Pioneer Living:

Westward expansion and everyday life

Table of Contents

Trunk Inventory 2 Section 1: Moving West in Covered Wagons 3 – 33

You Can’t Take It With You 5 – 7 Pioneer Trunk 8 Individual Covered Wagons 9 – 10 Mapping the Trail 11 – 13 “Luck of the Trail” Game 14 – 33 Section 2: Life on the Prairie 34 – 49 Laundry – Washing & Ironing 36 Butter Making 37 Quilting 38 – 39 Pioneer Story 40 Now & Then Flip Book 41 – 42 Food Preparation/Cooking 43 Building a Pioneer Town 44 – 49 Section 3: The Sears Catalog & the American Frontier 50 – 55 Design a Catalog Entry 52 Journal Assignment 53 Comparing Prices 54 Section 4: Pioneer Children 56 – 67 Hornbook 58 Quill & Ink 59 Pioneer Games 60 – 62 McGuffey Readers 63 Vocabulary 65 - 66 How to Book an NRHC Visit 67

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Pioneer Living:

Trunk Inventory Please check off each item before and after use of the trunk. If any items are missing, contact the NRHC Education Department at (806) 742-0498.

Books _____ Little House on the Prairie: The Early Years Collection (5 books) _____ If You Were a Pioneer on the Prairie _____ If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon _____ McGuffey Readers (1 set) _____ Sears Catalog _____ Toys & Games From Times Past

Objects & Games _____ Cut & Assemble Frontier Town _____ Horn book _____ Marbles (3 bags) _____ Tops (3) _____ Ball & Hoop Games (3) _____ Jacks (2 sets) _____ Cat’s Cradle (2) _____ Pick-Up Sticks (1 set)

Artifacts _____ Wash board _____ Apple parer _____ Hand-crank beater _____ Cherry pitter _____ Iron _____ Coffee grinder

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Moving West in Covered Wagons

Objective TLW identify the purpose of covered wagons by the pioneers as they moved west. They will also discuss what life was like for the pioneers as they traveled west and settled in this region. TEKS Geography 1:4 (A) & 1:6 (A) Economics 4:11 Culture 1:14 (A) Geography 3:4 & 3:5 Geography 2:5, 2:6, & 2: 7 Geography 4:6 Social Studies Skills 2:18 Social Studies Skills 4:23 History 3:2 History 5:1 & 5:4 (B) Social Studies Skills 3:17 Social Studies Skills 5:25 & 5:26 Background Pioneers heading west had to know what things to take and what to leave behind. Certain equipment was necessary for the journey and building a new frontier home. The earliest pioneers took only what they could carry or load on horseback. Families traveling by wagon packed what fit into about a 4’ x 10’ space! They were limited on what they could take because wagons generally carried about 1,600 to 2,000 pounds. These covered wagons were also referred to as “prairie schooners” because the canvas cover resembled a ship’s sail. Most wagons were pulled by oxen which were preferred because they were dependable and inexpensive, costing about $50 each. Most pioneers took along very basic tools, such as a hammer, saw, hoe, axe and plow that could be used for basic building and farming. Necessary household goods such as a few pots and pans, a large iron kettle, some blankets and perhaps a spinning wheel were also taken. Many took only the clothes they wore, but some brought cloth, needles, scissors and leather to repair shoes. They packed sacks of cornmeal, salt pork and dried beef. A lantern, compass and rope were valuable possessions; a rifle and ammunition were important for daily life. Few luxuries were taken; if room permitted, a clock and a Bible were packed. Many keepsakes, family treasures and valuable objects were left behind. These were difficult choices for the pioneers to make but they knew that the things needed for daily life were the most important possessions of all on the frontier. Before leaving, the pioneers had to decide whether they were going to move northwest toward Oregon or southwest to California. Either journey would take about 5 to 6 months to complete. The Oregon Trail, which started in Independence, Missouri, and ended in the Pacific Northwest, was more than 2,000 miles of prairies, deserts and mountains. Pioneer farmers, cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers journeyed westward along the trail. The first large group of settlers, about 1,000, made the trip in 1843. The California Trail branched off of the Oregon Trail, just past Fort Hall, and headed southwest 800 miles through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Sacramento, California. The route was a treacherous climb and the trains moved quickly to avoid the potential of an early winter’s snow. Sometimes they would encounter snow as early as August.

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Pioneers were able to stop and buy supplies and medicine and rest at forts along the way. They looked to landmarks to ensure they were still going the right way. The first major landmark the pioneers encountered along the Oregon Trail was Chimney Rock. It was 500 feet above the Platte River and signified the end of the prairie and the beginning of the rocky, mountainous terrain. Independence Rock was another major landmark. It was a huge block of granite, almost 650 yards long, on the north bank of the Sweetwater River, about 45 miles southwest of Casper, Wyoming. It is called Independence Rock because all wagon trains tried to reach this point before the Fourth of July. That meant good progress was being made. Hundreds of pioneers scratched their names on Independence Rock before continuing on their journey. When the pioneers left their homes to head west, they tended to travel in groups for safety. An average of 25 wagons banded together to form “trains.” They could average about 16 miles per day by wagon, or 10 miles per day walking. During their travels they encountered several obstacles, such as Indian attacks, harsh weather, severe illness and accidents. Of these, diseases and accidents killed the most people. Travelers died more from diseases as cholera and small pox and firearms accidents than from Indian attacks. In cases of Indian attacks, the wagon master yelled, “Circle the wagons!” which meant for all the wagons to form a large circle to defend themselves. The phrase also signaled the end of travel for the day. They circled the wagons at night to create a good windbreak and defensive barricade.

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Activity 1: “You Can’t Take it With You”

Materials: Artifacts from trunk Construction paper Copy of “You Can’t Take it With You” supply page Crayons Scissors Glue Procedure:

1. Talk about traveling in a covered wagon (refer to the information in the background section).

2. Point out the size of the wagon and the limited space in it. Also show the learners the items that might be taken on the journey (use the artifacts found in the trunk).

3. Give each learner a piece of construction paper and a copy of the supply page. Have them fold the construction paper in half and label one side “Take” and the other “Leave.”

4. TLW color and cut out the items on the supply picture page. Then they will decide which items to take and which to leave behind and paste them on the correct half of the paper. Also have them number their choices in order of importance.

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Activity 2: Pioneer Trunk

Materials Construction paper-brown (large) and any color for inside Pencils Crayons/map pencils Scissors Stick glue Procedure

1. Give each student one large and three small sheets of construction paper. Students should fold the three smaller sheets in half horizontally. These sheets represent the three compartments of the trunk or wagon. Each compartment should focus on a different category of supplies needed for the journey – food, clothing, tools to fix the wagon, keepsakes, furniture or materials to start a new life.

2. Ask students to draw and cut out different items related to each of the categories of supplies they’ve chosen to represent in their trunks. (For example, if the compartment focuses on tools needed to fix the wagon, they might draw a spare wheel, a spare axel, a bucket of grease and a bucket of tar). These items should be glued around the inside of the folded piece of construction paper. *They can also use pictures from magazines.

3. Next to each item, have students write a description of the item and explain why each is needed.

4. Instruct students to repeat steps 2 and 3 for each compartment. 5. When they finished the three compartments, tell students to glue the bottom of one

compartment to the top side of the next, until the three pages are joined and turn like pages in a book. *Note: it is better to use a glue stick than regular glue.

6. Students should fold the large sheet of construction paper over the three compartments, cut it to fit and then glue it to bind them, creating a cover for the trunk.

7. Finally, have students decorate their covers so they look like old trunks, complete with straps, rivets and lock. They should add their name and a title, such as “Things to Pack for the Journey West.”

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Activity 3:

Individual Covered Wagons

Materials “Anatomy of a Covered Wagon” handout Individual serving-size cereal boxes Brass fasteners Tag board or brown construction paper 4” x 9” strips of white construction paper Brown paint Yarn Hole punch Glue or stapler Tape Procedure

1. TLW study pictures of covered wagons and their uses. If possible, allow them to explore on the computer Web sites about covered wagons.

2. Give each student an individual cereal box, and have them cut the front panel off (you may wish to do this yourself prior to the lesson). Once they are finished, have them paint the outside of the box brown and allow them to dry.

3. While the box dries, have the learner cut four 2” circles out of the brown construction paper or tagboard.

4. When the cereal box is dry, TLW attach the “cover” (strip of white construction paper) to each side using either glue or a stapler.

5. Next, instruct the learner to punch a hole for each of the wheels along the sides. They should then punch a brad through each of the wheels and connect the wheels to the wagon by inserting the brads through the holes and loosely opening the metal arms.

6. Finally, tape one end of a length of yarn to the front of the wagon to illustrate falling tongue, or arm, where animals were attached to pull the wagon.

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Activity 4:

Mapping the Trail

Materials Copies of map of the United States Pencils Map pencils Copies of map of Oregon and California Trails Maps of other trails (optional) Procedure

1. TLW practice their mapping skills by locating and drawing their own map of the California and Oregon Trails.

2. Give each student a blank map of the United States. Then discuss, using the map of the Oregon and California Trails, the different routes pioneers took to move from the east to the west coast.

3. When finished, TLW draw and label each of the trails. They should also mark the various stops along each trail. *Note: You may also have them label the present day states and landmarks (i.e. mountains, rivers, etc) that the trails crossed.

4. An added activity would be to have the learner research and identify the Santa Fe and Old Spanish Trails.

5. If extra time, allow your students to play “The Oregon Trail” on the computer.

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Activity 5: “Luck of the Trail” Game

Materials Rules of the Trail sheet Trail Leader Instructions sheet Good Luck cards Bad Luck cards Paper doll handouts

Velcro *Optional: Can use individual covered wagons in the game Procedure

1. Prior to lesson: determine outside where the game will be played and what 1 “space” is. You may need to mark the ground or use pre-existing landmarks. There should be at least 10 spaces.

2. Give students handouts with each family member (pioneer girl, father, etc.) and allow them to create the family members for the game. Each student will need all 4 people.

3. If you have Velcro, put a small square on the back of each family member to allow students to stick each person to the front of their clothing.

4. All game instructions are listed on the Rules of the Trail sheet and the Trail Guide Instruction sheet. Share these rules with the students. *These are only suggestions. Please feel free to adapt the rules to best suit your class.

5. Proceed outside to play the game. Students may need to be divided into groups to play. 6. After game, gather students to discuss what happened to them on their journey on the

trail. Remind them that all scenarios listed on cards can and did happen to pioneers while traveling west.

The first wagon to reach the homestead (pass the last space) with at least one family member remaining wins the game.

Each player begins their journey at the START space with a

wagon and four family members (father, mother, sister, brother). Velcro family members to your shirt.

For every turn, each player first moves forward one space, then

draws a card and performs the action on the card.

When a family member dies, you must remove them from your shirt. Once all of your family members are dead, your wagon is

out of the game.

If a card says to eliminate a family member that is already dead, you must choose a living family member to die in

their place.

To win, you must pass the last space of the trail while obeying the actions of a card. If you land on or pass the last space with

the first step of your turn (before you’ve drawn a card), you must survive the card you draw with at least one family

member remaining without having to step back behind the last space.

Rules of the Trail

Good Luck!

In addition to the “Rules of the Trail,” here are a few extra hints and guidelines so you as the Trail Leader can help make the game go as smoothly as possible. For every turn, each wagon must take a step BEFORE they draw a card. This insures that the game moves forward at a steady pace. Let the players pick their card and then you, the Trail Leader, read it aloud to them and the rest of the players. Make sure the player who drew the card does the appropriate action stated on that card, then move on to the next player. The steps should be clearly marked on the pavement; 10 steps total from the beginning of the trail to the “homestead.” Make sure the players remove a family member from their wagon EVERY TIME a card says to; if a family member mentioned is already dead, they must pick another to be re-moved in their place. Once removed, the deceased family member can be placed in a des-ignated cemetery area to be collected after the game, or the Trail Leader may hold onto them, depending on what works best with the space and time constraints. When a player draws a good luck card that says to “cancel out the next bad luck card,” instruct that player to put their card in their pocket to be exchanged for the bad luck card it refers to. If the player then draws the bad luck card referred to, they may give you the good luck card in their pocket and cancel out the effects of the bad luck card drawn. They may only do this once and only with the specific kind of bad luck card referred to. If the player never draws that particular bad luck card, they simply hold onto their good luck card until the end of the game and return it unused. A player cannot win by stepping over the last space on their first step, the step they take BEFORE they draw a card. They must take that step, then draw a card, then do the action the card states. If, after performing the action, the player is still past the last space and still has at least one surviving family member, THEN they can be declared the winner. These guidelines are simply suggestions. Feel free to adjust them to suit the class.

Luck of the Trail Trail Leader Instructions

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

You find an abandoned wagon on the trail and are able to salvage a few pieces

to repair your own wagon. Take one step forward.

1 Step Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

You find an abandoned wagon on the trail and are able to salvage a few pieces

to repair your own wagon. Take one step forward.

1 Step Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Father helps a farmer fix his plow. In return, the farmer gives you some of his

harvest. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

One of your horses gets sick and dies, but you are able to purchase another at

a nearby farm. The new horse is younger and much faster and you make better time than before. Take two steps

forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family gets very lucky and avoids a big tornado that comes sweeping over

the Plains. You have no damage and lose no supplies. Take two steps

forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family is able to avoid a flood by hearing about it ahead of time from peo-ple in a town. You change your path to take higher ground. You lose no sup-plies and suffer no damage from the

flood. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Mother has found a plant that she really likes and puts it in meals she cooks for weeks. Your family doesn’t know this, but the plant has lots of vitamins and keeps you all very healthy. Take two

steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family has friends that came in a few years earlier and settled in the area you’re passing through. You are able to stop at their homestead for some much

needed rest and supplies. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Father and brother go hunting and have a very successful trip. They kill enough

deer so that your family has enough meat for weeks and doesn’t have to stop

again. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Sister finds a plant that helps protect the family and the horses from insect

bites. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

While traveling through Indian terri-tory, you meet with a friendly tribe. In exchange for a metal cooking pot, they teach you how to find edible plants and avoid poisonous ones. Take two steps forward and cancel the next bad luck card you draw that involves sickness

due to plants.

