Have you ever wanted to live on the prairie in the 1800's? This book will help you. We map where the family has traveled and figure out how many things they can take in their wagon. We also make ice cream! Nothing beats living in the Midwest and learning how it came to be settled.
Our school is a rural/suburban small public school in western Illinois.
I would love for the kids to be able to read along, but I cannot order the books for a classroom or 2nd grade set. Due to severe budget cuts, I am not able to order a set of books that can be used from year to year as we do this unit.
My Project
I have read this classic book 3 years now and each class has loved it. At first they think it is a "girl" book and don't get too excited. Then they hear about the hardships the family endures and they are hooked! It corresponds to things we do in Social Studies and Language Arts. I also tie in Math skills. I would love for them to learn about living on the prairie from this historical fiction point of view. It is told from a viewpoint of Laura who is near the age of my students and they can totally identify with her joys and fears. At the end of the unit, the students make their own Little House book and I am always amazed at the things they've remembered and the details that they've included in their books.
There is nothing more important than having a book in your hand to totally get immersed.
Reading along and seeing pictures as a story is being read is a tie in to both students auditorally and visually. They love to take ownership in having a book that they can use for a story. I feel it is so important to get kids hooked on books that are more than fluff. This is a book that takes them through moving and living on the prairie. It gives them a history to where they live.
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