Egyptian Reed Boat Model

Since we are beginning our study of Ancient Egypt with the Nile River, we made a model of their reed boats.

At our time spent at Turner's Creek park last week, we gathered some willow branches.

We wanted to make some Egyptian-style reed boats for our study of Ancient Egypt. This pile of branches made two small reed boats, so you need to collect a good amount of them to make the boats.

We followed the directions from Creekside Learning.

We stripped the leaves off the branches and cut them into 12-14 inch pieces in order to make them Playmobil size. Using one of the branches, we tied a bundle of them together, and then bent the bundle by using a rubber band to hold them into a "U" shape, and left it for a few days to dry in that position. We added a couple of zip ties to them to make sure they keep together.

Once dry, you can remove the rubber bands and the boats are ready for display and play.

Originally posted Nov 22, 2013

Halloween Week History: The History of Halloween and Turnip Jack O' Lanterns

“Oh!—fruit loved of boyhood!—the old days recalling,

When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!

When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,

Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!” 

-John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Pumpkin" (1850)

Pumpkin carving is thought to come from the British Isles, where turnips, mangelwurzel or beets were used.

Turnip lanterns, sometimes with faces carved into them, were made on the Gaelic festival of Samhain (31 October–1 November) in the 19th century in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Samhain was a time when fairies and spirits were said to be active.

The purpose of these lanterns may have been to light one's way while outside on Samhain night or to protect oneself and one's home from the spirits and otherworldly beings,

Comparison of a small pumpkin (back) and a carved turnip (foreground).

 although I can't imagine too much light being produced by a turnip with a candle.

Immigrants from Britain and Ireland brought the tradition to North America. There, the pumpkin replaced the turnip as pumpkins were more readily available, bigger, and easier to carve, which Sam can attest to this being a fact.

In keeping with this tradition, Sam decided to carve a turnip this year instead of a pumpkin.

Some tips in case you ever decide to try it. 

Begin with the largest turnip you can find.

Start by slicing a little off the bottom to make it sit evenly, and slice a bit off the top to make a surface to begin digging out.

Use a melon baller or a heavy ice cream scoop to dig out the center of the turnip.

You don't have much surface to make a face with, so keep that in mind when you decide on the design you will make.

Sam's Owl lantern made from a turnip, 2012

Source: Wikipedia

This post was originally posted October 31, 2012

Curriculum and Roleplay: The American Civil War: A History Curriculum for Middle and High School

I would like to introduce to you my latest Role-Play Curriculum for Middle and High School students, The American Civil War. It is a six week curriculum, one lesson for each year of the Civil War, plus one for the coming of the war. This series includes writing, research, hands-on projects and even a bit of math and a field trip suggestion or two. I will be linking each week's lessons to this post for your convenience. More specifically, there are suggestions on:

• Readings
• Timeline
• Role-Playing
• Researching and Writing Telegrams
• Maps
• Researching and Writing a Newspaper Article
• Hands-On Projects
• Writing Outlines

Here are a few examples of the writing activities and expectations for the unit.:

Journal Writing

• Each entry should be between 3/4 to a full page.
• Each entry should be dated parallel to the events of the week. For example, if you are studying the year 1860, then your entry should be dated sometime in 1860 and the events in the entry should be seasonally appropriate to the month you have picked.
• You should write two entries a week, one from the field identity, and one from the home identity.
• Fill your entries with the things learned about -the events, people and life from the Civil War era. Your writing should always be historically accurate. Each entry should include at least 4 historical facts learned during the week. Highlight the facts with a highlighter pen.
• Try to write as you might write to a relative today but do not use modern slang or references to inventions and conveniences not yet in use or people not yet born. The tone should be conversational.
• Stay in character when you write, referencing the reactions to the events taking place through the character's eyes.

Telegrams

Each week you will be researching information about the events of the war and condensing them into a brief and interesting telegram to include in your notebook.

This program is designed for students from Middle School level to High School grades. You will, therefore need to establish for yourself the level which meets the standard for your student(s) grade level(s). The highest level work is complete and has details. The writing should reflect analysis and decision making. Research assignments should be graded on both content and writing skills. They all need to have two resources. Everything should reflect the students' mastery of the material covered.

Students will need a blank notebook to record information. I ask my students to keep wide margins on the left side of their notebook pages and double space their writing so that they can go back and add questions,  comments and reflections in the margins.


