Instructional Time: 45 minutes on Day 1

Students will research the Transcontinental Railroad using a web resource list called The Force Behind the Transcontinental Railroad. These sites have been selected for being content-rich and kid-friendly. The students will be able to choose Worksheet #1 or Worksheet #2 to guide their note-taking. Through their research, they will become acquainted with all of the major topics that will be explored during the unit: the history, the geography, and the people who contributed to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad.