Making Quilts for the Westward Expansion

Throughout our journey through the westward expansion, students were producing quilt squares at the end of each Listening story. We understood that pioneers sewed quilts from small pieces of fabric to take with them on their journey westward. Some pioneer women made quilts before their trips, while others who stayed behind made quilts for their family members and friends who were moving west. Quilts served many purposes during the westward expansion:

packed in trunks or used to wrap precious belongings

used for bedding

padding on the wagon seat

used to cover the cracks and openings from dust and rain

The quilts squares the students created were pieces identifying the main idea and critical information from each of the nine stories read.

Going West (The Morgan Family)

Mr. Fulton's Journey

The Journal of a Twelve-Year-Old on the Erie Canal

The Story of Sequoyah

The Trail of Tears

Westward on the Oregon Trail

The Ponly Express

Working on the Transcontinental Railroad

The Buffalo Hunters

This domain introduced students to an important period in the history of the United States, the time of the westward expansion during the 1800's. As we read each story, students learned why pioneers were willing and eager to endure hardships to move westward and all they encountered on their journeys. Ask your child about the Morgan family or the covered wagon journey families had on the Oregon Trail. 

We also learned about important innovations in both transportation and communication during that period, which increased the movement of people westward. 

Fulton's Steamboat

Erie Canal

Transcontinental Railroad

Pony Express

We came to understand the hardships and tragedies that the Native Americans went through as well because of the westward expansion. 

This unit helped to build the foundation for learning about The U.S. Civil War, which is our next unit of study for Listening.