Are you teaching about Westward Expansion? Educational videos are a great addition to any unit.
However, when browsing YouTube, it’s almost too easy to find videos that are entertaining, but not completely accurate. Or, you may find videos that are historically accurate but not engaging at all. Finding videos that are both accurate and entertaining can take hours!
One of my goals on this website is to help save teachers time. To do that, I am compiling lists of kid-friendly history videos that are both educational and engaging for your students. After countless hours of video-watching, I have found my top 5 Western Expansion videos for kids. Scroll through to check them out!
Manifest Destiny (Khan Academy)
- Khan’ Academy’s excellent introductory video about the causes and effects of Westward Expansion
- 9 minutes
- My Rating: Ages 10+
- Notes: To help your students better comprehend the video, turn on the closed captioning.
What was the Mexican-American War? (History Channel)
- History Channel’s engaging description of the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War
- 2 minutes
- My Rating: Ages 10+
- Notes: This video has great visuals and the narrator is an amazing storyteller. Also, the video does a good job of connecting the Mexican-American War to Westward Expansion in the United States.
California Gold Rush (Simple History)
- Simple History’s short and sweet introduction to the California Gold Rush
- 2 minutes
- My Rating: Ages 10+
- Notes: This video is really engaging and your students will love the narrator’s Western accent.
The Oregon Trail (Simple History)
- Simple History’s animated portrayal of life along the Oregon Trail.
- 7 minutes
- My Rating: Ages 10+
- Notes: This video gives a broad overview of the history of the Oregon Trail. Did you know that 200 years later, you can still see wagon ruts on the historic trail? I recommend pairing the video above with this short 2-minute video from the Smithsonian Channel.
The “Indian Problem” (Smithsonian NMAI)
- The National Museum of the American Indian’s overview of Indian Removal
- 12 minutes
- My Rating: Ages 10+
- Notes: This video is filled with historical photos and interviews with Native American leaders and historians. The video has powerful and heartbreaking quotes from Native Americans who were forcibly removed from their lands. I recommend turning on the captions.
Want a FREE Westward Expansion Map Lesson?
While Westward Expansion videos are a fun way to engage students, they are just one piece of the instructional puzzle. You may be interested in a free lesson from my 3-week Westward Expansion Unit.
In the lesson, students map and compare U.S. territorial acquisitions from 1783 to 1853. This lesson can be printed or assigned via Google Classroom.
Enter your email below to grab your free Westward Expansion Maps Lesson.
More Lessons for Teaching About Westward Expansion
You may also be interested in my 3-week Westward Expansion Unit.
Included in the unit are:
- 15 thorough and detailed lesson plans
- Primary sources
- Simulations (for the Oregon Trail and the California Gold Rush)
- A Readers Theatre
- An original game
- And so much more!
This unit is something you (and your students) will absolutely love! Click here to find out more.