Week 1: The Coming of the War

Week 2: 1861

Week 3: 1862

Week 4: 1863

Week 5: 1864

Week 6: 1865

Civil War Presentations Projects For Middle and High School
Civil War Projects

Sources:

• Renaissance, Peter Cakebread and Ken Walton 
• Civil War Interact Simulations, A Simulation of Civilian and Soldier Life During the American Civil War,  Terry Handy and Bill Lacey, grades 5-11
• Abraham Lincoln's World, Genevieve Foster
• Kingfisher History Encyclopedia

Civil War, Part 4: 1863

Readings

Part IV: When Abraham Lincoln was a Lawyer from Illinois

Kingfisher, pgs 346-353

Monday: Timeline

1848-1861
Franz Josef
First World's Fair
Napoleon III
Richard Wagner
Mark Twain
Nana Sahib
Florence Nightingale
Oil Well
Jenny Lind
Stephen Foster
Japan and Perry
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Victor Emmanuel II
Woodrow Wilson
Wilhelm
Theodore Roosevelt
Hans Christian Andersen
Stephen Douglas
Jefferson Davis
Willie and Tad Lincoln

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

President issues proclamation to free slaves.
Lincoln signs first Draft Law.
Lee wins Pyrrhic victory at Chancellorsville.
Gettysburg is crucial to victory; Lee retreats.
Mississippi fortress of Vicksburg falls to Grant.
Draft riots erupt in New York City.
Confederates win savage battle at Chickamauga.
President issues Thanksgiving Proclamation.
Lincoln delivers address at Gettysburg.
Union forces win Chattanooga.

Field Trip

Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center is open 8 am - 6 pm April - October and Park Roads are open 6 am - 10 pm and Soldiers' National Cemetery is open Dawn - Dusk.
From November - March, the Museum & Visitor Center is open 9 am - 5 pm, the Park Roads are open 6 am - 7 pm and the Soldiers' National Cemetery is open Dawn - Dusk.

Entry to the park and visitor center is FREE OF CHARGE
There is a fee for the film "A New Birth of Freedom" at the Museum and Visitor Center, and there are additional fees for Licensed Battlefield Guides and the David Willis house.

Hands-On Activity

Reenactment of Pickett's Charge

If you have enough people, you can reenact this will actors, if not, your student can use plastic soldiers and either take pictures or a video. There is a beginning monologue, but the rest of the action should be described by the student. He should write his script in advance.

Narrator: It is July 3, 1863. For about two hours Southern gunners have sent a firestorm of artillery shells against the Union at a point called The Angle. These guns, however, have not fallen silent. Union Commander George Meade thinks the imminent attack will be a frontal assault on The Angle. He and his men are ready. The stillness is ominous. 

1. Confederate troops start moving forward. (If using actors, start the Confederates 175-200 yards away and have them move at a rate of about 1 yard every second.)
2. All Rebs release their best rendition of the Rebel yell and yell it several times over the course of the battle.
3. Two or three Rebel soldiers are hit and fall to the ground dead; one Union man falls dead.
4. Two or three more Rebs are hit and fall to the ground dead. One is carrying the colors. Another Red picks up the flag and moves forward.
5. A Confederate officer with his sword drawn says, "Home, boys, home. Remember home is over beyond those hills." Two Union boys fall dead.
6. One or two more Rebs fall, one is shot in the chest, another receives a fatal head wound.
7. All Union troops chant several times, "Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!"
8. One Union officer yells, "Glory to God! Glory to God! See the Vermonters go at it!"
9. One Union officer yells, "See 'em! See 'em!"
10. One Union officer yells, "Fire! Fire! Another says, "Come on, boys. Give them the cold steel! Who will follow me? One Union soldier falls dead.
11. The remaining Rebel army turns around and retreats quickly to the woods where they began.
12. General Pickett puts his hands to his forehead and shakes his head in disgust and grief.
13. All Union troops cheer enthusiastically for several seconds to several minutes.
14. General Lee flits back and forth, telling his troops as they return to the woods, "It's all my fault...all my fault."

Culture

Wednesday: Poetry

Research and read poetry composed during the Civil War. (Walt Whitman 's O Captain, My Captain is an example.) Can you write a poem with a Civil War theme?

Thursday: Delivering a Speech

The Gettysburg Address

Have your student deliver this speech, hopefully in costume.

Civil War, Part 3: 1862

Readings

PART III: When Abraham Lincoln Kept Store in Illinois

Kingfisher, pgs 340-345

Field Trip

Antietam /Sharpsburg

Monday: Timeline

1830-1848
Andrew Jackson
Chicago
William Lloyd Garrison
Charles Dickens
Postage Stamps
Black Hawk
Texas
Boers Great Trek
Oregon Trail
China, Hong Kong
Victoria
Louis Philippe
Clipper Ships
Rubber
Telegraph
Ether
Matches
Bathtubs
War with Mexico
Zachary Taylor
Winfield Scott
Gold
Steamships
Photography

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

Battle between ironclad ships ends in a draw.
Grant wins decisive battle at Shiloh.
Admiral Farragut captured New Orleans for Union.
Federal Homestead Law signed.
Stonewall's classic offensive highlights Shenandoah campaign.
McClellan loses Seven Days 'Battle;  Lee could seize momentum.
Confederates win Second Bull Run battle.
Sioux uprising put down in Minnesota.
Bloody Antietam gives Union victory.
Union disaster at Fredericksburg;  Burnside replaced.

