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Western Trails: An Online Journey
Click West, young person! Primary documents about the American West.
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12


http://www.bcr.org/cdp/projects/westerntrails/index.html

CONTENT:
This site is the collaborative effort of a number of institutions in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska. It offers a digital database of thousands of primary documents that deal with the history of the western United States as well as lesson plans for using primary sources in the classroom.
SITE DESIGN:
The site can be navigated via the menu on the left side of the main page. There is also a top navigation bar that offers access to other areas of the site.
 

REVIEW:
Western Trails is a rich resource of primary documents that can be used by American History teachers to enhance their lessons. The Western Trails exhibits feature several themes, such as Native American Trails, Explorer Trails, Military Trails, Settlement Trails, and Population Trails. The exhibits include textual information, maps, images, and other primary sources. The Teacher Toolbox (located in the navigation menu) includes a collection of resources and information that would be helpful to educators who are just starting to use digitized primary source materials or to those who are looking for new ideas. The lesson plan collection features ready-to-go lessons available on a range of subjects and can be organized by title or subject. Additionally, the Digital Toolbox offers strategies to help digitization projects of all scopes and sizes as well as project management tips.
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