2 Steps Forward Cancel Plant Sickness Bad Luck Card

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

In a town you pass, you find a doctor that is willing to sell you some of his

medical supplies in exchange for a beautiful horse of yours. Take two steps

forward and cancel the next bad luck card you draw that involves sickness,

infection or disease.

2 Steps Forward Cancel Sickness Bad Luck Card

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Indians attack, but are disorganized and small in number. You are able to fight them off and escape with no damage to your family, animals or supplies. Take

two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Mother meets an old widow in a homestead along the way and the old

woman, thrilled to have company, teaches mother how to make a large canteen from a cow’s bladder. This

comes in handy later. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Father helps a farmer fix his plow, and in return, the farmer gives you some of

his harvest. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family gets lucky and runs into no Indians the entire time they are making

a very dangerous crossing. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Mother has the foresight to pack extra undergarments. Because of this, no one

in the family gets sick when the temperature drops and it starts to rain unexpectedly. Take two steps forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Brother climbs a tree to scout for Indi-ans and spots a tribe advancing over the

Plains. He is able to warn your family and another group of nearby settlers in time for all to escape safely. The settlers

are so grateful, they give your family enough food for a week. Take two steps

forward.

2 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Father meets some friendly hunters that show him some techniques to find more

food. This really helps improve his hunting skills and everyone eats better.

Take three steps forward.

3 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family meets another family on the trail and you become friends and

ride together for a few days until your ways part. They are more experienced and give you good advice about what areas to avoid and how to stay out of

trouble. Take three steps forward.

3 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

You cross the Brazos River successfully, losing none of your supplies or live-

stock. Take four steps forward.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

While passing a small homestead one night, brother notices that the house is on fire. He rushes in and warns them in time for everyone to get out safely. The

settlers are so grateful, they give brother a big basket of fresh vegetables from their garden. Take three steps for-

ward.

3 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

A train happens to pull into the town you’re passing through and you are able to get some rare supplies such as wood. These items help with wagon repairs down the road. Take three steps for-

ward and cancel out the next bad luck card you draw involving wagon breaks.

3 Steps Forward Cancel Wagon Break Bad Luck Card

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your wagon proves to be better con-structed than most. You suffer very few

breakdowns and need few repairs. Lucky you! Take three steps forward.

3 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

You come across a camp of trappers on their way back North and you are able

to trade some of your supplies for warm beaver skin coats. These help keep your

family from getting sick all winter. Take four steps forward.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family takes the time to plan ahead and waits until there hasn’t been rain for weeks before they cross a dan-gerous river. The river is very low and crossing is easy. You have no accidents

and lose no supplies. Take four steps forward.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

You pass through a town and find that the general store was recently re-

stocked by a trader that passed through from Fort Worth. You are able to get all of the supplies you’ll need for the next month without having to stop

again. Take five steps forward.

5 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

While traveling on a lonely stretch of trail, you meet up with a very old man

who is sick. As a dyeing request, he begs you to take one last letter to his

sister in a town that is on your way. In return, he gives you all of his livestock.

Take four steps forward.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

While passing through a small town, a young Mexican man asks to be hired on as a cook. He says he needs to leave im-

mediately and will work for very low pay. Father agrees and the man turns out to be a very good cook. Everyone eats well for weeks. Take four steps

forward.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD GOOD LUCK

Your family avoids bad weather for three weeks straight. Take four steps forward as you make good time across

the Plains.

4 Steps Forward

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Brother climbs a tree and tries to scare sister, but he loses his grip and falls,

breaking his leg. He is too embarrassed to tell anyone and suffers in silence. Without treatment, the leg grows

worse and becomes infected. Brother gets very sick and eventually dies.

NO steps this turn Lose brother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One day your family comes across an abandoned homestead and brother goes in to have a closer look. While inside, he

is bitten by a spider. His leg gets very swollen and bruised, but he recovers after a few days of rest. Take no steps

this turn as you wait for brother to heal.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Brother goes out hunting one day and his horse is spooked by a coyote that

leaps out of the underbrush. The horse throws brother and he lands on his arm, breaking it. Take no steps this turn as you search for the missing horse and

wait for brother to heal.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One night an entire barrel of food is eaten by raccoons. Your family is forced to eat what they can find until you reach

the nearest town, but it just isn’t enough. Everyone suffers from malnu-

trition and when you finally reach town, you all must stay and rest. Take no

steps this turn.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Sister goes exploring one hot afternoon and doesn’t take enough water with her. She gets heat stroke and must stop and rest for a few days. Take no steps this

turn as you wait for her to recover.

No steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One afternoon, while mother is driving the wagon, the horses are spooked by

something and they start running. Mother is thrown out and one of the

wheels runs over her, killing her instantly. Lose mother.

NO steps this turn Lose mother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

A black scorpion crawls inside sister’s sleeping bag one cold night and stings

her in her sleep. She is very sick the next day and dies that night. Take no steps as you wait for her to recover,

then lose sister.

NO steps this turn Lose sister

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

After a week of bad weather, the whole family develops the flu. You all must

rest for a few days until you are strong enough to continue. Take no steps this

turn as you wait for everyone to recover.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Father, who is not the best cook, makes dinner one night using beans that are

very rotten. The whole family gets sick for the next couple of days. Take no

steps this turn as you wait for everyone to recover.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Brother and sister are playing a game in the back of the wagon when it suddenly hits a large bump and they are thrown

out. Brother lands on his shoulder, injuring it, and he must stay still for a

few days. Take no steps this turn as you wait for him to heal.

No steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Mother gets sick from something un-known. She develops a high fever and

begins shaking and sweating. You do all you can for her, but she dies after a few

days of rest. Take no steps this turn, then lose mother.

NO steps this turn Lose mother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

A big storm sweeps over the Plains and the family goes out to strap everything in the wagon. While mother is untying the clothesline from a tree, she is struck

by lightning and killed. Lose mother and take no steps this turn as you wait

for the storm to pass.

NO steps this turn Lose mother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Sister cooks dinner one night and adds an interesting-looking plant she finds

by a stream. It turns out to be poisonous and everyone gets sick. Fa-ther is the worst, and after a bad night he dies. Lose father and take no steps

this turn.

NO steps this turn Lose father

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Father puts on his boot one morning and is bitten by a small scorpion that was hiding inside. He is sick for a few

days, but eventually recovers fully. Take no steps this turn as you wait for

him to recover.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One day, while hunting for wild strawberries in the bushes, your entire family gets a terrible case of poison ivy. Take no steps this turn as you wait for

everyone to recover.

No steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Father and brother go hunting one day and shoot a big buck. They go to clean it, but it isn’t quite dead and it rises up, stabbing father in the stomach. Father manages to kill it and make it back to camp where he rests for a few days.

Take no steps this turn as you wait for father to heal.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Brother develops dysentery and has to rest for a few days. After plenty of sleep and water, he recovers. Take no steps this turn as you wait for him to heal.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

After a few weeks of no rain, your water supplies are empty. Father finds a pud-

dle with dirty-looking water in it. Desperate, everyone takes a drink.

Everyone gets sick and, with no water, mother and sister die. Take no steps

this turn.

NO steps this turn Lose mother and sister

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

On a very cold night, sister gets too close to the campfire and her skirt catches on fire, burning her legs

severely. Take no steps this turn as you wait for sister to heal.