Wednesday: Journal

Write a one page narrative describing a chance encounter your character had with someone  (or something ) famous during the Civil War. Perhaps you were at Ford's Theater, or  you ran into a congressman with a box lunch at the first Battle of Bull Run or perhaps you heard Lincoln deliver his Address...use your imagination. You will need to do some research before writing this entry.

Thursday: Projects

Begin Civil War Museum display. Research something that was in important person place or thing in the Civil War and construct a display as if it were to go in a museum. It could be a diorama, a video production or a visual presentation. Visit museums to research how information is presented in a professional manner. Observe how captions, titles, models, pictures and documents are used in the displays. Plan carefully. Your presentation should be both accurate and entertaining. Think about colors, borders, lettering, labels, and the use of audio or video components. Use bright and contrasting colors.Try to limit the written word on your display, while at the same time conveying all the key elements. Use many visuals such as pictures, props or maps. Your presentation must have:

• a neat and clear title
• borders and mats around pictures, captions and maps
• precise lettering
• lots of visuals. Try to keep the word limit to about 500 words. Use pictures, drawings, maps, timelines and props to convey the information.
• Integrate into your display audio or video components.

Civil War Culture

Friday: Music

Listen to recordings of songs people sang during the Civil War. (Dixie. The Bonnie Blue Flag, John Brown's Body, Marching Through Georgia,  Battle Hymn of the Republic, When Johnny Comes Marching Home). If you are musically inclined,  can you compose a Civil War song?

Hands-on History

Baseball

If you have a large enough group to play, baseball the way it was played then would be so much fun! Gloves, masks and other specialized equipment were not used. The ball was, instead a tightly wound ball of twine and bats were long pieces of wood.

Civil War, part 2: 1861

Reading

part II: When Abraham Lincoln was a Boy in Indiana

Kingfisher,  pgs 322-329

Monday: Timeline

1815-1830
Noah Webster
Monroe Doctrine
Simon Bolivar
Sequoia
John Adams
Harriet Beecher Stowe
John James Audubon
Washington Irving
Benito Juarez
Charles Dickens
Victoria
Charles Darwin
William  Gladstone
David Livingston
George Stephenson
Naosuke II
Garibaldi
Leopold
Lion Hong Zhang

Field Trip

Manassas /Bull Run National Battlefield, Virginia

Tuesday: Telegraph Office

Research and include at least 3 supporting details for these headlines in the form of a Telegram.
Seven Southern states secede from the Union.
Jefferson Davis is the new president of CSA.
Abe Lincoln inaugurated 16th president.
Rebels shell Fort Sumter!
President Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers.
Robert E.Lee turns down Union Command
First casualties of war are in Baltimore riots.
Richmond, Virginia becomes new CSA capital.
A hero's death helps Union to secure Alexandria.
Confederates feast on Union civilian lunches after victory at Bull Run.
First income tax in US history levied in North.
Wilson Creek battle extends war in the west.
McClellan is new army chief.

Wednesday: Research

Write an in-depth analysis of your state during the war. What was this state's position and what was the war's impact on it?

Begin work on Presentations project. You may pick one from this list or come up with your own project.

Thursday: Photography

Research Mathew Brady or Alexander Gardner to find examples of Civil War photography. Then, using the style of 19th century photographers, create your own Civil War pictures by staging scenes or posing soldiers that you photograph with your own camera.

Friday: Hands-On History: Marching and Drilling

This needs to be done with a group of students,  but the group doesn't have to be that large. I have done it with three students before. It is a great activity to do in a co-op.
Organize students into two lined with each line 13 inches apart from the row in front of them. Students in each line should be touching shoulders of the persons to the left and right.
The teacher yells,"Company,  attention! "
Students are to stand straight,  facing forward, heels together and the rest of their feet at a 4-5 degree angle. Their arms are to be relaxed with  the pinky of each hand angling their jacket hem. Their head and shoulders are back and facing straight ahead. If they have a weapon,  it is resting at their sides, holding it between their thumb and forefinger along the tight side with the butt resting next to their right foot.

Teacher yells, "Company,  in place, rest!"
Students keep their left foot in place and slide their right foot behind their left in order to form a T. They hold their hands in front, left, over right, relaxed.

Teacher can now roll call soldiers,  if desired. Students respond with "Here, Sir!"

Teacher commands, "Right, face."
Students, two at a time, turn right, the second set, stepping into the space left by the first set.

Teacher yells, "Front" and students move back in previous formation.

Teacher yells, "Forward,  march!" Students step out with their left feet. Teacher keeps rhythm with, "Left, right, left right..."

When marching with a weapon,  teacher should first give the command, "Shoulder, arms!" Students should hold the weapon off the ground with their index and middle finger under the trigger guard. At the command,  "Right shoulder shift, arms," and students should  bring their weapons up to their right shoulder and carry it flat against the shoulder,  holding the rifle under the bottom with their right hand.

