Tracks, Trails, and Trade: Teaching Transportation’s Role in Expansion

All aboard—and buckle up—for a journey through history, geography, and economics! This interactive professional development session is designed to equip elementary teachers with engaging lessons and activities that help students explore how transportation systems like roads, canals, steamboats, and railroads changed life in America—and in Virginia.

Workshop Details

Oct 08, 2025
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Potential Recertification Credits: 1
Additional Information:
Participants will receive the Zoom link one week before the webinar.
Instructor: Lauren Shifflett, Associate Director
Contact Person:
Lauren Shifflett, Associate Director
James Madison University
540.568.3248
shiffllh@jmu.edu
Fee: No charge

All aboard—and buckle up—for a journey through history, geography, and economics! This interactive professional development session is designed to equip elementary teachers with engaging lessons and activities that help students explore how transportation systems like roads, canals, steamboats, and railroads changed life in America—and in Virginia.

Teachers will explore hands-on strategies that help students understand how transportation supported westward expansion, boosted economic development, and helped communities grow and connect. Through mapping and decision-making activities, students will step into the shoes of settlers, entrepreneurs, workers, and travelers navigating a growing nation.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll walk away with classroom-ready materials aligned to Virginia’s History and Social Studies SOLs, making it easy to bring these essential geographic and economic concepts to life in your classroom.

Virginia Elementary History & Social Studies SOLs Covered:

2.3, 2.5, 2.8–2.11 – Map skills, resources, economic choices, producers/consumers, and saving
3.6, 3.8–3.10 – Geography, natural/human/capital resources, economic decision-making
VS.6 & VS.7 – Virginia’s growth and westward movement
VS.10 – Modern Virginia: transportation and economic connections
USI.8 (Grade 5) – Westward expansion and impact of railroads

Register For Workshop

Registration is closed for this workshop.

By registering for this workshop, I agree to allow photography to be taken during the program and used by YES or affiliated centers in their print materials or electronic images.