NO steps this turn

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

While traveling over a particularly rough terrain, your wagon breaks an axle. Take one step back as you to the nearest settlement to look for supplies

to fix your wagon.

1 step back

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

While passing through town, sister sees a young man selling “Miracle Tonic”

and buys some without reading the in-gredients. When she takes it, she dis-

covers it has peanut oil in it, which she is allergic to. Lose sister and take one

step back.

1 step back Lose sister

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Brother is hunting for lizards under rocks, but finds a large rattlesnake in-stead. He is bitten three times and dies before he can get help. Take one step back as you spend the day looking for

him. Lose brother.

1 step back Lose brother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Heavy rains cause the Brazos River to flood and your wagon trips as you try to

cross it. You lose a lot of supplies and sister is washed downstream and

drowns. Lose sister and take one step back as you return to the nearest town

to get more supplies.

1 step back Lose sister

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

As you are setting up camp one night, a cow steps on a snake, gets frightened and starts a stampede. Father tries to

stop them but gets trampled by the ter-rified herd and dies instantly. Lose fa-

ther and take one step back as you gather the scattered herd.

1 step back Lose father

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

After a rainstorm, your wagon gets stuck in a thick patch of mud. Father

and brother manage to get it loose, but not without losing a wheel. Take one

step back as you go to look for supplies to fix the wagon.

1 step back

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One day father goes ahead on horseback to scope out the trail, but his horse

steps in a hole and breaks its leg. You have to shoot the horse and take one step back as you go to buy a new one.

1 step back

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

One night a group of bandits attacks your camp. They steal a lot of your sup-

plies and shoot father and brother. Brother is killed and father is wounded. Lose brother and take one step back as

you to town to get more supplies.

1 step back Lose brother

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

A prairie dog that is acting very strangely comes running into your

camp one morning. Father tries to keep it from mother and sister and is bitten in the process. He develops rabies and

dies. Lose father and take one step back as you hunt for the rabid prairie dog.

1 step back Lose father

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Late one night, your family is awakened by strange noises. By the time you real-ize it is an Indian tribe, you are too late

and they have already stolen your horses. Take two steps back as you go to nearby ranchers, trying to replenish

your herd.

2 steps back

YOU HAD BAD LUCK

Indians are waiting in ambush at a stream crossing. They steal food and

supplies, scatter the livestock and kid-nap mother and sister. Take two steps back as you buy more supplies. Lose

mother and sister.

2 steps back Lose mother and sister

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Moving West in Covered Wagons: Assessment

1. Test their understanding of covered wagons using the multiple choice assessment.

Extensions Class Covered Wagon Create for your classroom a larger version of the covered wagon that can be used to illustrate packing the wagon. Put together large cardboard boxes or 4-6 desks to form the base of the wagon, and then place something tall in the center to hold up the “canvas” cover. You can also have the students bring in items they would take with them if they were moving to the West. Mapping and Math To incorporate a math lesson, have the learner measure the distance between different points and then calculate how many days it would take based on the ability to go 15-16 miles a day. Other sources Include the stories from “If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon” by Ellen Levine. Web sites Let the learner explore the Nebraska Studies Web site http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0400/frameset.html Prairie Schooners – http:www.endoftheoregontrail.org/wagons.html World Book – http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/lewis_and_clark/settling_exploring American Westward Expansion – http://www.americanwest.com/pages/awexpans.htm Oregon Trail – http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Oregontrail.html All About the Oregon Trail – http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/Allabout.html Vocabulary Prairie schooner Falling tongue Wagon trains Wagon master

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Multiple Choice Assessment: 1. A typical wagon of the 1840s could carry a load weighing about… a. 1,200-1,400 pounds b. 1,600-2,000 pounds c. 2,000-2,100 pounds 2. What was the nickname used for covered wagons? a. Great deserts b. Prairie rushers c. Prairie schooners 3. What was the size of the average wagon? a. 10 feet long and 4 feet wide b. 10 feet long and 10 feet wide c. 4 feet long and 4 feet wide 4. Most wagons were pulled by? a. horses b. cows c. oxen 5. About how much did each oxen cost? a. $100 b. $50 c. $25 6. The covered wagon carried the pioneers about _______ miles per day. a. 20 miles b. 10 miles c. 16 miles 7. Why were the wagons called “prairie schooners?” a. because the wagons looked like a long train passing b. because the wagon’s cover looked like a ship’s sail c. because the wagon blended into the prairie colors 8. A group of wagons in a line was called… a. a wagon trail b. a wagon train c. a wagon tow 9. What phrase was often heard in case of Indian attacks and at the end of the day? a. Circle the wagons! b. Spread out! c. Head ’em up, move ’em out! 10. How long did it take for the pioneers to reach their destination? a. 3 to 4 months b. 9 to 10 months

c. 5 to 6 months

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Answers to Multiple Choice Assessment: 1. A typical wagon of the 1840s could carry a load weighing about… a. 1,200-1,400 pounds *b. 1,600-2,000 pounds c. 2,000-2,100 pounds 2. What was the nickname used for covered wagons? a. Great deserts b. Prairie rushers *c. Prairie schooners 3. What was the size of the average wagon? *a. 10 feet long and 4 feet wide b. 10 feet long and 10 feet wide c. 4 feet long and 4 feet wide 4. Most wagons were pulled by? a. horses b. cows *c. oxen 5. About how much did each oxen cost? a. $100 *b. $50 c. $25 6. The covered wagon carried the pioneers about _______ miles per day. a. 20 miles b. 10 miles *c. 16 miles 7. Why were the wagons called “prairie schooners?” a. because the wagons looked like a long train passing *b. because the wagon’s cover looked like a ship’s sail c. because the wagon blended into the prairie colors 8. A group of wagons in a line was called… a. a wagon trail *b. a wagon train c. a wagon tow 9. What phrase was often heard in case of Indian attacks and at the end of the day? *a. Circle the wagons! b. Spread out! c. Head ’em up, move ’em out! 10. How long did it take for the pioneers to reach their destination? a. 3 to 4 months b. 9 to 10 months *c. 5 to 6 months

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Life on the Prairie

Objective TLW understand what life was like on the frontier by studying the chores and daily activities of the pioneers. In examining the apple parer, washboard and iron, they will learn how to make butter, do laundry and make quilts like the pioneers of the 19th century.

TEKS Economics 1:7 Social Studies Skills 3:17 Culture 1:14 (A) Writing 3:14 (A) Science, Technology, and society 1:16 Economics 4:11 Writing 1:18 (A) Social Studies Skills 4:23 Economics 2:9 (A) Writing 4:15 (A) Science, Technology, and Society 2:16 (B) History 5:1 & 5:4 (B) Social Studies Skills 2:18 Economics 5:14 Writing 2:14 (A) Social Studies Skills 5:25 & 5:26 History 3:2 Writing 5:15 (A) Economics 3:6 Background Pioneers were the first people to settle in the frontier of North America. Although many of the pioneers were farmers, others were doctors, shopkeepers, blacksmiths, missionaries, lawyers and so on. They came from many places in the United States to start their new lives. Before leaving their homes they saved money for the trip, sold their land and other possessions, or agreed to work for others on the trip. The life of a pioneer was filled with necessary activities from sunup to sundown. Men spent their day building homes, tending to the cattle and other animals, planting their crops, among other business. Children also had daily chores they were expected to do. In the mornings for example, they milked the cows, collected eggs, helped prepare meals and worked in the fields planting. After planting season and prior to harvesting the fields, parents sent their children to school. As more families settled the frontier, they realized the need for a school. Most of the time, though, there was not enough money to have more than one teacher, so all age groups met in a one-room schoolroom. Women pioneers were constantly busy. They were responsible for cooking all the meals, making clothing for their family, cleaning the home, washing the laundry and helping on the farm when needed. Laundry was a big chore and usually took one or two full days to finish. Women collected large buckets full of hot water that they would put washboards and lye soap into. They scrubbed the clothes up and down on the washboard and then hung the items out to dry. In the winter a clothesline was strung up by the fire, but in the summer clothes hung outside. When all of the clothes were finished drying, the women of the homestead warmed the sadiron to press them. Sadiron is Old English for “heavy.” These irons were heated on top of the stove before they could be used. Most families had two sadirons, so while one was being used the other one was reheating. The weight, heat and time needed to reheat these irons made pressing clothes a difficult and tiring job.

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When families moved west they often left behind family and friends. Sometimes it was very lonely for the early settlers of the prairies. Farm women were the hardest hit, but as families settled closer and closer together, women gathered together to share work. Quilting was a popular group activity, and whole days were dedicated to “quilting bees.” (Ask them what they think this is and why they think pioneers would have them—i.e. entertainment, needed for warmth, able to make them faster). It was also an important job, because it provided families with blankets to keep warm. The quilt is a warm bed covering made of three layers – a top, padding and a backing. The top is often made of cloth left over from making clothing or cut from old, worn-out clothing. They used the clothing pieces to make patterns to tell stories about their experiences. Quilts were also important in the moving process: first, because it protected the family’s valuables from breaking in the wagon during the bumpy rides west; second, as they provided cushions and beds for the tired travelers.

With the expansion of railroads and the settlement of more land, frontier towns began to develop. These towns consisted of a variety of structures. There might have been a one-room school house, church, general store, lumberyard, livery stable and blacksmith shop, saloon and homes for doctors, teachers and lawyers. Pioneer towns also brought with them law enforcement, in the form of sheriffs and rangers.

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Activity 1:

Laundry-Washing and Ironing

Materials Washboard Iron Bar of Ivory soap Dirty towels or old shirts Pail of hot water Procedure

1. Start by asking the class “How are clothes washed in your home and who does the laundry?” Then explain how in the time of the pioneers, washing clothes was an all-day job and very hard work on a pioneer homestead.

2. Place a pail of hot water someplace where water can slosh out without harming anything (this activity is best done outdoors). Then add a bar of soap (though the pioneers used lye it is not the safest to use – the best is Ivory) and the washboard to the bucket.

3. Let a group of students put one or two pieces of dirty laundry in the bucket and scrub them up and down on the metal surface of the washboard. It is best to have some hanging system or drying rack to hang the clothes on.

4. When all groups are finished, allow the washboard to completely dry before returning it to trunk.

5. For the iron, discuss how it is different from today’s iron. Pass it around the class so the students learn how it received its name. (Sadiron is Old English for “heavy”).

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Activity 2:

Butter Making

Materials Churn (from trunk) 2 quarts of heavy cream 2 pints of whipping cream Spoons Bread or crackers Procedure

1. Ensure that the churn is COMPLETELY clean before using. Then pour all the ingredients into the churn and allow each of the learners and opportunity to move the churn up and down.

2. When the class is finished making butter, please make sure to CLEAN and completely dry the churn before returning it to the trunk.

3. When finished making the butter, instruct the students to spread some on their bread and enjoy.

4. You may want to add salt to taste.

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Activity 3: Quilting

Materials Copies of the 9 square patterns Pencil Scissors Magazines Glue Quilt Pattern puzzles from trunk Procedure

1. Teach about quilting history: why it was important, who made quilts, what they were used for, where the material came from, etc. *To give them more of a background on the various patterns, try reading “Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet” by Ann Whitford Paul or “The Quilt Story” by Tony Johnson and Tomie dePaola.

2. Let them work together and put the quilt puzzles together to see how patterns differed. 3. Instruct the learner to find pictures that they would use to tell their story and cut them out.

After they are finished, have them place the pictures in order and glue them to the 9 quilt square pattern.

4. Finally, TLW write a description on the back about the images they chose and why they used them.

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Activity 4: Pioneer Story

Materials Paper Pencil/Pen Procedure

1. Instruct the learner to imagine they were a pioneer and to write a story about their life. 2. They should include information on how they became a pioneer, how they traveled west,

where they are now, what their job is and what their chores are, etc. Tell them to be creative in their story.

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Activity 5:

Now & Then Flip Book

Materials Copies of the Now and Then sheet Scissors Markers or pencils White construction paper Glue sticks Procedure

1. Give a copy of the Now and Then sheet. Then instruct the students to glue the template on white construction paper.

2. TLW cut each of the dotted lines on their templates, making sure to stop where the dotted line meets the solid line. They should fold the flaps down so that the ruled lines are on the inside of the fold.

3. Have students place the panels horizontally in front of them so that the flaps lift up. On the cover of each flap, students should use creative lettering to write the title of some aspect of pioneer life that they will contrast with the present (such as travel, cooking, houses, medical care, chores, occupations, the role of women, etc.). They should also draw a picture or icon that represents the topic on which they’ll be reporting.

4. On the inside of each flap, students should compare and contrast the way things were in the time of the pioneers with the way things are today. (You can either allow them to write this in fragmented sentences or in complete sentences).

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Activity 6: Food Preparation/Cooking

Materials Coffee grinder Apple parer Cherry pitter Hand-crank beater Coffee beans Apples Wire rack Thin towel Cherries (with pits) Eggs Procedure Coffee grinder-

1. Explain how coffee was a precious item on the frontier and that until more people settled the West families made coffee from grain. With the advent of country stores, coffee became more widely available. If coffee beans were purchased, they had to be roasted and ground in a box-type grinder.

2. Allow the learner to put coffee beans in the coffee grinder and then grind them so they understand the process. This can be done in groups or tables to cut down on the number of students waiting.

Apple parer-

1. Describe how apples were very special treats on frontier farms. They became more available as settlers planted their own apple trees. Apples could be used in a variety of ways: dried, mincemeat, applesauce, apple butter, apple pies, and many more. (Ask how they eat their apples.) There was much more coring, paring and cutting when apples were used in a recipe. The apple parer was developed to help with this job. Early parers were made entirely of wood except for their blades and prongs. The iron model (like the one in the trunk) was produced in the mid-1800s.

2. After the learner has examined the apple parer and used it to peel/core the apples, help them cut the apple into slices to dry. To dry them, place the apple slices on a wire rack in a dry, well ventilated area and cover with a thin towel.

Cherry pitter and Hand-crank beater

1. Allow the learner to examine each of these items. Ask them to guess what they were used for.

2. Bring pitted cherries and allow the learner to use this object to take the pits out. Does this make it easier or harder?

