Use this Close Reading for students to learn about the National Road(also called the Cumberland Road or the National Pike Road). There are several comprehension questions and fun facts. Additionally, there are lots of extension activities especially writing in the content area.

The Close reading and review would be one period. If you do some of the extension activities, the resource could take a couple of days.

Additional Resources on this topic:

1. Use this reading passage(and extension activities) to learn about the Santa Fe Trail and specifically Wind Wagon Thomas. As people were beginning to travel west by covered wagon along the plains of the Santa Fe Trail, William Thomas, had a most unusual idea. The average trip along the Santa Fe Trail took about eight weeks! He envisioned prairie schooners with sails that could move across the plains on wind-power much faster than wagons hitched to horses. https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Santa-Fe-Trail-Wind-Wagon-ThomasReading-Passage-5934650

2. If you are studying Westward Expansion and pioneers, specifically the Oregon Trail, this informative Reader's Theater Script will be a positive addition to your lessons. Based on a true person, the play is about one of first woman to go on the Oregon Trail. Narcissa Whitman kept a journal of her trip. She and her husband(and Henry and Eliza Spalding) left upstate New York for Independence, Missouri(most popular starting point) for their journey along the Oregon Trail to Oregon, where Marcus and Narcissa would become missionaries. The play, packed with lots of information, is one of my Ms. Bie Ografee playsseries, includes a Did You Know? fun fact section, comprehension questions and a teacher page with extension activities.https://www.TeachShare.com/Product/Oregon-Trail-A-Visit-with-a-PioneerNarcissa-Whitman-Readers-Theater-Script-6034419?st=c229610a8da62f93976e3ae1695006df