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A Familiar Fifth Grade Trail The Oregon Trail has become a part of the fifth grade experience over the last 15 years. The computer programs change, but the excitement of the Trail remains. This year some teams are dressing in suitable costume as they attempt to reach their destinations : Oregon, California, or Salt Lake City. The computer simulations require team decision making as students encounter realistic situations from the 1840’s trails. Students keep journals detailing their trip. They make posters encouraging others to follow along the trail. Sample Journal Entries It is April 2, 1848 and we just got on the trail again. It was starting out well. We got on the trail and went to the Kansas River. We caulked the wagon and got on the river. We had trouble. We were going down the river. We were scared. We thought we might go over a water fall. ...Josh K. I am heading west to find a cute husband. I hired two helping hands named Dusty A. and Josh K. We then bought all the supplies needed. Soon after we left we ran out of meat. Dusty went hunting and shot a skunk and a fox. The skunk sprayed everyone so we had to stop and clean up. ...Jade B. On the second day we got out of town fast. We crossed the Mississippi River and we had no trouble. Then we went hunting and shot a deer, rabbits and birds. Then we came to a station and bought lots of guns and ammo. Finally we got to the Washington River. Then all of a sudden the wagon flipped. It was upside down going down the river. ...Dustin T. Today we bought 8 oxen, 1 horse, 1 wagon, 2 rifles, 2 pistols, 2 shot guns and headed for the train. We went with a wagon train of 19 other wagons. There were 163 people in our group. Chris N. Mike got smallpox and lots and lots of Mosquito bites. Then he took a turn for the worse. Later he got a little better. Then he got a concussion, but he got better from that. Mike was very strong we think. Missy got sick with the smallpox and she died. We gave her a proper burial and we were very sad. Then we had to keep on going. ...Mary Lynn B.
^ Ricky, Kayla and John wonder if they will reach water in time to save the oxen We were traveling up a steep hill with chains and ropes and we crashed two times. Finally we got up, But then I got sick and died of smallpox. The others in the wagon went on. They were very thirsty. Finally Mike died of thirst. ....Andrea M.
Soren, Samantha, Scott, and Erica (with baby Felicity) have traveled many miles. More Comments, Student Art and Photographs will be coming as we continue westward. Watch this Web Site to see if we make it to Oregon!
Kayla, Stacey, Eleanor, and Jessica made a poster encouraging travelers to head West on the Oregon Trail. |
Chris, Eleanor, Erica look for wild vegetables along the trail Ruth is mine and Sarah’s mother. Derek is our hired worker We bought a whole bunch of things, but no shop in town would sell us wagon parts. Finally we got to set off on the trail. We went about 200 miles and then Ruth got a cold and Sarah broke her arm. Derek died by being eaten by a wolf. I almost got frost bite. We didn’t have any more fruit or vegetables. We crossed some rivers. We met a girl who had lost her cat. We could not find it for her. We went hungry. ... Sam M.
Jackson, Nichole, and Stacey plan to save their money so they can trade at the fort. We got half way through the Oregon Trail when I got frost bite and a fever. Then Hans got frost bite too. We lost four oxen and one horse. When we got to a place where you can hunt, Jordan took a pistol and some bullets to go hunting. He only saw one rabbit. When he took a shot, he missed it by a little, but than we had to take a day to rest and then get back on the trail. ...Ashley Z You'll need lots of oxen to survive. You would need them to pull the wagon and when you run out of food, you can just eat the oxen. ...Dusty A.
Sarah, Ruth, Derek, and Sam hope to get across the mountains before winter sets in. Back in the old days a trip to Oregon was a lot more difficult. They got sick a lot from cholera which was very contagious. Today we only get car sick. They had to use buffalo chips to make their fires. Today we can use wood. It took them a long time to get to Oregon. Today it would only take about three days. ...Sam M
Along the trail the girls, Sarah, Erica, and Mary Lynn, saw examples of Native American Art. Hum...could this have been made by a fifth grade art class? |
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March 6, 1847 (1998 really) |