3. Bring a food item (such as eggs, butter, etc.) that the students can use with the hand-crank beater. Ask if there are items that are used in their kitchen that are similar to this.

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Activity 7: Building a Pioneer Town

Materials “By the Shores of Silver Lake” “The Long Winter” Copies of Pioneer Town templates Scissors Glue Markers/Crayons Procedure

1. Refer to the “Building a Community” section of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Teaching Unit on the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum Web site (http://hoover.archives.gov/LIW/liwedu/liw_teaching_unit.html) for the specific chapters to reference when talking about the development of prairie towns.

2. Ask the students how the pioneers affected the prairie environment when they arrived and compare that with what it is like today; what happened to the Plains Indians as a result of western expansion; how and why frontier towns were founded; and the importance of the railroad to its development.

3. Discuss all the structures one might find in a frontier town: homes, one-room school, church, hotel, general store, livery stable and blacksmith shop, lumberyard, etc.

4. Pass out copies of the different structures in a pioneer town and have the learners design their own town.

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Life on the Prairie: Assessment For the quilting, pioneer stories, and now-and-then flip book activities, look to see if they followed directions correctly, wrote in complete sentences and used creativity. Grade all their papers on a rubric scale. Extensions Butter Making Activity-Individual Jars The learners can also make their own jar of butter. Either collect or have the each student bring an empty baby food jar. Then place 1 to 2 tablespoons of whipping cream in each jar. TLW shake the jar until the butter granules form. After the butter forms, the buttermilk should be poured off and the remaining buttermilk can be worked out of the butter with a spoon. **Only need whipping cream for this recipe** Little Houses on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder This series can be turned into an entire unit for teaching on the lives of pioneers, moving west, life on the frontier, building a community, Native Americans and the effects pioneers had on the natural environment. See the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum Web site (http://hoover.archives.gov/LIW/liwedu/liw_teaching_unit.html) or more ideas on lesson plans using the books. *Activities 1, 2 and 6 can be done at the same time – break the class groups and rotate what they do; they are also best done outside. References/Outside Sources: Read excerpts from “If You Were a Pioneer on the Prairie” by Anne Kamma Read the “The Quilt Story” by Tony Johnson and Tomie dePaola Incorporate lessons on “Sarah Plain and Tall.” Here are some examples: http://www.pls.uni.edu/nielsen/nielsen/spattask.html Web sites Farm Family in Kansas – http://www.kshs.org/teachers/trunks/farm.htm Teacher Planet – http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/westwardexpansion.php Pioneers – http://library.thinkquest.org/6400/default.htm Pioneer Life in America – http://library.thinkquest.org/J001587/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=1125 Vocabulary: Dash churn coffee grinder Butter mold apple parer Sod house washboard quilting bees sadiron

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The Sears Catalog and the American Frontier

Objective Your students will explore a 1908 Sears catalog. In the catalogs they will see many of the items used in farm homes of that time. They will see that many of those things are no longer in most people’s homes, but some of them still are used today. TLW explore the use of advertisements to sell items and compare the cost of household items found in the catalog with the cost of them today. TEKS Economics 1:7 & 1:8 Economics 3:6 Culture 1:14 (A) Social Studies Skills 3:17 Science, Technology, and Society 1:16 Economics 4:11 Economics 2:9 (A) Social Studies Skills 4:23 Science, Technology, and Society 2:16 (B) History 5:1 & 5:4 (B) Social Studies Skills 2:18 Economics 5:14 History 3:2 Social Studies Skills 5:25 & 5:26 Background Throughout most of the 19th century, the West functioned as a barter economy. Items like eggs and butter were traded for goods and services. Clothing was handmade or handed down. Farm equipment, too expensive and heavy to haul on wagons cross country, was shared among neighboring farms. Farm families mostly grew it, traded for it or did without. Imagine the excitement when the Northern Pacific Railroad first delivered a supply of catalogs from Sears, Roebuck and Company in Chicago. For the first time, families were able to peruse illustrated catalogs, and order fashionable clothing, kitchenware, better farm implements or whatever tickled their fancy. Better yet, prized purchases were delivered to the nearest railroad station within days! Though Sears entered the mail-order business in 1886, Chicago’s Montgomery Ward and Company was even older. Both firms benefited from farmers’ discontent with local prices in the Midwest. What the catalog companies offered rural America was not merely a department store between covers but a compelling social message. Selling ready-to-wear clothing with common colors, standard sizes and the latest styles meant something. It told western farmers and small-town business folk that they could be like their eastern relatives. The catalogs spelled out rules for respectability in everything from dress to home furnishings. A sample order form printed in the 1902 Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog says it all. William Johnson, living in Cherry County, Nebraska, ordered the following: a book on

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blacksmithing, a gold-filled bracelet, a 12-gauge shotgun, 10 pounds of coffee and 100 bars of laundry soap. Johnson could be confident that when the railroad delivered his box, his bars of soap were just like those sold in any city. His shells would fit any 12-gauge in western Kansas or northern Idaho. And if the gold-filled bracelet was for his wife, she could be sure that it might also grace the wrist of any woman from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. The catalog created a vast rural "common market" that shaped a common culture. What took the catalog to thousands of western customers and then delivered their orders was the Iron Road. The first transcontinental visionaries thought the railroad itself would be a nationalizing force. But even more powerful than the rails themselves was what came in box cars.

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Activity 1:

Design a Catalog entry

Materials Sears catalog from trunk Construction paper Pencils Crayons Map pencils Procedure

1. Provide the learner with background on the importance of the Sears catalog. Discuss the economic importance of the catalog in frontier life. Note the marketing descriptions, the price and the size of the ads, the guarantees, the layout and the form and function of the item.

2. Let the learner examine the Sears catalogs from the trunk to study the different products and how they were advertised. *Because the catalog is fragile, you may want to make copies of select pages for students to view, rather than passing the catalog around.

3. TLW take a piece of construction paper and design his/her own catalog item. Make sure they include a description, price and anything else you deem important for their advertisement.

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Activity 2:

Journal Assignment

Materials Paper Pencil/Pen Sears catalog Procedure

1. Make a list of possible jobs each student could have and how much they would make (i.e. a farmer with $200 income). Also provide them with a list of possible items they may need at their house. For example, one person could be a mother expecting her first child; they would need a crib, baby clothes, etc.

2. Allow each student to draw one, and then instruct them to use the Sears catalog to decide what they need and want to buy, based on their budget.

3. TLW list the items he/she wishes to purchase and write a description of why he/she chose specific objects.

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Activity 3: Comparing Prices

Materials 1908 Sears Catalog Modern catalogs from places like Home Depot, Sears, etc. Paper Pencil/Pen Procedure

1. Prior to the lesson, select several different types of items for the learner to compare. Explain how the cost of living has increased the centuries. Give examples of modern things they can relate to (for instance: the price of gas when they were born was around $1, but now is close to $4.

2. TLW list the items he/she wants to compare and find the cost of each from the different catalogs. When the student finishes finding the costs have he/she write why they think the cost of each is different. *Can also have them calculate the difference over time to incorporate a math lesson.

