Sallie Fox: A Teacher's Guide

2015-03-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

This teacher's guide includes a collection of chapter overviews, themes, standards-based activities, historical overviews, and additional resources relating to each chapter of Sallie Fox: The Story of a Pioneer Girl authored by Dorothy Kupcha Leland and published by Tomato Enterprises. "This lightly fictionalized account of a true story is drawn from diaries, memoirs, letters, and many other historical sources." In the book, Sallie travels along the Sante Fe Trail with her family and others as they migrate westward in 1858.

The guides were designed by third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers as part of the Clark County School District's Teaching American History Grant module on westward migration. During the module, teacher participants were provided with picture and chapter books relating to nineteenth century exploration of the United States. Each module participant selected one picture book or several chapters of a chapter book for which they would prepare a teacher's guide. These guides are accessible via the links on the left.

If you have any questions about this guide, please contact Christy G. Keeler, Ph.D., this blog's designer and the pedagogy scholar for the module. You may also enjoy visiting other grant module blogs. Each module was five weeks long with a focus on an historical era (taught by Drs. Michael Green and DeAnna Beachley) and pedagogical technique (taught by Dr. Keeler). The modules include:

Chapter 15: California

2008-04-08T19:01:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Authors: Beth Mulvey and Mike Kuennen 5^th Grade Teachers at Woolley Elementary School in the Clark County School District.

Chapter Overview: Two weeks after leaving the Pima Villages, the wagon train reaches the Colorado River, which is close to the spot where the buried father. (Feb. 19) Sallie meets a ferryman, Don Diego (Mr. Jaeger), who was also shot with an Indian arrow. He opened a stage station and also a ferry crossing. Mother mails a letter to Uncle George telling him that they hope to arrive in Los Angeles in mid-March. (March 15) After a long journey across the desert and around the salt lake, they finally arrive in Los Angeles. Uncle George tries to pay Mr. Smith the $200 for the journey, but he won’t accept it. (April 3) Sallie plants her Walnuts on Uncle Si’s farm to commemorate all the family went through on their journey. (May 17) The Fox family visits the Pacific Ocean. (Epilogue) An update on Sallie and her family includes a restaurant and shopping complex in honor of The Nut Tree. Also, information about Sallie, her mother, Francie, Julia, Mr. Smith, John Udell, and Mr. Rose is provided.

Chapter Themes: Arriving in California, the Walnut, Ocean
Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Imagining the Ocean

Students will write about what it is “To imagine what it would be like to see he ocean for the first time.”
Standards Addressed

(5)5.8 use expanded vocabulary in writing: a.) action verbs b.) adjectives c.) figurative language d.) transition words e.) synonyms/antonyms
(5)6.8 produce writing with a voice that shows awareness of an intended audience and purpose [NS 6.5.6]

Journal Writing

Students will read back over what they have written about this entire book and write an overall reflection or epilogue about their experiences.
Standards Addressed

(5)5.1 participate in daily writing activities (e.g., journals, learning logs, reports)
(5)3.3 identify historical events and cultural contexts as portrayed in literature [NS 3.5.3]

Mathematics

Journey Costs

Students will estimate what a journey of this magnitude would have cost back at the time of the book. Students will also use a search engine and determine what a plane or train ticket(s) would cost now to make the journey for the Fox family. Would the $200 offered by Mrs. Fox have paid the cost either back then or now?
Standards Addressed

(5)B.2 use inquiry techniques (discussion, questioning, research, and data gathering) to solve mathematical problems [NS B.3-5]
(5)D.6 identify, explain, and use mathematics in everyday life [NS D.3-5]

Timelines

Students will make a timeline of the first journey from Albuquerque to White Rock Springs. They will also make a timeline of the second journey from Albuquerque to Vacaville. Which journey was shorter in time? Which journey was shorter in miles?
Standards Addressed

(5)5.1 organize and represent data using a variety of graphical representations including stem and leaf plots and histograms [NS 5.5.1]
(5)1.25 use a variety of appropriate strategies to estimate, compute, and solve mathematical and real-world problems

Social Studies

California

Students will research California back at the time the book was written and also now. Compare and contrast the two.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.9 describe physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and regions in the United States [NS 2.5.1]
(5)3.31 describe places in the United States where the physical environment has been altered by technology [NS 5.5.3]

Salt Water Lake

Students will research and discover where the salt water lake is that Sallie talks about in her journal. How did this lake get there?
Standards Addressed

(5)3.3 read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps, graphs, and computer resources [NS 1.5.3]
(5)3.20 investigate an ecosystem by asking and answering geographic questions [NS 3.5.5]

Science

Growing a seed

Allie found and grew a walnut seed into a tree. Students will grow a seed (preferably a walnut) in class and chart its progress.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.5 create and use labeled illustrations, graphs (tables, line plots, stem and leaf plots, scatter plots, histograms), and charts to convey ideas, record observations, and make predictions [N5A1; N5A4]
(5)4.3 investigate and describe how plants and animals require food, water, air, and space [L5B1]

Sandstorms

Sallie’s family suffered and survived a major sandstorm. Students will research sandstorms and decide what extra measures need to be taken to survive such a storm.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.3 investigate and describe various meteorological phenomena (flooding, snowstorms, thunderstorms, and drought) [E5A4]
E5C Students understand that features on the Earth’s surface are constantly changed by a combination of slow and rapid processes.

Historic Overview - A large number of people went to California during this time period (1850 - 1860) and they went for a variety of reasons. I believe that most found California not to be the promised land that they had heard of. It was still a lot of hard work but if you were willing to do hard work you could make a living being there. California was a very dynamic state during this time period especially with the gold rush that was occurring. Many people didn't make their fame and fortune. It caused a great movement of people from East to travel a variety of different ways to get to California.

Other Resources

Peterson, P. The bison and the people of the plains. Mexico: Harcourt.

Sandstorm Info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandstorm

http://www.weatherquestions.com/What_causes_sandstorms.htm

Salt Water Lake
http://www.saltonsea.ca.gov/thesea.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea

Chapter 14: The Gila Route

2008-04-08T19:00:00.002-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Authors: Beth Mulvey and Mike Kuennen 5^th Grade Teachers at Woolley Elementary School in the Clark County School District.

Chapter Overview: Sallie and her family bury Orrin with the help of the Freemasons. (Nov. 16) Sallie and her family are staying with the Owens family. Mrs. Owen gives Leify medicine to help with her cough. Mr. Smith has offered to buy the family passage back to Iowa, however Sallie’s mom has decided that they need to continue to California, which is what her father wanted. This time, they will travel in the Spring and take the Gila Route. They will travel with Mr. Smith and his crew. Mama has agreed to pay Mr. Smith $200 for the trip, which her brother George will pay once they get there. (Dec. 2) Ellen and her mother visit the Fox family and update them on everyone else’s progress. (Jan. 8, 1859) The Fox family learns that Mr. Smith wants to leave the next day. The group follows part of the route used by the Butterfield Overland Mail. The Butterfield stagecoach can take a letter from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco in 24 days. (Jan. 20) The wagon train stops at the mail stations to get water and supplies. (Jan. 25) The wagon train stops at Stein’s Pass, a mail station. They are told that tomorrow they will enter Apache Pass. Sallie is very concerned about his as she has heard bad things about the Apaches and Chief Cochise. When they get near the pass, Mr. Smith meets up with the Indians, including about 200 Apache braves. Mama cooks a big meal for the Chief and two other braves. Mr. Smith presents them with red flannel shirts. After a rather sleepless night, the Chief and two braves return the next morning. Mama cooks them breakfast. As they were preparing to leave, the Chief presented Mr. Smith a quiver of arrows and a highly ornamented bow. Apparently the quiver has the sign of Chief Cochise and will protect them from the Apaches if they show it to him. (Feb. 5) The wagon train passes by the Pima houses. They raise wheat, corn, and melons. At the village, Sallie and Francie find walnuts and decide to keep them for good luck.

Chapter Themes: Apache Indians, Death, and Recuperation
Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Losing Something

Students will write about a time they suffered a serious loss.
Standards Addressed

(5)6.8 produce writing with a voice that shows awareness of an intended audience and purpose
(5)6.5 write paragraphs and compositions with main ideas that are supported by relevant details and state a conclusion

Afraid or Scared

As the wagon train approached the Apache Pass, Sallie was extremely afraid they would be ambushed by Indians. Students will write about a time they were afraid or scared. Students will share their final draft with the class
Standards Addressed

(5)6.9 share final drafts with a designated audience [NS 6.5.7]
(5)9.5 read aloud and recite literary, dramatic, and original works [NS 9.5.4]

Mathematics

How many days did they stay in Albuquerque

Students will use the book to determine how many days they stayed in Albuquerque. They will have to carefully read the selection and keep track of the days.
Standards Addressed

(5)D.6 identify, explain, and use mathematics in everyday life [NS D.3-5]
(5)C.6 determine relevant, irrelevant, and/or sufficient information to solve mathematical problems [NS/PS C.3-5]

How many miles was the Butterfield Stage?

Students will do research on the Butterfield Stage to determine the length of this mail route, as well as the time it took to travel it and how many miles a day would they average.
Standards Addressed

(5)B.2 use inquiry techniques (discussion, questioning, research, and data gathering) to solve mathematical problems [NS B.3-5]
(5)5.7 represent and solve problems involving combinations using a variety of methods[NS 5.5.4]

Social Studies

Provide a timeline of major Chief Cochise activities (1850 – 1860)

Students will do research to determine exactly who Chief Cochise was and what major events he was responsible for and place them in a timeline.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.10 describe relationships among Native Americans, Europeans, Asians, and Africans [NS 5.5.8]
(5)4.2 record and interpret events on a graphic organizer, such as a calendar or time line[NS 1.5.2]

Find out about the community of Albuquerque

Students will look up information about modern-day and 1800s Albuquerque to compare and contrast them.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.9 describe physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and regions in the United States [NS 2.5.1]
(5)3.3 read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps, graphs, and computer resources [NS 1.5.3]

Science

What can humans do to survive in the desert?

Students will brainstorm to determine ideas on what they could do to survive in the desert. They should include ideas on food, shelter, water, and safety.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.1 investigate, compare, and contrast the different structures of organisms that serve different functions for growth, reproduction, and survival [L5B1]
(5)4.5 explain that living things get what they need to survive from their environments [L5C1]

What can humans do to help animals such as mules, horses, and cows survive in the desert?

Students will brainstorm to determine ideas on what they could do to help animals such as mules, horses, and cows survive in the desert. Again, they should address food, shelter, water, and safety.

Standards Addressed

(5)4.3 investigate and describe how plants and animals require food, water, air, and space [L5B1]
(5)4.11 explain how differences among individuals within a species give them advantages and/or disadvantages in surviving and reproducing [L5D3]

Historic Overview - People when they journeyed into the unknown they encountered a variety of issues. People soon discovered that they couldn't perform this type of trip all alone. They had to rely on each other to survive. It was no different with Sallie Fox's party and they found if it hadn't been for the generosity of a number of people they wouldn't have survived. They also found that traveling in the desert during the summer months comes with great risk so they made sure they traveled in the winter months. They also found that Native Americans could he honorable if they were treated with respect. Unfortunately, a number of people didn't treat them with respect and they had problems.

Other Resources

Solins, M. Oregon trail days: the diary of Lucy Bell. Mexico: Harcourt.

Williams, S. (2005). Going west trials and trade-offs. China: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Web Sites

Apache Info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoon_Mountains

Desert Survival Info

http://www.desertusa.com/survive.html

http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/mar/stories/desertsur.html

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/chp13.php

Butterfield Stage Info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfield_Stage

Albuquerque Info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albuquerque%2C_New_Mexico

Chapter 13: A Ray of Hope

2008-04-08T19:00:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Authors: Beth Mulvey and Mike Kuennen 5^th Grade Teachers at Woolley Elementary School in the Clark County School District.

Chapter Overview: The group is still searching for water. They ran out of food two days ago. Sallie continues to suffer from her injuries received during the Indian attack. Liefy’s health progressively gets worse. Finally, two weeks after the Indian attack, they reach White Rock Spring. This is the place they were three weeks prior that had plenty of water. A short time after arriving at the spring, Sallie sees ‘sunbonnets’ in the distance. As the sunbonnets grow closer, it is discovered that it is a group of covered wagons led by E.O. Smith. This wagon train has plenty of food, water, and supplies. Sallie and her family, as well as the other members of their wagon train, join Mr. Smith’s wagon train and they turn around to go back toward Albuquerque. Everyone in Sallie’s family enjoys Mr. Smith’s company. He shares stories of his own family with them. (Sept. 14) Mr. Smith shares with Sallie that he keeps a journal. She explains to him that she had kept a journal, but it was left at the river. He presents her with a new journal, which she quickly dedicates to him in her first entry. (Sept. 20) The group is now at about 200 people and Mr. Smith supplies were only scheduled to last 43 people, so supplies quickly run out. Mr. Smith butchers his cattle to help them survive, but this isn’t enough. A group of 21 men take off ahead of the train to try and find help. (Sept. 29) The group arrives at another spring with water to refresh them and the animals. Three men arrive back at camp. Apparently they split from the others to search for help and ended up turning around to return to the wagon train. (Oct. 2) The heat has now turned to cold and rain. Sallie, Leify, and now Orrin are sick. The wagon train arrives at La Roux Springs. The next day, the remaining 18 men arrive back at camp. The following day, a small group of men leave again to try and get help. (Oct. 14) A wagon team arrives with enough supplies for the entire wagon train. This is from the U.S. Government. The Freemasons of Albuquerque also sent an extra shipment of money and supplies for Sallie and her family. The group arrives in Zuni Pueblo two days later and Albuquerque ten days later. However, this isn’t without grief as Orrin dies as they are within sight of the Rio Grande.

