If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon, cycle 1

How does the author help the reader understand that "stories told about Oregon made it sound like a magical place?"

• by showing how people traveled to Oregon

• by explaining how people heard of Oregon

• by describing what Oregon was like

• by comparing Oregon to other places

How did the author make Oregon sound like a magical place?

CHOOSE TWO

• "The land was good for farming."

• "This is how people learned of a land on the other side..."

• ".... faraway places by reading newspapers or hearing stories...."

• "Flowers bloomed all year."

• "... Oregon made people think of starting new adventures."

Why did the wagons in a wagon train sometimes spread out?

• to look like a slow moving train

• to avoid dust from one another

• to move more quickly in a single line

• to make new trails that were wide

Why was the council important to the wagon train?

CHOOSE TWO

• They would report on different problems to the captain

• They would lead songs around the campfire

• They would hunt for animals to eat

• They planned who would stand guard at night

Which word best describes Dr. Whitman?

• helpful

• confused

• nervous

• greedy

What is the main idea of the section titled "What kinds of people traveled West?"

• Babies were often born during the trip West.

• People who moved west were called pioneers.

• Many different kinds of people moved west.

• Moving west was like carrying a whole town.

Which sentence best states why the wagons couldn't be too heavy?

• The family would not be able to fit in the wagon.

• The wagon would break and the pioneers would have to fix them.

• The oxen pulling the wagons would get tired and could die.

• The pioneers would get exhausted from walking.

What would happen to a group if they left too early?

CHOOSE TWO

• It would be very hot and tiring.

• The wagons could get stuck in the mud from spring rains.

• They wouldn't be able to find enough fresh water to drink.

• The grass wouldn't be tall or thick enough to feed the cattle.

What would happen to a group if they left too late?

• They would not make it to Oregon in time.

• They would not be able to send letters back home to their friends.

• They would get caught crossing the mountains in heavy winter snowfall.

• No trail guide would want to go with them.

What did the pioneers do to make the wagons waterproof when crossing rivers?

• The pioneers tied together willow branches and put thick, long grasses called rushes on top.

• The pioneers put a wax paste in the open spaces and covered the inside with animal skins.

• The pioneers would take the wheels off and push the wagon into the water.

• The pioneers would roll the wagon onto the raft and ferry it across the river.