I have a huge 97 page free US Westward Expansion lapbook. Also, I have a page Westward Ho with more ideas. Grab more ideas on my lapbook ideas page and on my best homeschool unit studies page.
You’ll want to study about westward expansion a few times to get in more subtopics of American history.
In addition, you may want to narrow down your focus to specific years or topics.
However, for our first time studying about the expansion of the United States, we covered quite a few years and topics.
For example, I chose to cover the period of 1803 to 1890.
Additionally, making a list of topics to cover will help too.
Westward Expansion Unit Study Ideas
Besides, you want to create a foundation for your children to understand why people wanted to head west.
Free Minibooks About Westward Ho
For instance, look at this list of free minibooks I created for a westward expansion unit study,
- Westward Ho Trifold Timeline Book
- 1860 Pony Express Pop Up Book
- Animals of the West with Pocket for Older Kids
- Baby Animals of the West with Pocket for Younger Kids
- Flora of the West for Older Kids
- Flora of the West for Younger Kids
- Buffalo Bill Frontiersman Tiny Book and pocket
- Daniel Boone Frontiersman Tiny Book and pocket
- James Fenimore Cooper _ Author Tiny Book and pocket
- Sacagawea matchbook
- Artists Study and Images George Caleb Bingham and Albert Bierstadt
- 49ers Goldrush minibook
- 1836 Remember the Alamo minibook, mini crossword, and Texian and Tejano images
- Manifest Destiny Pros versus Cons
- Barrel of Words Vocabulary
- Flip book to learn about supplies on the Oregon Trail.
- Prairie Schooner Top Flap,
- Landmarks along the Trail, Devil’s Gate, Independence Rock & Chimney Rock,
- Prairie Schooner Bottom Flap,
- Disease on the Trail: Cholera
- Picture for front/back of lapbook/notebook page.
- Dividers for Lewis & Clark Expedition and one for Westward Expansion.
- Pecos Bill older child
- Pecos Bill younger child
- Tall Tale Pecos Bill Writing Prompt
- Transportation Layered Book
- 1869 Transcontinental Railroad
- Printable Board Game Oregon Trail
- 2 Westward Ho Coloring Pages
As you can see from geography to language arts, I have many ideas for you.
Additionally, you’ll love reading some of these living books below.
Books about the Oregon Trail
10 Westward Expansion Resources
Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.
Your Life as a Pioneer on The Oregon Trail, has some funny illustrations and great information for this unit study.
Of course ALL the Little House Books are some of the best about pioneer life.
The Ingalls are the most famous pioneers and westward moving families.
A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.
In this boxed set, choose your own trail and complete the journey to Oregon City with all four paperbacks in this exciting series! It's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time.
- It's a race to Willamette Valley as you join the wagon train and seek your fortune in the West!
Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can’t bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too.
It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to
ocean
Try your luck, and search for your fortune in California! Follow the joy and heartbreak of the '49ers during the California Gold Rush.
In 1853, the Larkin family loaded up their wagons and headed west in search of a new life. But how did they do it? What did they eat? How did they survive sickness, and attacks from cattle thieves? Drawing on diaries and letters, and illustrated with photographs of actual object from the past, Daily Life in a Covered Wagon explored what life was really like on the wagon trail.
Illustrations and simple rhyming text follow Mother, Father, and Baby John as they make the difficult journey by wagon to a new home across the Rocky Mountains in the fertile Sacramento Valley of California. By the creators of Gold Fever.
And if you’re doing a unit study, you want to include hands-on learning.
Finally, add some hands-on activities.
Hands-on US Westward Expansion Ideas
Moreover, there are many hands-on ideas you’ll want to include in this unit study.
- No Sew Pioneer Rag Doll For Kids Westward Expansion Activity
- 7 Educational Movies for Kids About Westward Expansion
- 10 Westward Expansion Hands-on History Activities
- Free Westward Ho History Cards
- Make an edible Louisiana Purchase Map, yum.
Too, are you looking to cover other areas of American History?
Look at these other lapbooks.
More History Lapbooks
How to Get the Free HUGE 102 Page Westward Expansion Lapbook
Now, how to grab the free lapbook. This is a subscriber freebie.
That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.
Just follow the steps below.
1) Sign up on my list.
2) Grab the freebie now!
3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!
[…] U.S. Westward Expansion Lapbook – From Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus […]