Lesson Plan #: CC-0034

Kindergarten Lesson 1:
What Was Life Like for the Pioneer Children Living in the Western Frontier?


Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. recognize some of the lifestyles of the pioneer children who settled in the west.

2. understand some of the hardships of living in the new frontier.

3. describe some of the major differences between the life of a pioneer and their own.

Description of lesson/activity:

Activity 1

1. Begin the lesson about life of the pioneers who traveled west by reviewing the westward movement of the pioneers during the time of Johnny Appleseed. Use pictures from books and a large, simple physical map of the United States (ideally a primary physical map with only the state boundaries) to review how the early pioneers traveled, where they traveled and why. Review the concept that a pioneer is someone who leads the way into a land not known to them.

Explain that people such as Columbus, the Pilgrims and the people who traveled westward such as, Johnny Appleseed were all pioneers. Explain that after the times of Johnny Appleseed and Abraham Lincoln people continued to move west, but this time went even farther towards the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, California and Oregon. Locate these places on the map, as well as where the children live as a point of reference.

2. Introduce the book The Quilt Story , by Tony Johnston. Explain that the child in the story was a pioneer child. Ask the children to listen for information about this child's life while the story is read. Encourage them to listen and watch for types of clothes worn, houses, modes of transportation, toys, tools, etc. After reading the story discuss the information the children gained about Abigail and her lifestyle. Record the children's responses on chart paper as a web, categorizing under the headings listed.

Ask the children if they know what a "quilt" is. Where did Abigail get her quilt? Help develop the concept that the quilt had to be made by hand, just like most of the goods used by Abigail and her family because there were no stores where they lived. Discuss how they lit and warmed their home.

Discuss the move west that Abigail's family made in a covered wagon. What kind of house did this family build? How did they build the log cabin? Where did they get their food? Do you think life for these pioneers was easy?

2. Ask the children to select the part of Abigail and her family's way of life they found to be the most interesting. Have each child draw a picture of this. Once finished, have the children describe their pictures and record the description on the picture. These pictures can be complied into a class book called "Pioneer Life" or displayed on a bulletin board.

3. Ask the children how many of them have quilts at home. Have children describe their own quilts. Ask if anyone has a quilt with their name on it like Abigail in The Quilt Story . If possible bring in some quilts for the children to examine.

Invite a quilter to come in to demonstrate the craft of quilting. Discuss how many of the fabrics in a quilt, especially old quilts, are scraps cut from old clothes. At the time of the pioneers they did not waste any good material since there were no stores in which to buy new fabric. Discuss how quilts are often passed from one family member to another, as in the story. Often the name, fabric used, or design on the quilt can help pass on family memories and stories.

4. Read the book Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet , by Ann Whiteford Paul. In this book the names of early American patchwork quilt patterns are explained along with the origins of the designs by describing the activity or occupation they derive from. Discuss the different patterns described and the activity it represents. Look at the different colors and geometric shapes used to create the quilt patterns. Have children use various materials to create quilt patterns.

Some suggestions for making quilt patterns include:

5. Plan a class patchwork quilt. The quilt could be a paper quilt to be displayed on a bulletin board or one made of fabric. Ask each child to design a pattern for their quilt square that tells something special about them. Children can use fabric crayons to create patterns on their quilt square. Children can also draw with regular crayons on coarse sandpaper squares. These sandpaper squares should then be turned upside-down on to, white fabric so the crayon design is against the white fabric. Iron the back of the sandpaper to transfer the crayon design to the fabric. The result is the design made up of small colored dots. All the childrens' squares can be ironed on to one large piece of white fabric divide into enough blocks for each child.

Activity 2

1. Review the chart created about life for Abigail's family in The Quilt Story . Introduce the book My Great-Aunt Arizona , by Gloria Houston. Explain to the children that this is also a story about a pioneer family, but this family had been settled in their new home for a while. Following the story create a new web describing Arizona's lifestyle. Through discussion compare Abigail's and Arizona's lives, including clothing, homes, transportation, schooling, lighting, heating, toys, and games.

2. Discuss with the children the differences and similarities between Arizona's life and their own. Create a comparison chart to record children's responses.

Have children select an aspect of life discussed and draw a comparative picture of Arizona and themselves. Use a 12" x 18" piece of drawing paper and fold it to create two halves that are 9" x 12".

Have the children draw a child in Arizona's time on one side and themselves on the other side doing one of the activities discussed.

3. Discuss some of the games and music enjoyed during Arizona's time. Explain that there were no movies, toy stores, T.V.'s, or CD players for entertainment. Invite someone to class who could teach the children some basic square dancing.

4. Teach the children songs and games from the later 1800s. Games could include tag and William Matrimmatoe. The "Farmyard Song," or "Fiddle-I-Fee," was a popular song of that time. This song is available in book and cassette tape form called Fiddle-I-Fee , adapted by Melissa Sweet. Read the book and sing the song. Once the children know the song well, the class can write and illustrate their own version of the song using their choices of animals and animal sounds.

Enrichment and Extensions:

1. Bring in artifacts introduced in Eight Hands Round or The Quilt Story for children to examine.

2. Visit a local museum that has artifacts and craftspeople who can demonstrate quilting, blacksmithing, butter churning, etc.

3. Have children use tangrams to create designs. Tangrams are described in Eight Hands Round as "Yankee Puzzles." Have children trace and cut their own tangrams.

4. Read the book Yonder , by Tony Johnston. Discuss the pioneer life described in this book.

5. If possible, visit a farm that collects and makes maple sugar and maple sugar candy.

6. Do cooking projects in class making typical foods prepared by the pioneers and settlers of the second half of the 1800s.

Resources:

Houston, Gloria. My Great-Aunt Arizona . (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1992) (ISBN 0060226064).

Johnston, Tony. The Quilt Story . (New York: Scholastic Inc., 1985) (ISBN 0590438905).

Johnston, Tony. Yonder . (New York: Scholastic Inc., 1988) (ISBN 059042887X).

Sweet, Melissa. Fiddle-I-Fee: A Farmyard Song for the Very Young . (New York: The Trumpet Club, 1992) (ISBN 0440849373).

Paul, Ann Whitford. Eight Hands Round: A Patchwork Alphabet . (HarperCollins Publishers, 1991) (ISBN 0060246898).