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Chapter Overview: Description
Chapter 9 begins with Pa clearing a space next to the house for the fireplace he is going to build. Pa takes Laura and Mary to the river to gather stones for the frame of the fireplace. On the way they pass by the deserted Indian camps. The girls play by the water as their father gathers rocks and loads them into the wagon. When they return to their cabin Pa builds the fireplace by mixing mud and water to create a plaster to keep the rocks together as he stacks them. The next day, after all of the mud is dry, he builds a chimney out of saplings and mud. Next, he cut a whole in the logs from the inside of the house where the fireplace was built around the outside. Finally, he built a mantel out of oak. Mama decorated the mantel with a China Doll. Mama then built a fire and cooked a meal for the family.
Chapter Themes: The division of labor between men and women, the hazards of living on the frontier, and the importance of the family unit.
Chapter Activities
- Language Arts
- Activity Idea 1 Role Playing
- Description: students will be able to role play the tasks executed by men and women as they settled the west. Students will keep a journal of how they felt about their performed duties and if they were successful at them.
- Standards Addressed:listening/speaking, and writing
- Standard 1: 9.3.1 use specific vocabulary and apply standard English to communicate ideas.
- Standard 2: 8.3.1 retell and explain what has been said by the speaker.
- Activity Idea 2 The Importance of Family
- Description: Each group will be responsible for completing a task for the rest of the class each day, for example, cleaning desks, helping with homework, or cleaning the lunch table after lunch every day. All students will write a thank you letter to the other groups thanking them for their cooperation and support.
- Standards Addressed: writing, following directions, and civics.
- Standard 1: 4.3.4 compare/contrast, sketch, model and build two and three dimensional geometric figures and objects.
- Standard 2: 5.3.5D make mathematical connections by solving problems where there is a need to view mathematics as an integrated whole, applying mathematically thinking and modeling to problems that arise in other disciplines.
- Mathematics
- Activity Idea 1 Three Dimensional Models
- Description: students will be able to plan and build three dimensional homes with a fireplace using craft sticks, glue, and small pebbles
- Standards Addressed: mathematics.
- Standard 1: compare/contrast, sketch, model and build two and three dimensional geometric figures and objects.
- Standard 2: 5.3.5D make mathematical connections by solving problems where there is a need to view mathematics as an integrated whole, applying mathematically thinking and modeling to problems that arise in other disciplines.
- Activity Idea 2 How Long Did it Take?
- Description: students will be able to create their own elapsed time problems using the information they gather from the chapter.
- Standards Addressed: math and language arts
- Standard 1: 3.3.6 use elapsed time
- Standard 2: 1.3.8 generate and solve two step addition and subtractions problems based on practical situations.
- Social Studies
- Activity Idea 1 Nomadic Tribes
- Description: Students will be able to research various nomadic Indian tribes and create a power point about their distinct qualities.
- Standards Addressed: social studies, technology and language arts.
- Standard 1: 11.3.2 use library resources, media, and technology to find information on a topic.
- Standard 2: 11.3.4 organize and record information from print and non-print resources.
- Activity Idea 2 Children Past and Present
- Description: Students will be able to compare/contrast children’s lives in the past with those of children in the present by using a Venn Diagram.
- Standards Addressed: language arts and social studies.
- Standard 1: 4.3.2 distinguish cause/effect, fact/opinion, compare/contrast
- Standard 2: 2.3.4 restate facts and details in text to share information and organize ideas
- Science
- Activity Idea 1 Poisinous/dangerous Animals
- Description: students will research the types of animals that live in Kansas and create posters warning further travelers about their dangers.
- Standards Addressed: science, technology, geography, and language arts.
- Standard 1: L.5.C.5 describe plant and animal adaptations that allow them to survive in specific ecosystems.
- Standard 2: L.5.B.2 identify examples of organisms that interact with each other and with the non-living parts of their ecosystem.
- Activity Idea 2 Prairie Biomes
- Description: students will research the plants, animals, and resources that are found in the prairie ecosystem. With this information, groups will create dioramas depicting their topic.
- Standards Addressed: science, language arts, art, and technology.
- Standard 1: L.5.C.5 describe plant and animal adaptations that allow them to survive in specific ecosystems
- Standard 2: identify examples of organisms that interact with each other and with the non-living parts of their ecosystem.
Weather was a hardship that faced unprepared pioneers. Winter made it difficult to see the trail or set up a permanent dwelling, food became scarce as the animals migrated, and there was always the chance they would freeze to death. In the fall pioneers had to be careful there were no prairie fires. The grasses could catch on fire after the dry summer if they were struck by lightening or a campfire was not put out completely. These fires could consume log cabins, crops, animals, and wagons. These fires are also beneficial to the ecosystem. Fires keep the prairies from overgrowing into forests. Conversely, rainstorms could also pose a threat. Heavy rain could flood nearby rivers and damage crops or extreme winds might tear off the roof of a log house. Prairie soil is full of nutrients and is excellent for planting crops. Many Indian tribes did not tolerate the encroachment upon their land. Hostile tribes would steal livestock and even people. If pioneers were especially threatening, some tribes would declare war, using poisoned arrows, spears, and clubs as weapons. Living in a house that was built in the 1800’s had its disadvantages. The roof could leak, small animals and insects found their way inside, dirt clung to every crevice, and there was very little light inside the cabin. These one room houses could have been occupied by families of seven or more! Space was a luxury that was only known outdoors.[Choose at least one theme you've identified for the chapter. Do research on this topic and prepare an approximately one-page report on the topic. Write in a format that other teachers would find helpful when seeking background information about the historical content of the theme(s) from this chapter. The passage should provide information that goes beyond what exists in the book to help students gain a better understanding of the historical context of the chapter.]
Additional Resources
- http://www.bellmuseum.org/distancelearning/prairie/build/index.html
- http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/grassland/index.html
- http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/grassland/prairie.shtml
2 comments:
Randi, your did an great job creating unique but practical activities for students! I would definitely use some of these activities with my students. I especially liked your idea to create the 3 dimensional model. Its a great way to incorporate math and get students working with their hands. I know my students would love to do this and would probably get really creative coming up with ways to display the items in the hope. Its a great idea to spark conversation about what homes actually looked like.
Another idea I really loved was the poster to warn people about animals. I think its great idea for students to be able to research a specific topic and then, not present on that but create their very own historical document from that era. It would be cool to get some "old" poster paper or burn the edges to make it appear authentic. Such a great idea, thanks Randi!
I love the idea of simulating daily activities of the early settlers. Perhaps you could do this in learning centers. One group could make butter, one could play games from the time, ...
The activity where students help each other is a great way to build classroom community. Even if you don't tie it to the book, this may be a good activity to do near the beginning of the school year. It would also be a good lesson to start a service learning project.
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