Fifth-graders learned of the travels of American pioneers as an extension of their classroom studies, when they visited the the Long Island Museum’s Wagons West exhibit.

The students experienced what life was like for a family traveling the more than 2,000 mile Oregon Trail from their home in Missouri. Taught by a museum educator, the students learned about the authentic vehicles used, what the job of a blacksmith was, and what was needed for the American adventurers who traversed the terrain on a six-month journey to their new home.

“It is great to have this very visual opportunity for our students to connect with the historical facts of the migration west for the pioneers of the mid-1800s,” teacher Melissa Levonick said.