Prairie Activity: Prairie Quilt

Hop into a covered wagon and follow Laura Ingalls Wilder through the Midwest. A series of lessons based on Little House on the Prairie encourages young pioneers to see the world through Laura's eyes as they map her journey, discuss the...

What an exceptional hands-on experience for learning about the period of Westward Expansion in the United States! Learners are divided into groups and embark on one of three "trails" to learn about the challenges early pioneers...

Why are US dollars no longer backed by gold and silver? What is our medium of exchange, and what would it be like to live in a barter economy? Learners consider these questions, as well as learn about the major historical events in the...

How did early American pioneers decide what to take with them on their journeys, and what was their traveling experience like? Here you'll find a collection of activities to help you explore Westward Expansion with your young learners.

Fifth graders explore quilting in pioneer families. In this quilting lesson, 5th graders review the history of quilts, the role of women, and quilting patterns. They create their own pattern and quilt square.  

Eighth graders interview a person who explains the lifestyles of people who lived on the prairies in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. They examine how today's lifestyles impact the environment and write up what they learned.

How would you use census data from 1880-1900? Here are a set of ways you can incorporate the book Little House on the Prairie and US census data from that time period. Learners will research the validity or the book based on factual...

Third graders work in small "family" groups. They participate in a group discussion about reasons people were moving west, and the finality of leaving home. They look at maps of the west and a pioneer travel guide. The families discuss...

Eighth graders take field trips to prairies, streams and forests in Illinois. During the field trip, they complete a worksheet to observe what they see and discuss it when they get back to school. They share their experiences through...

Second graders use their senses to explore a prairie or imaginary prairie. They draw pictures to represent the five senses and discover how an artist describes non-visual sensations in a visual way.