Chapter Themes: Water, E.O. Smith, Lack of Supplies

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Keeping a Daily Diary

The students will keep a daily diary of events that happened in the book and in their lives. This project would have started at the beginning of the book. The diary was something that Sallie Fox kept during her journey.

§ Standards Addresssed

(5)2.12 understanding of text by note taking

(5)3.3 identify historical events and cultural contexts as portrayed in literature

Readers Theater relating to the events involved with Chapter 13. The students and teacher will develop a Reader’s Theater and perform it for the class.

Standards Addressed

(5)3.7 describe difference in purpose and structure in a variety of fiction and nonfiction selections ex. plays
(5)2.4 determine importance in stories: a) recall important details/facts of the text while reading b.) recall sequence of events c.) Identify purpose d.) recall the main idea of text while reading

Mathematics

How much does water weigh?

This lesson will involve the science lesson which what to find out the following: “How much water does our body need to survive?” The students will solve problem related to the number to people who are in their party and how much water they would need and how much this water would weigh. The students will display their findings in a graph
Standards Addressed

(5)5.10 select an appropriate type of graph to accurately represent the data
(5)A.2 apply previous experience and knowledge to new problem solving situations

How many miles did they travel?

Students will be given a map with a scale shown they will need to figure out how far they traveled during this chapter and then they will need to show this figure in miles per day.
Standards Addressed

(5)A.1 select, modify, develop, apply and justify strategies to solve a variety of mathematical and practical problems
Standard 2 (5)1.18 multiply and divide decimals by whole numbers in problems representing practical situations [NS/PS 1.5.7]

Social Studies

What is a Free Mason?

Student groups will need to research to find out what a Free Mason. The students can use the Internet to find out this information. The students will need to find out the following: a)Do the Free Masons still exist? b)How long have they been in existence? c)The symbol that the group uses. d) How many people below to this group in the world? e) What is a Knights Templar?
Standards Addressed

(5)1.10 give examples of interest groups
(5)4.3 ask a historical question and identify resources to be used in research

Did La Roux Springs (Leroux Springs) exist?

Students will need to find out if this place actually existed. (The place is located in the present day Flagstaff, AZ). The will need to report back to the class in a PowerPoint Slide show the what the springs looks like and the town of Flagstaff, AZ.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.3 Read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps, graphs and computer resources.
(5)3.9 describe physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and regions in the United States [NS 2.5.1]

Science

How much water does our body need to survive?

The students will need to research to find out how much water it takes to keep people alive. This information will be used in conjunction with the math part which deals with how much water weighs. The students can also find out how much water a cow requires to survive.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.3 investigate and describe how animals require food, water, air and space
(5)4.5 explain that living things get what they need to survive from their environments [L5C1]

What is a comet?

In this chapter Sallie Fox and her family saw a comet. The students will work in groups want to find out what a comet is and then to see if they can possibly figure out the name of the comet that they saw. If the comet doesn’t have a name they will need to draw a picture of a comet and name this comet and they explain why they named the comet the way they did.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.4 draw conclusion from scientific evidence
(5)1.10 cooperate and contribute ideas within a group [N5B

Historic Overview - This chapter talks about how hard the journey was. These trips didn't happen overnight they took a great amount of hard work and perseverance. Unfortunately people weren't prepared a trip of this magnitude especially when you were dealing with entire families ranging from new borns to senior citizens. Many people lost their lives and it wasn't because of the Native Americans. People choose a variety of routes to get to California and Oregon. These routes each individually had their own issues ranging from deserts to mountains.

Other Resources

Freedman, R. (1983). Children of the wild west. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Gerrard, R. Wagons west! New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Web Sites

Free Mason Info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasons

Flagstaff, AZ Info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagstaff_az

La Roux Springs (Leroux Springs) Info
http://www.tomjonas.com/swex/wherelspring.htm

Chapter 12: Retreat

2008-04-08T18:58:00.002-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Shana Prue, 5th grade teacher, Bendorf Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: Sallie Fox's father, Alpha Borwn is buried in the river. Salllie lay injured from an arrow wound as the wagons headed back toward the Baley train. The travelers were hopeful another wagon train would travel the Beale Trail adn be able to help with food and supplies as well as transportation. Sallie's family had to join another wagon as they could no longer take theirs. They made one wagon the sick wagon and the sick and injured rode while everyone else walked. Despite the heat and their physical distress they reached the Baley wagons. When they returned to the camp they discovered that another team of animals had been lost and water supplies were dire. After the adults held a council to discuss the situation they decided to head back to Albuquerque. Only the sickest and most injured rode in teh wagon and again everyone else had to walk. They journeyed for three days when Sallie's puppy Pedro dies of heat and lack of water. After desert mirages play tricks on the settlers eyes they finally catch sight of another wagon train. The wagon train was lead by a friend of Mr. Rose and were happy to help out the desperate settlers. They rested for a day and then helped the troubled wagon train head back to Albuquerque. Sallie's brother was sick with heat prostration and her Mama was worried about him.

Chapter Themes: The theme in this chapter is survival. The pioneers are up against terrible odds. They have few supplies, many injured and sick and not enough water and yet they keep their optimism and do their best to survive.

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Activity Idea 1 Create a journal.

Description: Students will create a journal as if they are Sallie Fox. This journal will describe the trek back to the Baley wagons and then the three day trek until they were found by the new wagon train.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: ElA 3.5.2 Make inferences about character traits and predict conflicts.

Standard 2: ELA 6.5.3 Write paragraphs and essays with main ideas, supporting details and conclusion.

Activity Idea 2 Word Power!

Description: Students will create a tree map identifying different types of figurative language in the chapter. They should have sub headings of Imagery, Simile/Metaphor, Personification and Onomatopoeia. In groups of four they will comb the book and create posters out of the tree maps.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: ELA 3.5.5 Identify and interpret figurative language.
Standard 2: None

Mathematics

Activity Idea 1 Read Thermometers

Description: Students will work on a page of drawn thermometers and identify what the new temperature is after it drops in the evening when the sun goes and when it goes up during the course of the day in the hot desert sun.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: (This is the power standard this falls under but I don't have the CEF's at home and dont' have the exact wording of the standard that is on our second trimester IDMS test. 3.5.1 Measurement reading thermometers and using negative numbers in the context of a number line.
Standard 2:none

Activity Idea 2 Word Problems

Description: For morning work students will solve distance traveled word problems written by me using reasonable miles traveled by Sallie and her family converted to feet or yards. An example might be: Sallie rode for 10 miles in the wagon back to the Baley camp after being hit by an arrow. How many feet was traveled by those who walked?
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: 3.5.1 Estimate and convert units of measurement.
Standard 2: none

Social Studies

Activity Idea 1 Who is the "real" Sallie Fox?

