Mapping Westward Expansion Through Augmented Reality

In this lesson, ninth grade students deepen their understanding of Westward Expansion by transforming complex historical topics into engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences for younger students. After researching a specific Westward Expansion topic, students write a clear summary designed for a fifth-grade audience and curate relevant images, artifacts, and primary sources to support their learning. They then organize this content into a Keynote presentation that serves as the foundation for an interactive, 3D geographic experience. To culminate the lesson, ninth graders visit local elementary schools, using Reality Composer to bring their Keynote slides to life in augmented reality as they teach fifth graders about Westward Expansion in a visual, hands-on way.

I provided students with a premade Keynote presentation that included American Progress by John Gast and a topographical map of the United States. The background was set to "No Fill," and slides were duplicated as needed to accommodate the number of images students would need to find. This ensures that when the images are exported they don't include the slide background.

Students will be able to explain how each of their selected images connects to Westward Expansion using language appropriate for fifth graders. Ninth graders will visit fifth-grade classrooms to teach key concepts of Westward Expansion, explain their specific topic, and describe how their images and artifacts support that learning. Afterward, ninth graders will guide fifth graders in using Reality Composer to place the images onto a topographical map in accurate geographic locations. Together, students will use geography and visual storytelling to tell the story of Westward Expansion.

This lesson promotes deep learning by positioning students as creators and teachers rather than passive learners. Through researching content, selecting meaningful images, and building a visual, geographic narrative, students actively construct their understanding of Westward Expansion. Simplifying complex ideas for a fifth-grade audience requires ninth graders to identify essential concepts and communicate them clearly, demonstrating true content mastery. Collaboration strengthens this process as students work together to design presentations, problem-solve, and adapt their explanations in real time while teaching. When students teach others, their understanding becomes more durable as they must justify their choices, respond to questions, and connect evidence to ideas, reinforcing learning through purposeful creation and shared responsibility.

Students can then add behaviors to their images—such as movement or audio explanations of historical significance—enhancing both engagement and understanding while adding an element of creativity and fun to the learning experience.