When the students are to halt on the march, the command to slide the weapon back to the ground is, "Order, arms!"

Civil War, part 1, The Coming of the War

part 1, The Coming of the War

Reading

Abraham Lincoln's World, Genevieve Foster, Abraham Lincoln is Born, The Story Begins, and part I: When Abraham Lincoln was Born in Kentucky

Kingfisher History Encyclopedia, pgs 318-321

Timeline

Make a timeline that includes the years 1800-1815. Add the following people to the timeline in the appropriate places.You must decide whether you are going to add them at their birth time, death time or when they made their greatest impact on history, or all of these.

Napoleon

Beethoven

Dumas

Wellington

Nelson Bucher

Alexander I

Victor Hugo

Thomas Jefferson

Robert Fulton

John Marshall

James Madison

Tecumseh

Henry Clay

Daniel Webster

John Calhoun

Francis Scott Key

Andrew Jackson

The Constitution /Old Ironsides

George III

Role-Play: Making Characters

For this scenario,  you will be making two characters. One will be the field army identity,  a soldier (always male), whatever rank you decide to be and the second will be a home identity, who is a wife, sister, brother,  father,  mother, son, daughter or whoever you want this character to be. The only requirement is that this character must be close to the field army identity. Determine the names, ages, relationships, rank or occupation, family, Hometown, education, character traits and opinion on slavery for both characters.

Write a one page autobiography, fleshing out the character statistics. Fabricate your character's life up to 1861 when the war breaks out.

Journal Writing

• Each entry should be between 3/4 to a full page.
• Each entry should be dated parallel to the events of the week. For example, if you are studying the year 1860, then your entry should be dated sometime in 1860 and the events in the entry should be seasonally appropriate to the month you have picked.
• You should write two entries a week, one from the field identity, and one from the home identity.
• Fill your entries with the things learned about -the events, people and life from the Civil War era. Your writing should always be historically accurate. Each entry should include at least 4 historical facts learned during the week. Highlight the facts with a highlighter pen.
• Try to write as you might write to a relative today but do not use modern slang or references to inventions and conveniences not yet in use or people not yet born. The tone should be conversational.
• Stay in character when you write, referencing the reactions to the events taking place through the character's eyes.

Vocabulary 

Use these words in this week's journal.

Abolitionist

Battery

Cartridge box

Deploy

Envelopment

Flanks

Hardtack

Main attack

Rank

Salt pork

Yank

Telegrams

Each week you will be researching information about the events of the war and condensing them into a brief and interesting telegram to include in your notebook. This week research what was going on in the year 1860 (and before, if you wish) and jot down some of your own conclusions about how what happened before the war, led up to the start of the Civil War. You will have to condense what you have learned into about three facts that you could write in a telegram form.

Map

On an appropriate map :

• Color and label the seeding states in 1861, which made up the Confederacy. Locate the capital. Draw the Confederate flag.
• Color and label the Northern states which fought as the Union. Locate the capital. Draw the Union flag.
• Label the four border states.
• Label the major rivers and mountain ranges in the Confederacy and border states.
• Label the major bodies of water touching the Confederate states
• Label Fort Sumter and add add the date of when the war began.
• Label these major battles:
• Battle of Manassas /Bull Run
• Battle of Antietam /Sharpsburg
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Sherman s March
• Appomattox Court House 

Newspaper Article

Research and write a newspaper article with the headline about the shelling of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.

Civil War Presentations Projects

• Write a mini play on one significant event during the Civil War. You may act out all the roles yourself, using quick costume changes and different voices, or you may organize a cast.
• Research both Confederate and Union flags used in the war and replicate an authentic flag.
• Find and make a recipe from the South and one from the north, authentic to the Civil War time period.
• Research uniforms and present the information you learn graphically and create a presentation to explain the information.
• Research Civil War maps in terms of their use and accuracy and create a presentation comparing a Civil War era map to a modern map of the same area.
• Make a diorama of a famous battle or event.
• Research artillery pieces and how effective they were in the war, and create a presentation to convey what you have learned. 
• Research hats of both soldiers and civilians. Discuss them in terms of both fashion and function.
• Research the music of the era. Include the background to one of the pieces.
• Research doctors, medical personnel, medical tools and supplies. Compare to modern methods.
• Research Matthew Brady, Timothy O'Sullivan and photography of the era. Show examples of their work.
• Research Civil War money. Both sides had trouble financing the war. What role did inflation play in the Union victory?
• Compare two generals, one Union and one Confederate, other than Lee or Grant. What common threads run through the biographies of both men?
• Research spies of the war. What made an effective spy? How difficult was it to detect spies in a civil war where both sides are nearly identical in dress and language?
• Research drill manuals. Demonstrate how soldiers drilled in preparation for battle.
• Research Lincoln's speeches during the war. Give an analysis of one of them and recite it in costume.
• Create a re-enactment of a famous event in Civil War history and film it with you as the narrator explaining the action.
• Research artists, sketch artists and painters who worked during the Civil War. Compare and contrast two of the works.
• Research recruitment posters of the war. Make one of your own using the techniques you believe were most effective, and explain your choices.
• Research the Red Cross during the Civil War and Clara Barton's contribution to the organization.
• Research inventions of the war. Which aided one side or the other? Which dramatically altered history? Which have changed little over the years to the 21st century?
• Research ironclads and how they were used by both navies in the war.
• Research the role of the bugler and the drummer in the armies of both sides. Perform one of the era's tunes or either drum or bugle.
• Research prisons of the Civil War, and make a presentation on them in general or one or two specifically.
• Research fortification techniques used by both sides. Begin your research with abatis, palisades and chevaux-de-frise.
• Take an event of the Civil War, explain what happened and then write an alternate history, a "what if" based on something dramatic changing the event.
• Research the rioting in Baltimore, and then compare it with a similar protest, like Kent State in 1970.
• Research bayonets and make a presentation on them.
• Research the role of the African American soldier.
• Write a history of blockage runners in the Civil War. 



John Wilkes Booth Escape Tour

• Research Lincoln's assassination. If possible, take a field trip to Ford's Theater or the John Wilkes Booth Escape Tour. 
• Research Sherman's March to the Sea. Using maps and illustrations or photographs explain why it took place and what happened.
• Research the role of your state in the Civil War. Take photographs of as many of the sights as you can.
• Research censorship in the war.
• Research the role of religion and chaplains in the war. Research the US Christian Commission and its role.
• Research pistols and rifles used in the war. Show how they were used.
• Research conscientious objectors and how both governments dealt with them.
• Research desertion and deserters. Why did they desert and how did both governments deal with them.
• Research corps badges and make a visual presentation of the information.
• Research Lincoln's actions during the war that could be labeled "unconstitutional." Did these actions make him a dictator?
• Research the role of submarines in the Civil War. How were they important?
• Research the role of the foreign-born soldier in the Civil War. Which side benefited the most from them? What kinds of incentives were offered?
• Research the origins of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War.
• Research the Copperheads and the Peace Societies and present your findings of these dissidents organizations.
• Research the role of Allan Pinkerton and the Secret Service during the Civil War.

See more of The American Civil War curriculum, sources and resources here.

Pioneers, part 12: The End

part 12: The End

Monday: Timeline

Have your student add to his timeline: 1869: First transcontinental train completed, however it did not stop travel over the Oregon Trail.

Tuesday: Role-Play

You are now about to cross the mountains. The trail is rocky in places. In other places, the ruts are very deep. By the looks of it, it is clear that some wagon wheels prior to you have gotten stuck in the ruts. Part of the mountain trail is very steep. You have heard that people sometimes take the wagon wheels off and let the wagons down with ropes. What do you do?

As you descend, it begins to snow in the mountains and the Indian guide, who has been with your your Wagon Train since you left Paradise, tells you that this is the fourth snow of the season. The snow nearly blocks the path but he believes that it is still open, but with the snow now coming down it will soon be closed for the rest of the winter what should you do?

Roll a D6 and on a roll of 3, the wagon has this happen to them: The toll on your wagons is to the point that you must stop and repair the tongue before you continue 200 DPS

Roll a six-sided die. On the roll of a 6, the wagon has this happen to them, someone stole all of your flour and dried meat last night. What do you do? For a good solution you continue with no delay. For an acceptable solution 400 DPS,  for no solution, 800 DP's.

50 %: Last night a pack of hungry wolves attacked the wagon trains herd of cattle. Two cows were killed and you had to destroy to others because of the wounds they received. The GM picks which were killed, which wounded.

(If they decide to go over Snow Pass.)

The heavy snow continues to fall making your progress slow and difficult as you near the top one of the lead wagons slides halfway off, and the trailer overturns. You are trapped and the cruel winter has you. You see the snow continue to fall for nearly a week and your wagons are snowed in for the winter. If you have snow shoes you manage to walk over the pass and reach safety, otherwise you have a 65% chance of making it out alive.

(If they decide to send out scouts to check the trail.)

The scouts take several hours to make it up to the pass and then return. Valuable time is lost as they report that the pass was still open but the hard snow will close it within the next few hours. You now have to decide what you're going to do.

(If they decide to stay in High Valley for the winter.)

The winter came quickly you manage to build a few shelters and collect some additional supplies before the winter sets in. During the Long Winter the game is scarce and the weather extremely cold. When spring arrives and you can move again you find that you have lost three fourths of your supplies and a number of men, women and children have lost their lives. The Wagon Train weakly makes its way to the Valley, a mere skeleton of the enthusiastic group that left Fort Independence

(If they decide to return to Paradise.)

