Oregon Trail and Donner Party

1-Hour Lesson – Fully Interactive – Ready to Teach

Dear Colleague,

Step back in time and experience the perilous journey of the early settlers on the Oregon Trail! In this lesson, students will uncover the dangers faced by pioneers, explore the tragic story of the Donner Party, and discover the daily realities of life on the move. Along the way, they will test their knowledge of the Plains Indians and tackle a GCSE-style question to bring the history to life. This lesson is perfect for secondary students who love a mix of adventure, challenge, and historical investigation.

This is Lesson 5 in a unit on the American West
All lessons in this series follow a consistent structure, helping students learn coherently and track their progress:

LO 1:To understand dangers and importance of the Rocky Mountains. ​
LO 2: To investigate the problems faced by the Donner party while trying to cross them.
LO 3: To write an account on the dangers of going west between 1836-1846.

An extension task is included for higher-achieving students, and all tasks are assessed. Resources are provided at the end of the PowerPoint.

Lesson Features:
Knowledge-building activities on the Oregon Trail, settlers’ journeys, and Plains Indians
Analysis and evaluation tasks on migration challenges and adaptations
GCSE-style question practice to develop exam skills
Extension activities for deeper understanding
Resources included at the end of the PowerPoint.

If you are happy with your resource, PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW – it really helps my shop grow and lets me keep creating high-quality lessons for you.

If you encounter any issues, please email me at alepitirra@hotmail.it
and I’ll do my best to solve them.

Best regards,
Alessio