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The Sears Catalog and the American Frontier:

Assessment For each of the assignments, look to see if they followed directions correctly, wrote in complete sentences and used creativity. Grade all their papers on a rubric scale. Extensions Create a Group Catalog Have the students break into groups and combine their products and create a few more that they will put together to form their own catalog. They create a name for their store/catalog and determine where they will market their products (i.e. will it go to all parts of the United States or remain in one region? How will products be delivered?) Journal Assignment Another possible writing assignment is to take their list of items and write a letter to a friend or family member in the city describing how innovations have come into their home because of the mail-order catalog. They should also describe how it has changed their life. Web sites Sears Catalog – stories.washingtonhistory.org/Railroads/Machine/SearsCatalog.aspx Vocabulary Mail-order Sears, Roebuck and Company

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Pioneer Children

Objective TLW understand how pioneer children learned to read and write. They will also participate in traditional pioneer games. By the end of the lesson, TLW discuss the differences between the life and education of pioneer days and today.

TEKS Science, Technology, and Society 1:16(B) History 3:2(B) Social Development 1:7 Social Development 3:6 & 3:7 Science, Technology, and Society 2:16(A) Social Development 4:7 Social Development 2:6 Social Development 5:7 Background Life on the frontier could be lonely for the pioneers, but they always found games to play and activities to do. Pioneer children were no different. Their families wanted them to learn to read and write but also have fun. Parents used hornbooks to teach their children to read because paper was expensive. Hornbooks were less expensive because they were usually a small, wooden paddle with a piece of paper glued to one side of it. Since paper was expensive, parents and teachers wanted to protect it. So they covered the paper with a very thin piece of cow’s horn. The piece of cow’s horn was so thin you could see right through it. The cow’s horn is what gives these books their name. On the paper, there was written the alphabet, some pairs of letters and a religious verse. The more money a family had, the fancier the hornbook was.

Did children on the frontier ever have the opportunity to play? Older kids took up the pastimes of grownups early. Younger kids had their toys. Some were homemade. Others were manufactured. Most of their games were played outside, as there was not much room in the home for playing. Children used whatever materials they found to make their toys. Some of the games children play today have their origins in pioneer days. For example, marbles, jacks, “pick-up sticks” and spinning tops (simply tops or dreidels).

One of the most influential people in creating books for pioneer children to learn with was William Holmes McGuffey. He was a teacher in Oxford, Ohio, when his friend, Harriet Beecher Stowe, asked him to help prepare a set of readers for primary-level children. First written in 1836, the McGuffey Readers were a series of schoolbooks teaching reading and moral precepts. He wrote the first four books in the series, while his brother finished the last two. The McGuffey Readers reflect their author's personal philosophies, as well as his rough and tumble early years as a frontier schoolteacher. The finished works represented far more than a group of textbooks: they helped frame the country's morals and tastes and shaped the American character. The lessons in the Readers encouraged standards of morality and society throughout the United States for more than a century. They dealt with the natural curiosity of children, emphasized work and an independent spirit, encouraged an allegiance to country and an understanding of the importance of religious values. The Readers were filled with stories of strength, character,

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goodness and truth.1McGuffey believed in phonics for beginning reading. Methods and timing should be adapted to the individuality of each child. Parents should not send their dearest treasure off to school too early in life, but should proceed at the child's own pace. This preserves the vigor of his mental action. He also believed in memorizing as a way to develop habits of attention that promote understanding and mastery of ALL learning, even those studies which are not memorized. McGuffey believed that an obvious result of a cultivated mind is a wide vocabulary. And the best way to cultivate a wide vocabulary is to learn words in their context, as in studying the important ideas and noble thoughts presented in the Readers.These principles produce the education that shaped American character, particularly in the West, for more than 100 years.

1 “History.” Accessed from McGuffey Readers, http://www.mcguffeyreaders.com/history.htm.

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Activity 1:

Hornbook

Materials Hornbook from trunk Copies Transparency film Scissors Hornbook pattern Cardboard Brass brads

Procedure 1. Describe the purpose behind the hornbook and why parents used it to teach their children

to read and write. 2. If you desire to save time, precut the hornbook pattern into the pattern. If not pass out the

cardboard and patterns and instruct students to trace and cut out the hornbook base. 3. TLW glue the lesson sheet to the cardboard. 4. Next they will use the quill and ink (from activity 2) and trace the letters/words. Once

they are finished with this, they will complete the hornbook as step 3 in activity 2 describes.

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Activity 2:

Quill and Ink

Materials Quills Jar of ink Hornbook Procedure

1. Ask the class if they know what the use of a quill and ink is and how quills are made. Talk about how pioneers did not have the same type of writing instruments as we do (i.e. pens, pencils, computers). Instead, when they wrote letters they tended to use quills and ink.

2. Once students have finished making their hornbook, instruct them to trace the letters and numbers using the quills and ink. *If you chose not to use the ink, they can use map pencils instead.

3. When they are finished and the ink dries, complete the hornbook by placing a piece of transparency film over the paper to keep from smearing. To attach the paper and film to the cardboard use the 4 brass fasteners.

*CAUTION: Ink will stain clothing! Instruct students to use it carefully.

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Activity 3: Pioneer Games

Marbles Materials Bags of marbles – one large shooter and 5 target marbles for each player Two or more players Flat playing surface Chalk Procedure

1. Draw a big circle (up to 7 feet) across the center of the playing area with the chalk. 2. Each player places their five target marbles in the center of the circle. 3. Decide who will shoot first. Shooting a marble is like flipping a coin. Hold your shooter

marble in your curled index finger; tuck your thumb behind the marble. 4. Most players kneel on the ground to shoot. The shooter must “knuckle down” when they

shoot, meaning their shooting hand must be touching the ground until they shoot the marble. Lay the curled up hand on the ground just outside the circle with your knuckles down and thumb up. Aim at a target and flick the shooter marble as hard as possible.

5. If the shooter knocks any target marbles out of the circle, they claim those marbles and take another turn.

6. A player's turn ends when no marble is knocked out of the circle OR the shooter rolls out of the circle.

7. Continue to take turns until all target marbles are cleared from the center ring. The player who knocked out the most marbles is the winner.

Jack Straws Materials Box of “pick up sticks”

Procedure 1. This game is like “pick up sticks.” Place the straws in a pile shaped like a haystack or

tent (coming to a point at the top and spread out at the bottom). 2. Each player takes a turn pulling a straw out of the pile trying not to move any other

straws. If a player is able to get a straw without jiggling any other straws he/she scores a point. It then moves to the next person.

3. The game ends when the stacks fall. The winner is the player with the most straws. 4. To make the game more interesting, there are “special” straws which are worth more

points.

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Jacks Materials Jacks from trunk Procedure

1. Decide who is going first. Discuss how the players will work their way up from onesies to tensies and back down to onesies.

a. On onesies, you'll pick up one jack at a time, until you've collected all 10. (You may put the jacks you've collected into your other hand or on the ground before you try to collect more.)

b. On twosies, you pick them up two at a time. c. On threesies, you pick them up three at a time, with one left over. You pick up the

leftover(s) by itself. d. If you pick up the leftover before you've picked up all the evenly grouped jacks,

you are putting the horse before the cart and therefore must call "cart" as you take the leftover jack(s).

e. On foursies, there are, obviously, two groups of four and two jacks in the "cart." f. Fivesies has no cart. g. Sixsies has one group of six and four in the "cart." And so on.