Description: In the computer lab, students will research Sallie Fox. Students will then fill in a graphic organizer that includes, early life, life on the trail and life in California
Standards Addressed

Standard 1:(5)4.28 Read, interpret and analyze historical passages
Standard 2:none

Activity Idea 2 Go West, Young Man or Wagons East?

Description: Students will be placed in groups of three. In these groups they will decide whether they should convince people in the 1840's to go west to California and settle the new land or to convince people that going west was dangerous and too risky to make a family do. After deciding they will design and create a poster that will convey their point of view and hopefully convince other people to their state of mind. They will then present posters to the class. Every student will have a job: a getter, a reporter, and a starter/timekeeper.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: (5)3.22 Identify push/pull factors influencing human migration and settlement.
Standard 2: none

Science

Activity Idea 1 Circle Map/Double Bubble of Desert Ecosystem

Description: Students will create a circle (thinking map) demonstrating all knowledge of all living and non living things contained in a desert ecosystem. Students will then do a pair/share comparing the two circle maps. Teacher will then call a discussion and create a class circle map including all relevant knowledge. Students will then create a double bubble (or Venn diagram) comparing the desert ecosystem to a more favorable ecosystem like the prairie's of Kansas.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1: L5C3 Describe how some environmental conditions are more favorable than others.
Standard 2:none

Activity Idea 2 Human adaptations for desert travel.

Description: In groups of 4, students will compile a list of possible adaptations humans would need to make in order to survive better through the desert. They will then create a drawing that labels their selected adaptations.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1:L5C5 Describe animal adaptations that allow them to survive in specific ecosystems.
Standard 2: none

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

Additional Resources

http://boredfeetpress.com/singles2/salliefox.php
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Chapter 11: The Colorado River

2008-04-08T18:58:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Shana Prue, 5th grade teacher, Bendorf Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: The chapter "The Colorado River," begins with Mr. Rose and Sallie's father celebrating the fact that they are within view of the Colorado River. This means the pioneers will soon be within reach of a city and great food supplies as well as ample water. A celebratory feeling descends on the group when a small group of Mojave seem to materialize out of nowhere. The Indians seem friendly so the pioneers trade tobacco and beads with the vistors and then accompanied them for some hours as they journeyed for the river. Suddenly they disappeared as silently as they had appeared. Although they traveled for many hours including all the night, they still hadn't reached the river and they were out of water. Father decided to unhook the wagons and leave them as the group was only a quarter of a mile from the river. Although many were tired and weary they made it to the river. Sallie and her sisters and brother waded in the water and drank the good water. The trek had caused many of the men to become delirious in the heat and they lay beside the water resting. In the night the men from the Baley train arrived without the wagons as they feared the animals would perish without water. Sallie's Mom feared for the travelers left back at the wagons but Mr. Baley seemed confidant in the men he left to guard the wagons. After everyone had eaten breakfast Sallie's father decided the oxen needed to rest and eat and drink to recover their strength for at least two days. While waiting for the oxen to recover he decided they should prepare for the river crossing by building rafts. Everyone was given a job, the women and children would wash, mend and prepare food while the men took care of the animals and prepared to ford the river. While the group was busy working, the chief of the Mojave strode into camp with several warriors. The Indians were concerned the group was going to settle in this location. Sallie's father asked Savedra, the guide, to tell the chief they were just resting and would leave soon. They also gave him gifts. Later that day another chief arrived and he shared the same concerns. Again they assured the chief they were only resting and gave more gifts. During that evening, some livestock was stolen but otherwise things were calm. The next day dawned hot and stifling. The settlers were trying to work while staying cool when suddenly war whoops filled the air and they were attacked by a huge number of Mojave Indians. Arrows were flying everywhere and suddenly Sallie was hit. Sallie passed out and when she came to she was being cradled in her sister Francie's lap. She wondered if her father was safe. Father came riding up from the river on a horse to locate his gun but was shot through his heart with an arrow. After two hours of being attacked the pioneers finally hit the chief in charge of the attack. This caused the Indians to retreat. After the attack there was one dead, the leader of the train and many injured. The settlers decided to turn back the ten miles to the Baley wagons. The travelers headed back hoping someone else would travel along the new Beale road and would be able to help with food and water.

Chapter Themes: One theme in this chapter focuses on optimism about the upcoming end of the journey and the value of a hard day's work. The second theme is about the Indians distrust of the visitors and the decision to attack them instead of supporting them.

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Letter to Sallie Fox

This is a pre-reading activity. The students will write a friendly letter to Sallie asking her how her trip is going using prediction from the chapter's title.
Standards Addressed

ELA 5.5.2 Write organized friendly letters.
ELA 4.5.4 Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual evidence

Comic Strip Summary

Students will create a summary of the chapter using a comic strip style. They will use five boxes with illustrations and captions to tell the story in the chapter. They may use a flow map style if they like.

Standards Addressed

ELA 2.5.3 Summarize a text
ELA 5.5.1 Write informative papers

Mathematics

Word Problems: Converting Equivalent Periods of Time

Students will solve as morning work two word problems that convert the days the travelers were at the river into hours and how many minutes from hours the settlers were under attack from the Indians.
Standards Addressed

Math 3.5.6 Determine equivalent periods of time"

Create a Survey

Students will design a question to pose to about what the pioneers should do now that they have been attacked and collect data to present. Students will work in groups of 3.
Standards Addressed

Math 5.5.1a Pose questions that can be used to collect data for a survey.

Social Studies

Land Map of Santa Fe trail and Beale Road to the Colorado River

Students will work in partners to create a scale map of the Santa Fe trail and the Beale Road.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.40 Locate and gather geographic information from a variety of sources.
(5)3.41 Create complex maps to display geographic information.

Multi-Flow Map

Students will create a multi-flow thinking map to display cause and effect thinking. The box in the middle will be Mojave attack at the river and the left side will have attached boxes that display possible caused of this event. The right side will display effects to the wagon train after the attack happened.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.10 Describe relationships among Native Americans and Europeans.

Science

Sink or Float

Students will hypothesize what materials will sink or float when placed in a basin of water. After they are done predicting they will actually test and record the results.
Standards Addressed

N5A7 Observable patterns to organize information and make predictions.

Design a Raft

Students will create a raft from a provided amount of materials to maximize the amount of weight they could carry across a "river".
Standards Addressed

N5A2 Use models as tools to explain how something works.

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

Additional Resources

I am including the link to a video on unitedstreaming called "California Up Close - Westward Expansion and Statehood": http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/search/assetDetail.cfm?guidAssetID=8C99FE9B-DF5D-4338-8CCB-F2609945F1B1

Chapter 10: More Trouble

2008-04-08T18:57:00.002-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Carol McGrew, Fifth grade teacher, Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: The wagon train decides to split in two in order to rest the animals while being able to get the settlers away from the Mojave Indians who have stolen their animals. The goal is to reach the Colorado River as soon as possible in order to escape the tribe of Indians.

Chapter Themes: Native American and Pioneer relations, survival, westward movement

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

While we were stolen

Pretend that you are one of the animals that the Mojave stole. Write about your experience and what happened to you.
Standards Addressed

Standard 1 Write a narrative or story that develops a plot or sequence. (NS 5.5.3)
Standard 2 Produce writing with a voice that shows awareness of an intended audience and purpose. (NS 6.5.6)

Debate

Should they split up the wagon train? Split table group into two groups. Each group will present their arguments and make a decision as a table as to what they would have done at this point in the story.
Standards Addressed

Students participate in discussions to offer information, clarify ideas, and support a position.
Write short expository text that speculates on causes and effects and offers simple persuasive evidence [NS/PS 5.5.6]

Mathematics

Who's on Duty?
Make a duty schedule for the night watchmen. Be sure to make things even for ten men at four different duty stations.

Standards Addressed

Organize and represent data using a variety of graphical representations (NS 5.5.1)

Line Graph

Use a line graph to show how far the group goes each time they move on the trail.
Standards Addressed
Pose questions that can be used to guide the collection of categorical and numerical data. [5.2]
Organize and represent data using a variety of graphical representations

Social Studies
The Colorado River

Make a map of the Colorado River. What states does it run through? What other rivers flow into it? Where is the origin of the river? Where is the mouth of the river?
Standards Addressed

Standard 1 Construct maps to display information about physical features in the United States (NS 1.5.4)
Standard 2 Use maps to identify and locate major geographical features of the United States (1.5.1)

Who were the Mojave?

Research the Mojave Indian’s interactions with settlers. What caused the problems between the two groups?
Standards Addressed

Standard 1 Language Arts: Select information from multiple resources to answer questions. (NS 11.5.1)
Standard 2 Describe relationships among Native Americans and Europeans (NS 5.5.8)

Science

First Aid
Describe how to treat a stab wound similar to the arrow wound from the chapter.

Standards Addressed

Health: Explain accepted procedures for personal safety when confronted with hazards (NS 1.5.5)

Desert Rain Patterns

Describe how rain the desert is different from other regions of the country
Standards Addressed

Standard 1 Students understand the relationship between the Earth’s atmosphere, topography, weather, and climate (E12A)
Standard 2 Students understand the water cycle’s relationship to weather

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

The Mojave Indians present two problems in this chapter. First, they are said to have stolen two animals from the wagon train. Another tribe captures these animals and returns them to the wagon train. Secondly, the Mojave tribe attacks part of the wagon train and hits one of the men in the back with an arrow. The main goal of the group now is to reach the Colorado River so they can avoid more problems with the tribe of Mojave Indians.

Chapter 9: El Morro

2008-04-08T18:57:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Carol McGrew, Fifth grade teacher, Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: The wagon train starts off on the Beale Road, only to find that their options for water are running out.

Chapter Themes: Westward Movement, decision making, Native American and Pioneer relations, survival

Chapter Activities

Language Arts
Family Decision Journal

Describe a time when you and your family made a decision that turned out to be a bad one.
Standards Addressed

5.5.6: Write short essays, speculate on cause and effect
6.5.3 Write paragraphs and essays with main ideas, supporting details and a conclusion. [6.5]

Personal Decision Journal

Describe a time in your life where you had to choose from two equally good or bad decisions. What decision did you choose and why did you choose it?
Standards Addressed

5.5.6: Write short essays, speculate on cause and effect
6.5.3 Write paragraphs and essays with main ideas, supporting details and a conclusion. [6.5]

Mathematics

How much further?

Determine how much of the trail that the group has covered thus far and how much they still have to go.Description
Standards Addressed

Generate and solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems using whole numbers and decimals in practical situations. [1.19]
Students will develop their ability to solve problems by engaging in developmentally appropriate opportunities where there is a need to use various approaches to investigate and understand mathematical concepts.

Line Graph

Use a line graph to show how far the group goes each time they move on the trail.
Standards Addressed

Pose questions that can be used to guide the collection of categorical and numerical data. [5.2]
Organize and represent data using a variety of graphical representations

Social Studies

Cave Drawings
Draw and describe cave drawings made by various Native American tribes in the country. Compare them to other tribes’ drawings. What are the similarities? What are the differences?

Standards Addressed

List examples of physical and human features from the community or region [NS 2.4.1]

Who were the Zuni?

Research the Zuni tribe. Draw pictures of their homes. How did the Spanish influence their way of life?
Standards Addressed

Describe the characteristics of another culture from their own point of view [NS 2.4.3]_

Science

What is lava and how do we use it?

Describe how lava flows and how to use the lava flows today.
Standards Addressed

Identify which landforms result from slow processes (erosion and deposition) and from fast processes (volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, flood, and human activity). [3.6, 3.7, 3.8
Describe the effects of various natural hazards on the physical environment [NS 3.4.2]

Where did the water go?

Describe how the group is losing water in the watering hole.
Standards Addressed

Explain that all organisms, including humans, can cause changes in their environments.
Describe how some environmental conditions are more favorable than others to living Things [3.9, 4.7, 4.10]

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

In this chapter, the wagon train decides to use the shorter, unknown Beale Road versus the longer, well-known trails. They meet the Zuni tribe where they receive food and rest. Unfortunately, they are also met with hardships further along the trail. After a brief respite at a watering hole that dwindles by the day, the group realizes that the next watering hole is sixty miles ahead. They decide to backtrack to the watering hole from the night before.

Chapter 8: The Beale Wagon Road

2008-04-08T18:56:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Rebecca Newton, 5th grade teacher, Oran K. Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: In this chapter the debate over whether to travel the beale Wagon Road gets heated. This is because it is not yet a road but a trail that has barely been traveled. The fear of indians and loss is great among many but not great enough to stop them from trying it. The journey begins with a loss that Sallie feels hit home.

Chapter Themes: Fear of Indians, Fear of loss, Death

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Journal Entry

Have students pretend that they are a child listening in on the conversation or debate as it is called. Have them write a journal entry as that child explaining how they feel and why it is that they feel that way.
Standards Addressed

(5)5.1: It is expected that students will participate in daily writing activities (e.g. Journals, learning logs, reports)
(5)5.5: It is expected that students will write responses to literary selection by supporting ideas with selected examples

Response

Ask the students the following question: Have you ever had someone tell you a secret that you should tell but didn't because you promised? If so, write about the reasons why you didn't or did tell someone. If not explain what you would do if someone you trusted did.
Standards Addressed

(5)2.2: It is expected that students will respond to and generate questions
(5)2.1g: It is expected that students will select and apply pre-reading, during, and post-reading strategies to enhance comprehension through making connections to personal experiences and knowledge

Mathematics

Probability

Using what children know about probability have them determine what the probability of Frank drowning was. Have them consider the facts given in the sotry. If they need to they can look up information on currents. make sure to review probability with them explaining what all the chances are. Once they decide it have them explain why they chose it.
Standards Addressed

(5)5.8: It is expected that students will conduct simple probability experiments using concrete materials
(5)D.5: It is expected that students will approach problems with flexibility in a variety of ways within and beyond the field of mathematics

Wagon Weight

A Conestoga Wagon could hold up to six tons. Knowing this fact use the chart on page 49 from the book Going West! by Carol A. Johmann and Elizabeth J. Rieth and design what all you would be able to carry on your wagon if you had to travel the Santa Fe Trail. Make sure that the students need to remember that they are Sallie or a member of her family and need to think like they did in those days.
Standards Addressed

(5)D.4: It is expected that students will apply mathematical thinking and modeling to solve problems that arise in other disciplines such as rhythm in music and motion in science
(5)1.22: It is expected that students will use basic facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with speed and accuracy in computation and problem solving.