Going back is rough. The snow clogs the trail and the pass is full of deep snow. There is a 15% chance you're trapped at the pass and wiped out by the savage winter. If you have snow shoes, you have 50% chance to succeed and make it back to Paradise where you spend the winter. When spring arrives, you have only a few supplies left. Your money is gone and the best land in the Valley is gone. You have, however, your life and your family

Wednesday: Writing

For Those who Arrive in Oregon.

You have finally arrived in Oregon It is now the start of the rainy season. Food is scarce, and your supplies are low. What must you do to survive your first winter in Oregon?

For Those that went to California.

You have arrived in Sacramento and you're ready to find gold. Are you going to mine or use a stream? Describe the tools you use and how you use them.

Thursday: Writing Projects

Have your students finish their writing projects

Friday: Presentations

Have your student present to an audience (can be just your own family) everything he has done and talk about what he has learned.

Pioneers, part 11: Encounters on the Trail

part 11: Encounters on the Trail 

Monday: Timeline

Have your student add to his timeline: 1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act opened up these territories for settlement.

Tuesday: Writing

Write a "roadside telegraph" -a message that you will leave for wagons that are following you. It has to be written using sun-bleached bones or on paper attached to a stick. Sketch what this message would look like.

Wednesday: The Role-Play

(For those traveling the California Trail) You are at the Humboldt Sink. The only water supply is from springs and geysers that spout boiling hot, stinking water. Just beyond this is the Forty Mile Desert, where nothing grows and there is no water.

(For those on the Oregon Trail)

The wagon train has passes Fort Boise and is now approaching the Blue Mountains. The oxen are tired and are having a hard time pulling the wagon. The oxen will never be able to pull the wagon over the mountains. You are going to have to leave some things along the trail.

Roll a 6-sided die. A one means that a large mud slide has blocked the trail and it will take you several days to clear the mud away so the wagons can get through. 500 DP's.

Roll a 6-sided die. A one means that your wagon came down off a rise and fell into a ditch, breaking it's front axle. You must stop while your wagon is repaired. 300 DP's for waiting for the repair and an additional 100 DP's if you are not carrying axle grease.

Roll a six-sided die number 6 wagon repair water barrel has charged loose while going across very Rocky stretch of the trail and fell on the Rocks split open and you lost all the water you had in it if this was your only water barrel subtract 1 EF 400 DPS if you have only one additional $100 if you have two additional barrels

If you have a dog, while looking for firewood you and your dog encounter a coyote that is acting strangely a coyote attacks your dog you think the coyote is rabid writing research paragraph on rabies and how to treat a bite 200 DPI for a good paragraph 400 DPS for an acceptable paragraph 1000 EPS 4 no queria

(For those traveling the California Trail.)

You must travel across the Forty Mile desert. Do you travel during the day or night? During the day, the hot earth burns your feet. You are very thirst-crazed, and people are beginning to be really frightened.

There's very little food along the trail for the animals and those who are not carrying feed for their animals find them growing weak unable to work and in need of Special Care 100 D piece for each animal without feed

The animals are dying because of continuing lack of water lack of food and the extreme heat. Everyone roll percentiles 75% chance that each animal is affected. For each oxen, lose 2 EFs, each cow, 1 EF, each goat, 1 EF, each mule. 1 EF, each horse, 1 EF.

After finally making a cross the Forty Mile Desert, you have reached the small settlement of paradise there is plenty of fresh water from melting snow high in the mountains lush green grass for your animals and if you supplies to replenish those used in lost during crossing the desert after five days in Paradise you arrested the animals are strong and your spirits are high at 10 a.m. and go

You are just two days out of Paradise in the climb has begun to take its toll on your animals the altitude of nails 7000 feet and you still have to climb 2000 feet to get over the past the guide and Scouts have just returned from checking the trail ahead and they have informed everyone on the trip by the train but the trail is going to become very Steep and narrow auction mules and horses will have to be hitched 8 to 10 to each wagon to pull it over the top this will mean repeated trips for all of the livestock to make the final climb a little easier everyone must reduce their wagon loads to a maximum of 500 BW units

Thursday and Friday: Writing Projects

Have your student continue to work on his writing projects.

Pioneers, part 10: Rain, Rain, Go Away...

part 10: Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Monday: Timeline

Have your student add to his timeline: 1850: Peak year of traveler's west, with approximately 55,000 travelers.

Tuesday: The Role-Play

(For those on the Oregon Trail)

The Snake River is just ahead. You will travel about 250 miles along the south side of the river. The Snake River is very difficult to cross. The common crossing is shallow,  but 600 feet wide and moves very swiftly. There is one small ferry that takes wagons across. Sometimes it takes days to get across. Indians swim the River from morning to night and can assist for a price. You can chain the wagons together to cross or take the wagons apart and float them across the river.

Heavy rains being to fall and continue for several days.  Your youngest party member was soaked when your wagon leaked. He/she caught pneumonia. 20% chance she dies. If so, lose 1 EF and 400 DP's for the delay of the funeral.

Rain has fallen now for seven days and the trail has become an impassible muddy mess. % chance your wagon has bogged down and mused be pulled out before you and the wagons behind you can proceed. 300 DP's for the delay.

You come to the Snake River crossing, but because of the high rushing river, your guide has decided to delay the crossing for several days in hopes that the water level will recede. Three days have passed and the rains continue. What do you do? 100 DP's for the time lost waiting do far.

If you decide that no more time can be wasted, and you attempt to cross the river today, the guide tells you that you must lighten your load to 650 BW units.  What do you leave behind?

As you prepare for the crossing, you suddenly realize the importance of rope. Without enough rope, you cannot safely guide the wagon sd and pull them across the river. If your wagon train is not carrying 7 or more lengths of rope, you lose 1 EF and the chances of getting washed away grow %.

Roll a 6-sided die,  a 1 or 2 means that a member of your wagon party falls off the wagon and drowns. Lose 1 EF.

Roll a 6-sided die.  A roll of a 1 means that one of your draft animals drowns in the crpssing. Your wsgon, too, is almost lost, but friends rush to your aid and help you to save it.

Roll a 6-sided die. A roll of 1 means that a large tree, rushing down the river, smashes into your wagon and crushes it in the raging water. You manage to hold on to the lifeline but your wagon, your supplies  and your draft animals are all lost. You must find another wagon on which your party can ride for the remainder of the trip. Lose 3 EFs for all your loss. If you roll a 2, your wagon swamps midstream.  You manage to get across but you lose 60 BW units of supplies, including your flour and salt. What did you lose? Start with your flour and salt.

Wednesday-Friday: Writing

Have your student continue to work on his writing projects.

Pioneers, part 8: Indians

part 8: Indians 

Monday: Timeline

Have your student add to his timeline: 1848: End of war with Mexico. This resulted in California and the Southwest becoming part of the United States. Gold is found,  Tipping off the Gold Rush.

We now call the indigenous people of America "Native Americans" but the pioneers called them "Indians",  so that is how we will refer to them in this unit.

Tuesday: Identify the Indian Nations and Where They Lived

Have your student research what Indian Nations lived on the route the pioneers traveled, between Independence, Missouri and Oregon. Have him draw the territories for these tribes in the 10's on a map.

Wednesday: Encounters

Have your student select one of the Indian Tribes and research how they lived in the 1800's. Were the pioneers in danger as they encountered the Tribe or were the pioneers helped through the Indians via trading/bartering, guiding the wagon trains or assisting the pioneers across rivers?

Were the pioneers afraid of the Indians? Can your student find examples of this in the books he is reading?

What effect did the pioneers have on the Indian's hunting grounds, grass, buffaloes and health?

Have your student research how the relationships between the Indians and the pioneers changed after the 1860's. Why?

Thursday: The Role-Play

The wagon train's guide has just informed you that the wagon train has an important decision to make. The trail soon spits and you can either continue on the Oregon Trail or take the California Trail. The Oregon Trail is shorter and leads almost directly to the next planned stop, Fort Boise but it is not the safest as it crosses a sacred Indian burial grounds and once on the trail, there is no way to get around these burial grounds. The guide also tells you that several previous wagon trains have been attacked near these burial grounds. The California Trail is very dry, and so finding water might become difficult and is longer but there is less of a chance of attack by Indians. The guide outlines the possibilities. He also says that we could send several scouts ahead on the Oregon Trail to check on Indian activity and/ or The California Trail to check the water availability. While they are gone, the wagon train must wait for the scouts return. If you decide to sent scouts ahead, how long will you be willing to wait, if the scouts don't return, before you decide the scouts have run into trouble?

If they decide to send out scouts, the scouts return in eight days. The scouts down the Oregon Trail say that they traveled for four days when they were surprised by a small band of Indians and they barely escaped with their lives. The scouts down the California Trail state that they found little water along the way. 200 DPs for time lost waiting for the scouts return. You must make a decision on which trail you will take. If they decide to split the wagon train, their EF's are divided in half.

If they decide on the California Trail, roll a six-sided die and on that number's wagin, his spouse (or second member of the party) is bitten by a rattlesnake. To ensure a prompt recovery, write a research paragraph as before on rattlesnake bites and how they treated them. 200 DPs for a good paragraph,  Subtract 3 EFs for an unacceptable paragraph. If no paragraph is turned in, the spouse dies.

If he takes the Oregon Trail, and it comes to the point for overnight camping, he finds that grazing buffalo have clipped the prairie grass clean for miles around. If he is not carrying extra feed for the animals, they will become weak and unable to pull the wagon without rest. 300 DP's for not having extra animal feed.

