USH.24
Westbound Rails
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Game Info for Teachers
COMBINED RATING
4.6 Stars
TEACHERS (2)
5.0
STUDENTS (22)
4.1
LENGTH
25 Minutes
GRADES
5
6
7
8
CAPABILITIES
iPad Support
ES
Spanish Language Support
Text-to-Speech Support
Saves Progress
Description
Become a railroad pioneer of the 19th century! Gather resources, overcome challenges, and decide the best routes as you lay track across the wild frontier. Each rail you build brings new towns to life and connects the West to the rest of the nation. Can you complete the railroad that will change history forever?
Vocabulary Words
Transcontinental railroad
Natural resource
Reservations
Exoduster
Assimilation
Instructions
Play through this interactive game to learn about Western Settlement & Conflict. Suitable for Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.
Main Concepts
Analyze how U.S. government policies toward Native Americans shifted from treaties to military force and assimilation.
Reflect on how the myth of the “Wild West” contrasts with the realities faced by diverse groups in western expansion.
Discuss how technological advances (e.g., railroads, barbed wire, mechanical reapers) transformed life in the West.
Explain how the Oklahoma Land Rush exemplified tensions over western land ownership.
Interpret the symbolism and purpose of pictorial records (such as Cheyenne ledger art) in preserving Indigenous perspectives.
Evaluate the impact of mining booms and busts on settlement patterns and the western economy.
Analyze tensions between different groups (Native Americans, settlers, ranchers, miners) competing for land and resources.
Describe how government policies, including land grants and homesteading, encouraged western settlement.
Explain how African American Exodusters migrated westward to seek new opportunities after Reconstruction.
Evaluate the causes and effects of the decline of the Plains Indians’ way of life.
Assess the cultural and symbolic significance of battles like Little Bighorn for both Native Americans and Americans.
Interpret how Native American leaders such as Chief Joseph and Sitting Bull responded to U.S. policies.
Describe the role of immigrant groups, including Chinese and Irish laborers, in constructing the transcontinental railroad.
Explain how westward expansion and the building of the transcontinental railroad impacted Native peoples and the environment.
Analyze the causes and consequences of conflict between Native Americans and U.S. expansion during the late 1800s.
Discussion Questions
Before the Game
How does the idea of Manifest Destiny fit into Westward Expansion and building the railroad? Why was America wanting to build a transcontinental railroad?
After the Game
How did the transcontinental railroad effect the Native Americans?
Ratings & Reviews
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Ratings Breakdown
Teacher Ratings
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Student Ratings
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Game Details
Difficulty
Content Integration
Lexile Level
N/A
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