Social Studies

Debate

Have the students debate whether or not traveling the Beale Wagon Road is a good idea or a bad idea. Have them make lists of pros and cons and split them up evenly some for and some against. The rest of the class will then have to decide who they agree with more. Those for it or those against it.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.21: It is expected that students will differentiate between facts and opinions
(5)1.21: It is expected that students will demonstrate concern and respect for the rights of self and others

History of Indians

In the story so far they have discussed that they fear Indian attacks. Why is it that they do not fear the Mojave Indians as much as they do other tribes? have the children research some of the tribes that existed along the trails back then to decide if this statement was valid or not.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.3: It is expected that students will ask a historical question and identify resources to be used in research
(5)4.4: It is expected that students will organize historical information from a variety of sources

Science

Deserts

Have children design different landform 3-D. Make sure that they use all known aspects of that landform and design it accurately. make ready resources, such as encyclopedias, books, interent, etc. Depending on class you can break up however needed. After they are done have them journal a normal day from morning till night describing what they would do if in that 3D location.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.6: It is expected that students will compare and contrast various kinds of landforms
(5)3.9: It is expected that students will describe the positive and negative impacts of technologies (dams, agriculture, using natural resources) on society and the environment

Photo Tour of the Rio Grande

Have students take a photo tour of the Rio Grande to decide what they would do if faced in that situation. If you go to google the best site to start at is http://abqstyle.com/albuquerque_photo/000023.html. The students will be able to google Albuquerque and Rio Grande River to decide what they would have done. Would they want to be like Sallie and just stay or would they want to continue traveling west?
Standards addressed
E2A Students understand that changes in weather often involve water changing from one state to another
E8A: Students understand the relationship between the Earth's atmosphere, topograhy, weather, and climate

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

The Mojave Indians could be described as a friend or an enemy. The Mojave Indians were a group that lived in New Mexico where the expedition of silver and fur trappers brought many white settlers. The white settlers were unsettled to see how little clothes the Mojave Indians wore.

The Mojave Indians believed that all living things had a place and then no one should harm them. They had a hard time understanding why so many people were being brutal to the animals. Therefore, as the fur trappers continued to kill the Mojave felt that they had a right to gain something back from them. They then demanded a horse and in place of that 16 of the Mojave Indians were laying dead in 1827.

This was just the beginning of the violence that was to continue for many years to come. This continued until 1850 was Arizona was taken over by the U.S. Army led by Lt. Amie Weeks Whipple. Lt. Whipple gained respect and trust of the Mojave's because they felt that there was going to be an opportunity for trade. This lasted until 1856 when they found out that two white girls were living with them from a trade and one died.

This caused many problems throughout the tribe. In 1858 there would be an attack on Sallie Fox's families wagon at the Beale Wagon Trail. This will lead into the rest of the story.

Additional Resources

Chapter 7: Albuquerque

2008-04-08T18:54:00.002-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Rebecca Newton, 5th grade teacher, Oran K. Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: This chapter deals a lot with culture. It displays the Hispanic culture which was deemed very rich in Albuquerque at that time. It also explains the beginning persuading of the Beale Wagon Road journey. It mentions many historic landmarks and how they lived at that time.

Chapter Themes: Culture, Landmarks, Environment

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Vocabulary Activity

Students will be given a chart that will be divided into four sections: Word, Personal Cue, Sentence and Meaning. They will read through Chapter 7 and identifying the words they are unfamiliar with and write them into the word category. Then they will write the sentence the word was used in under the sentence category. Either using the context clues or a dictionary they will determine the meaning. They will then take this information and create a person cue that they can identify with in order to determine the meaning whether it be a picture or synoymn.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.4: It is expected that students will use dictionaries and glossaries to find word origins, pronounciations, and to determine the meaning of unknown words
(5)1.10: It is expected that students will develop vocabulary through meaningful experiences (e.g. wide reading, discussion of word meanings, interactive activities, examples and non-examples)

Compare/Contrast

Using a Venn Diagram students will compare and contrast what is the same and what is different about Las Vegas.
Standards Addressed

(5)2.1g: It is expected that students will select and apply pre-reading, during, and post-reading strategies to enhance comprehension through making connections to personal experiences and knowledge
(5)2.12c: It is expected that students will clarify understanding of text through completing a graphic organizer

Mathematics

Reading a Map

Using a map scale and a ruler students will identify about the distance it took for Sallie Fox's family to travel from Keosauqua, Iowa to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.2: It is expected that students will measure, compare, and convert length to the closest fractional part (1/4 and 1/2) of inches, feet, yards, and miles
(5)1.15: It is expected that students will estimate to determine the reasonableness of an answer in mathematical and practical situations involving decimals

Time

Using either mapquest (or other related websites) and airline websites students will look up the time it takes to travel from Keosauqua, Iowa to Las Vegas, Nevada. They will then compare this to the time it took Sallie Fox's family to travel it. *Start date was April 3, 1858 to current in book June 17th, 1858.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.8: It is expected that students will determine equivalent periods of time, including relationships between and among seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years
(5)D.6: It is expected that students will identify, explain, and use mathematics in everyday life

Social Studies

Cultural Feast

Students will research a culture and determine the type of food eaten in that culture. They will then take a recipe from that culture and create it for the class in a cultural feast celebration. (Examples: Italian, Mexican, etc.) Also discuss what types of food we have around here.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.10: It is expected that students will identify examples in the community or region that reflect cultural identity.
(5)3.9: It is expected that students will describe physical and human features and cultural characteristics of places and regions in the United States

Historical Landmarks

Students will pick a historical landmark in the state of Nevada and research it to find it's history. They will then write up a report on its significance.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.3: It is expected that students will read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps, graphs, and computer resources
(5)3.13: It is expected that students will identify and describe the location of historical events

Science

Change

Students will identify the changes that have taken place over time. They will take into account and research what was needed to survive back then to what we need to survive now. Examples such as transportation, clothing, food, shelter, etc. They will then write this up in form of comparison or a report depending on how you would like to assign it.
Standards Addressed

(5)3.7: It is expected that students will investigate and describe how change is an ongoing process that can be seen throughout the natural world
(5)4.8: It is expected that students will investigate and describe how organisms, including humans, can cause changes in their environment

Environmental factors influencing food

The environment plays a role in the food that certain cultures can eat. Especially back then they could not ship, fly, etc food. They had to eat what their environment could provide. Have students identify what they would be able to eat of they were unable to transport food into ther location.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.5: It is expected that students will explain that living things get what they need to survive from their environment
(5)4.10: It is expected that students will investigate and describe how environmental changes allow some plants and animals to survive and reproduce, but others may die

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

The Santa Fe Trail was discovered by a man of the name William Becknell. He became aware of the fact that Mexico had won its independence from Spain. This meant that American traders would benefit from the use of the Santa Fe Trail. So the next spring he went out again and this time traveled through the Cimarron Desert almost not surviving. Luckily buffalo crossed their path and water that was in its stomach helped them survive until they could finally reach a river.