2. Begin by throwing the jacks out on the floor. Then, taking a ball throw it into the air, pick up the correct number of jacks and letting the ball bounce once, catch the ball while still holding the jack(s). You can only use one hand. Your turn continues until you miss the ball, miss the jacks, move a jack, or drop a jack you've just picked up. Then you are out and it is the next person's turn.

3. The winner is the first player to complete the challenge of going from onsies to tensies and back down again to onsies.

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Cat’s Cradle Materials Cat’s Cradle game from trunk 2 players Procedure

1. In Cat's Cradle, two people make shapes with string and pass them back and forth. 2. The first person places their hands through the string, keeping their thumbs out of it. 3. Then they loop the string around each hand (still keeping the thumbs out). 4. Put the middle finger of one hand through the loop on the other hand and pull. Next put

the middle finger of the OTHER hand through the loop. (This is called the “Cat’s Cradle”).

5. Now comes the first hard thing: find the two places where the string makes an X. The other player takes their thumb and forefinger and pinches those X shaped parts. Still pinching them, they move their hands farther apart, until the string is taut.

6. This step is hard as well: first, the second player kind of points their fingers DOWN (through the sides) and then, scoops them up through the middle and pulls, very gently. As they do this last part, the first player should let the Cat’s Cradle slide out of their hands, ending with the Cat’s Cradle on the other player’s hands.

Spinning Tops Materials Wooden spinning tops from trunk Procedure

1. The purpose of this game is to spin the tops. Some play to see which one spins longer or to try and knock others’ tops out of a circle.

Ball and Hoop Materials Ball and hoop from trunk Procedure

1. The object of the game is to toss the ball upwards and catch it in the hook. Have the players take turns until they are able to catch the ball.

**For Pioneer Games, divide the class into centers and have the students rotate games**

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Activity 4: McGuffey Readers

Materials McGuffey Readers from trunk Procedure

1. Prior to the start of class, choose a lesson from the McGuffey Readers to use as an illustration of how pioneer children learned to read.

2. Discuss the history and significance of the McGuffey Readers for pioneer education. Explain how they were used largely in one-room schoolhouses to teach children to read and about citizenship. Ask them what they learned in school. What are they taught about citizenship, etc?

3. Allow the learner to explore the different McGuffey Readers to see the types of lessons in each.

4. Once they are done, proceed with teaching the lesson you’ve chosen. You can make copies of the lesson so that the students may follow along. Instruct them to copy/write or anything else the lesson requires so that they fully grasp what learning was like for pioneer children.

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Pioneer Children: Assessment For the hornbook activity, look to see if they followed directions correctly and grade everything more on participation/completion. Extensions Have students create their own games, using objects found outside. Web sites McGuffey Readers- http://www.mcguffeyreaders.com/ Vocabulary Hornbook McGuffey Readers

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Pioneer Vocabulary

Apple Parer – The apple parer was developed to help with this job. Early parers were made entirely of wood except for their blades and prongs. Butter mold – These decorative molds are used to form butter into fancy shapes. The molds are filled with softened butter and leveled off. After chilling, the solidified butter is removed from the mold and refrigerated until ready to serve. Coffee grinder – A device for pulverizing or powdering coffee beans so they can be brewed as coffee Dash churn – It was a tall, wooden or stone container with a lid. The dasher is the wooden stick that one moves up and down through a hole in the center of the lid. Falling tongue – A piece of the covered wagon that attached to the oxen or horses pulling the wagon Hornbook – An early primer consisting of a single page protected by a transparent sheet of horn, formerly used in teaching children to read; a text that instructs in the basic skills or rudiments of a subject Mail-order – Items pioneers purchased from a catalog, instead of from the store, and arrived by train. Quilting bee – Occurred when several women came to help stitch the layers of a quilt together. It was usually followed by dinner and a party. Pioneer – someone who explores or goes to live in a place previously unexplored or uninhabited by many of his or her culture Prairie schooner – This was a smaller covered wagon used by pioneers to travel/move across the country. Sadiron – Sadirons were used to press clothing in the latter part of the 19th century. The word “sad” in this case does not mean unhappy. It is an Old English word meaning heavy. Irons like this one had to be heated on top of a stove before they could be used. Sears, Roebuck and Company – Like Montgomery Ward, it was a store that sold household items. The catalog came out with the Sears catalog once a year, that pioneers looked forward to receiving because it provided them the opportunity to purchase items for themselves and their homes. Sod house – A house built of strips of sod (surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots). Sod was used usually because timber was scarce and sod provided good insulation against the cold winters.

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Wagon master – This person was elected from among the male passengers. He was in charge of the wagon train. He made the final decisions, kept order on the trail, delegated responsibilities and ensured safe travel as best he could. Wagon trains – A line of about 25 wagons traveling together across country and led by the wagon master. Washboard – It was an improvement over the mallet method used by the early pioneers. After the clothing had been heated in a kettle with soap, they were removed and scrubbed vigorously up and down on the rough surface of the washboard.

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Touring the NRHC

The National Ranching Heritage Center was established to preserve the history of ranching,

pioneer life and the development of the livestock industry in North America. The Center opened in 1976 and now has more than 40 authentic, furnished ranch buildings and structures which have been relocated to the NRHC from locations throughout the

Southwest. These historic structures have been chronologically arranged to exhibit the evolution of ranch life from the late 1700s through the early 1900s. Educational programs, tours and living history events offer meaningful learning experiences for school groups and

visitors of all ages.

Self-guided tours are available for small groups anytime. Larger groups, with over 25 participants, are encouraged to make a tour reservation. Maps and scavenger hunts are available at the front desk, and groups may reserve the McLaughlin Arbor or Pitchfork

Pavilion for picnic lunches. Guided tours and special programs are available upon advanced request.

The NRHC offers curriculum on-line to prepare students for their tour. Interactive Heritage

Hunts and Heritage Handbook are available, along with a scavenger hunt to provide a focused tour of the NRHC. Heritage trunks will also be available for teachers to check out in

fall 2008. These trunks correspond with the history represented at the NRHC.

INTERACTIVE HERITAGE HUNTS The NRHC offers the opportunity for your students to complete activities at some of the structures. This Interactive Heritage Hunt corresponds with the NRHC scavenger hunt. All activities are aligned

with the TEKS. Due to materials cost, a small fee will be charged. Recommended for grades 4 and up.

HERITAGE HANDBOOKS

Heritage Handbooks include questions to encourage critical thinking and observation skills. It also includes maps, vocabulary and opportunities for students to write their thoughts on what they have

learned. Recommended for grades 3 and up.

WHERE’S JOE-JACK RABBIT? “Where’s Joe-Jack Rabbit” is an activity that is available for younger groups touring the NRHC.

Located in one of the historic structures is the official mascot of the NRHC, Joe-Jack Rabbit. The students will be presented with the challenge of finding Joe-Jack Rabbit on their visit. Once they find

him, they will be able to turn in a piece of paper at the front desk with their name, address and location of Joe-Jack Rabbit. All participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a prize.

Please visit our Web site at www.NRHC.ttu.edu for all of our materials for educators!

Tours are always free! Call (806) 742-0498 to schedule your next visit!