The Transcontinental Railroad - Mini Unit

The Transcontinental Railroad - Mini Unit is a great resource to help your students to learn about the history of the first Transcontinental Railroad.

Lessons include:

• Before the Railroad : Teaching students about the different ways travelers could reach the west in the early and mid-1800s. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

• Planning : The creation of the Central & Union Pacific companies and how the railroad was funded and surveyed. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

• Constructing the Central Pacific : Students learn about the struggles to build through the Sierra Nevada and role played by Chinese workers. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

• Constructing the Union Pacific : Students learn about the organization of workers and construction trains as well as hell on wheels towns. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

• Traveling the Railroad : Teaches about the different amenities offered to classes of passengers. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

• Impact : Shows students the impacts on Native Americans, food production, tourism, and time. This informational reading passage is followed by a series of comprehension questions. Answers to these questions are included.

All files come in Google Classroom versions which can be easily uploaded to your own website for students to access from home. And also includes a file with all resources separated so that teachers can access single resources within the whole unit.

Reading and question sheets + answer keys

Project instructions and elements

Image and map sheets

Locomotive and rolling stock line drawings

A PowerPoint Presentation

Crossword Sheets