Soon after Americans began to travel this trail and trade many things. Items included and were not limited to mules, cotton, furs, gold, silver coins, etc.

The problem that was faced the most were the attack of Indians and the weather. They had to stick together in order to protect themselves. This meant that someone always had to be awake at night to fight off Indian attacks. The weather was not so easy to deal with though. There was no way to fight back the weather because of this traveling the trail meant that you had to face dust storms, intense heat, prarie rains, hailstones, etc. This not only caused harm to the travelers but to the animals and wagons.

This did not stop the travel of the Santa Fe Trail. It continued to expand up through the year of 1843 which only stopped it because of high tarriffs and threat of war. In 10 years only eight men had died. This trail led to the beginning of many other trails to travel west.

Additional Resources

Reader's Digest: The American Story: Who, What, When, Where, Why of Our Nation's Heritage
Going West! by Carol A. Johmann and Elizabeth J. Rieth
http://www.nps.gov/archive/safe/fnl-sft/webvc/vchome2.htm

- this gives a tour of the historic trail through pictures, etc.

Chapter 6: Cimarron

2008-04-08T18:54:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Cynthia C. Spence, 5th grade teacher, Oran K. Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
_________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: Chapter 6 begins as Sallie and the other travelers leave the Arkansas River and start across the Cimarron Desert. In this chapter the reader continues to understand the challenges facing the wagon train as it moves across terrain that is often without a predictable water supply and food for humans and livestock. Sallie and the others are introduced to the optical phenomenon of mirages. The travelers are faced with important selection decisions when they realize that they must carry more water than normal to survive their desert passage.

Chapter Themes: The main theme for this chapter is the continued challenges facing the travelers and the importance of water to their survival.

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Jedediah Smith Foldable Activity

SW use the library and Internet to research Jedediah Smith. They will divide the information they find into four sections: birth/death information, contributions to discovery, interesting facts, questions I would ask if I met him today. SW create a foldable to display their information using drawings/photos from the Internet. Extension Activity: for extra credit students can include maps to show his travels in the west.
Standards Addressed

(5) 5.1, participate in daily writing activities
(5) 5.2, write informative papers that develop a clear topic with appropriate facts, details, and examples from a variety of sources

List it on Ebay Activity

SW discuss the facts related to the death of Jedediah Smith. They will consider what type of "personal belongings" the Comanches may have taken from him and draw these items and write a description of what they can be used for to put in an ad on Ebay. Students will determine what the items are worth and put the beginning bid in as part of their ad.
Standards Addressed

(5) 7.6, create readable compositions that are legible
(5) 7.8, follow multi-step oral directions to complete tasks

Mathematics

How Much is Too Much Water Activity

SW will activate prior knowledge of how far a wagon train can travel in a day to determine how much water is needed to complete the 60 mile journey from one location (Arkansas River) to the next anticipated water source. Students will use the Internet and previous science information to determine how much water a person needs in a day and determine the number of people in the wagon train in order to determine the total amount needed by the travelers. This amount will be displayed in both customary and metric measurements.
Standards Addressed

(5) A.1, select, modify, develop, apply, and justify strategies to solve a variety of mathematical concepts
(5) B.5, use everyday language to make conjectures, explain, and jsutify thinking about strategies and solutions to mathematical problems

Load the Wagons; Its Moving Day Activity

SW be given the measurements of a typical covered wagon. SW use graph paper to plot the dimensions and will use a list of typical supplies carried on a wagon train and their dimensions. SW determine what they need for their trip and what will fit into the wagon. (Extension Activity: students may search the Internet to determine how much weight an ox or horse call pull and see if they can use that to determine how many animals will be needed to pull their wagon) SW draw a diagram detailing where they will put each item in their wagon
Standards Addressed

(5) 3.1, estimate and convert units of measure for weight and volume/capacity within the same measurement system
(5) 3.4, measure volume and weight to a required degree of accuracy in the cusomary and metric system

Social Studies

Dinner Round the Campfire

SW research what types of foods were eaten on wagon trains. TW introduce the topic by discussing Pioneer Vittles (Racco Hoo, Union Pacific Apple Pancakes, Dinner Beef Potroast, Dutch Oven Cobbler and Dessert Doughnut Rhyme) SW look for interesting receipes and select one to try in class. (Parent volunteers can be used to actually prepare the dish if kitchen facilities are not available) (Extension Activity: Students can prepare a Vittles Cookbook)
Standards Addressed

(5) 3.13, identify and describe the locations of selected historical events
(5) 4.28, read, interpret, and analyze historical passages

On the Trail with Jedediah Smith

SW use background information researched in Language Arts Activity to create several journal entries about time spent on the trail with Jedediah Smith. Journling will need to include references to location, conditions, and personality traits of Mr. Smith. Journals will be written in the first person using any relevant information from their research.
Standards Addressed

(5) 4.2, record and interpret events on a graphic organizer such as a calendar or timeline
(5) 4.3, ask a historical question and identify resources to be used in research

Science

The Mirage Activity (PS not the one in Las Vegas)

SW be introduced to the optical phenomenon of mirage throught a series of pictures and examples. SW learn that light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky via the use of prisms. SW understand the difference between a superior mirage and an inferior mirage. SW watch a video clips that further detail this phenomenon. SW break into groups and discuss what types of mirages may have occured when traveling for several days without ample water.
Standards Addressed

(5) 1.4, draw conclusions from scientific evidence
(5) 1.7, use models to explain how something works

The Journada Activity

SW discuss the meaning of the word "journada". TW lead students in a discussion of the Journada del Muerto (Journey of the dead man) and indicate that this is a very dry stretch of desert basin between Mexico and northern New Mexico. SW refer to the passage in the chapter where Sallie is discussing the journada and compare the travelers preparation to what travelers do today to prepare to go across deserts. SW locate the Journada on a map and discuss the terrain and its measurements. The Journada del Muerto is about 160 meters or 100 miles long.
Standards Addressed

(5) 3.6, compare and contrast various kinds of landforms
(5) 4.5, explain that living things get what they need to survive from their environments

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

One of the themes of this chapter was the continued struggle for survival on the trail. The reader is introduced to the name of Jedediah Smith and the value of the information that his travels had for the next set of individuals seeking to go west. Further exploration into the life of Jedediah is both interesting and important for the students as they explore the challenges of pioneer life.

