Historical Reading Lesson Plan

The Oregon Trail

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.3
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

Learning Outcomes:

Students should be able to successfully play the game "The Oregon Trail".

Students should be able to understand the informational text being read based on the background information.

Instructional Activities:

The teacher introduces the time period of The Oregon Trail.

The students are given the opportunity to play the game "The Oregon Trail" in order to understand the challenges in a realistic and personal way. The challenges encountered require critical thinking and creativity to survive which mimics the skills needed by those traversing the trail in the 19th century. Students learn applicable vocabulary  and see the map.

The students read the informational text "Westward Expansion- The Oregon Trail"

Assessment:

Students are assessed on their understanding of the context of the game and their connections between the game, the challenges faced in that time period, and real-world decisions based on a worksheet and rubric.

Debriefing:

Students can connect the obstacles faced and the solutions created to real world challenges. Students can chart how much prey was hunted and how much they salvaged vs. lost in order to make smarter decisions the next time around.

Cognitive Skills: critical thinking, creativity, research management, decision making

New Literacy Skills:

This game includes challenges which are true to life and require authentic decision making skills. Students need to be able to navigate the keyboard and computer in order to play.