On the Oregon Trail: Indians have stopped your wagon train, asking to trade. They need clothing and rifles and are willing to trade horses and food for these items. 200 DPs if he chooses to stop and make the trade offered, add 2 EFs for positive interactions with the Indians. If he tries to barter, the interactions become heated and the Indians end up demanding that the wagon train turn back, claiming that previous wagon trains damaged their sacred burial grounds.  They warn that if you continue on the trail,  you will be killed. If he chooses to continue, he has no immediate consequences.

If he chooses to turn back, you are delayed, costing you 300 DPs but is allowed to do so without any additional consequences.

Friday: Research Paper

Have your student work on his research paper.

Pioneers, part 7: Meeting the Elephant

part 7: Meeting the Elephant 

Monday: Timeline

1846: War with Mexico begins. 4th Parallel becomes border between US and  Canada. The slogan, "fifty-four, forty  or fight" is popular. (Have your student research what this meant, if he is unfamiliar with the slogan.)

"Meeting the Elephant was a term emigrants used to describe encountering the worst conditions possible as they made their way west." - Westward Migrations, Doris Roettger

Meeting the Elephant

It was estimated that there was one grave dug every 80 yards. Have your student determine the distance between Independence, Missouri and the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and then approximately how many Graves there would have been in that distance.

Tuesday: Research: Hazards and Illnesses

Have your student research one or more of the following illnesses that were prevalent at the time. Do they still exist today? Are they still fatal?

Cholera

Dysentery

Scarlet Fever

Measles

Typhoid

Malaria

Optionally, he could learn about dentistry of the time, and the fact people died from toothaches sometimes. He could also learn about the dangers of snake bites.

Optional Field Trip

Take a field trip to a pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist about the effectiveness of medicines used in the 10's as compared to the medicines used today.

Wednesday: Research

Accidents

Have your student brainstorm how accidents could have occurred along the trail.

As he reads, have him jot down in his notebook the type of accidents that occurred in the book he is reading.

How did pioneers repair wagons when they broke down?

Water

Water supply was a constant problem as the pioneers made their way westward. Have your student research about the pioneers' use of water and answer the following questions in his notebook. Where did they get the water they needed? What were the many uses of water they required? How did they carry the water? How much water could they carry at one time on their wagons? How much water does your family use? How does this compare to the amount the pioneers used?

Have your student research about where along the trails did the pioneers face the problems of lack of water,  polluted water or alkaline water. What causes the water to be alkaline or polluted? Can alkaline or polluted water be treated and if so, how? Were these methods available to the pioneers?

Thursday: Research

Dangers of Sea Travel

Have your student research about the types of accidents that occurred at sea on steamers. How were they repaired?

Were there problems with the weather?

What illnesses did pioneers get while aboard ships? What other problems could occur?

The Donner Party

The Donner Party is probably the most famous example of what terrible things could happen as pioneers moved west. Have your student research the Donner Party. How many people were in this wagon train when it started?  Who were they? What happened to the group?  What hardships did they encounter?  How many made it to California? Have your student find Donner Pass on a current map of California  (you might have to use a road map).

Friday: The Role-Play

(If they take the Massacre Bluff Trail) You find that the trail wanders through a vast, water-less desert. The guide tells you that you must back track and choose another trail. You lose the time it takes you do do this. On the way back, animals start falling dead due to the extreme heat and lack of water. Each wagon rolls a 6-sided die. 1=your animals are not affected,  2=1 oxen, 3=1 goat, 4=1 cow, 5=1 mule, 6=1 horse.  If the wagon does not have the animal called for, substitute another animal.

As they reach the halfway point through the canyon, a large band of Indians begin firing on them from the surrounding hills. The guide instructs everyone to put the wagons in a circle. The battle begins. If anyone is in danger of dying, take them out of the battle and kill off an animal instead.

(If they choose the Prairie Trail)

Roll a 6-sided die.  For the wagon that is rolled, you tell them that earlier this evening a wagon member went looking for water for the members of your train and the animals and never returned. If anyone goes to investigate, they find signs of a struggle. What do they do? If they decide to go on without the missing person, the wagon train loses 3 EFs. If they decide to go after the missing person, roll a die and50%, they meet up with the Indians. 800 DP's for the delay, 50 % the search was in vain and subtract 800 DP's for the search.

50 % chance of this happening: You are passing through a very narrow gorge, a huge bolder comes crashing down. Roll a 6-sided die and that person has the bolder crash into his right front wagon wheel, overturning the wagon. The guide will not let other wagons proceed until your wagon is turned upright and the wheel repaired. 300 DPs for the wait.

(If they take the Long Trail.) Roll a 6-sided die.  A 1 means that the driver on your wagon has come down with dysentery. Write a research paragraph about what dysentery is, it's cause and treatment.  100 DP's for a good paragraph,  200 DPs for an acceptable paragraph and 400 DP's and you are too sick and weak to drive your wagon for several days (roll a 4-sided die) if no paragraph is turned in.

You have now reached the South Pass and the Continental Divide.