Trappers, Traders, and Explorers - A Game of Westward Expansion

This game, developed by Shawneen Morrison, presents a fantastic opportunity to incorporate primary source materials related to Western Expansion into your curriculum. My students beg to play this game! A game board is constructed that reinforces student knowledge of important expansion routes to the west. As students progress through the game board, they draw a card that uses a journal excerpt or brief story to describe a real historical event. Then they collect wages (the real amounts that were paid), pay prices (historically accurate), or surrender their money to the bank in the case of death. The journal excerpts that are used vividly describe the hardships, joys, and opportunities that trapping, trading, and exploring provided. Price information related to the beaver trade and the cost of homesteading are included as a reference. Important Note:

The game boards for this activity are NOT included in this product but can be easily constructed by students as an advance activity.

I have included a photograph of the game board I use in Colorado History for a group of 4 students.

INCLUDED IN THIS PRODUCT:

• SUGGESTIONS FOR CONSTRUCTING GAME BOARDS

• COMMON CORE ALIGNMENT

• GAME CARDS WITH JOURNAL EXCERPTS OR HISTORICALLY ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS

• MONEY FOR THE GAME

• TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS

• STUDENT HANDOUT

• FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION SUGGESTION

Created by Shawneen Morrison - Visit My Store