Jedediah Smith was born in 1799 and is thought to have died on or around May 27, 1831. Details surrounding his death will interest students since the actual events leading up to it cannot be proven. Discussions about his activities as a hunter, fur trader and explorer will help the student develop a rich understanding of what type of activities sustained life for the early settler when farming was not an option.

Students in the state of Nevada will find particular interest in the fact that he was the first to cross the state of Nevada. This should coincide with information learned as part of the fourth grade curriculum. Other firsts of interest include his being the first to traverse Utah from north to south and east to west, being the first American to enter California by an overland route, being the first white an to scale the high Sierras, and the first to explore the Pacific hinterland from San Diego to the Columbia River.

Perhaps Jedediah is best known for leading a party that rediscovered the south pass which shortened thetime needed to get to the west slope of the Rocky Mountains from St. Louis. His death was initiated by his search for an additional water source for his party (this ties nicely back to the 6th chapter of the book). He never returned from this search and it was only later when some of his personal belongings were being offered for sale (tie to the Ebay Activity) that former members of his party were able to determine that Comanche hunters had got them from a white man they killed. His body was never found,

Additional Resources

Chapter 5: The Arkansas River

2008-04-08T18:53:00.004-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Cynthia C. Spence, 5th grade teacher, Oran K. Gragson Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: Chapter 5 is titled The Arkansas River and continues to detail the journay that Sallie, her family, and friends made as they forged their way west. The reader is given a glimsp of travel as part of a wagon train and becomes familiar with some of the day to day challenges of traveling across Kansas and into the New Mexico Territory.

Chapter Themes: The main themes for this chapter included travel by wagon train, the importance of water and food for livestock, and the impact of crossing the country on small children.

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

A Postcard to My Friend Activity

SW discuss the fact that there were not mailboxes or post offices waiting for mail pick-up and delivery. They will be asked to create a postcard to send information about their trip across the Arkansas River with Sallie Fox. Students will select their favorite scene from the chapter and draw their interpretation of it for the picture side of the post card. On the reverse side they will write to describe one event from the chapter.

Standards Addressed

(5) 2.4, determine importance in stories

(5) 2.5, form mental pictures before, during, and after reading

Mini Dictionary Activity

SW review text for words that are not common to our usage today. They will take words such as miry and matocks and research the definition. SW use both oral language and pictures to illustrate and define the words. At the end of the book, SW exchange dictionaries and share the words they selected and their meanings with each other.

Standards Addressed

(5) 1.4, use dictionaries and glossaries to find work origins, pronunciations, and to determine the meanings of unknown words

(5) 1.5, use context clues such as restatement, definitions, and examples to determine the meaning of unknown words

Mathematics

How Wide is Wide Activity

SW use measurement descriptions from the text to express the width of the Little Arkansas and Arkansas River in inches, feet and yards.

Standards Addressed

(5) 3.2, measure, compare, and convert length to the closest fractional part of inches, feet, yards, and miles

(5) B.7, use mathematical words, phrased, and symbols to communicate and explain mathematical situations

Quantum Leap Activity

SW reflect on the chapter and then compare the situations and activities in the chapter to what type of scenarios they encountered on a trip they took with their family. SW use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the two trips (Sallie Fox v. their trip)

Standards Addressed

(5) 4.10, represent relationships using Venn diagrams

(5) 5.10, select an appropriate type of graph to accurately represent the data and justify the selection

Social Studies

The Road West Activity

SW use a current map to understand the route taken based on the map of Sallie's journey at the beginning of the book. SW use details from the chapter to pinpoint the location on the current day may of the activities described by Sallie.

Standards Addressed

(5) 3.1, use maps and map features, including directional orientation, map symbols, and grid system, to identify and locate major geographical features in Nevada and the United States

(5) 4.4, organize historical information from a variety of sources

Load Em' Up Activity

SW be asked to select 10 items from a list of things that were typically found in wagons during their movement from one part of the country to another. After their list is complete they will have an opportunity to select two other people to join their wagon train. The goal is to look at what the other person selected and make sure that between you there is enough for the trip. TW define the amount of time for travel and part of country they will move through. SW journal about what they took and why it was selected and define objects which they wished they had with them. Periodically the TW describe a situation that may cause the students to need certain objects (ex. lightening strikes the wagon with all your food and water and sets it on fire) SW need to use the supplies they have to resolve these issues.

Standards Addressed

(5) 2.1, describe how scarcity requires a person to make a choice and identify a cost associated with the decision

(5) 1.22, deonstrate concern and respect for the rights of self and others

Science

Picture This Activity

Based on descriptions from the chapter, SW draw pictures of plants and animals they may be unfamiliar with, then use technology and research to find actual pictures of the items (Ex. tight curled buffalo grass)

Standards Addressed

(5) 4.7, investigate and describe how some environmental conditions are more favorable than others to living things

(5) 1.4, draw conclusions from scientific evidence

Water, Water Everywhere Activity

TW use reference in the chapter to snow from the mountains ending up in rivers and lakes to launch a discussion on the water cycle. SW create a diagram to explain the water cycle.

Standards Addressed

(5) 1.7, use models to explain how something works or how something is constructed

(5) 3.7, investigate and describe how change is an ongoing process that can be seen throughout the natural world

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

Travel by wagon train is a topic that is not only rich in our country's history, but lends itself to awakening the imagination of the student reader. Engaging the student in discussions about the planning process for wagon train travel is in itself a higher learning exercise. Some topics to consider in this area are a discussion of the weather in different parts of the country and their impact on the wagon train. Choosing a route for livestock that would provide food and water for them was also very important. This presents a wonderful opportunity to look at and discuss topical maps.

Travel by wagon train is a math rich study that can also satisfy the curosity of the elementary school reader. Start by advising students that the average wagon train only traveled between 10-15 miles a day. Relate this to a distance that the students are familiar with so they have a good visual of the distance. Use a map to determine how long it would take the wagon train to go from your city to the next larger one. Then, use the same logic to go from Ohio to California.

A typical day on the wagon train presents an opportunity for students to compare Sallie's day to theirs. Discuss that since riding in a wagon train was a very bumpy ride, most people not driving the wagon train walked. Usually, the memebers of the wagon train arose before dawn to prepare for the day's travel. They had to prepare the livestock, cook breakfast, and repack the wagons. Ask students how this compares to their morning.

Travelers would normally stop at noon for 1-2 hours. During this time, they ate and rested. Livestock was given water and any repairs that needed to be taken care of for the wagons was accomplished. Around 4-5 pm the wagons would stop for the night. While the men and older boys took care of the livestock, the women started the fires and cooked dinner. After dinner, the families would enjoy an evening of singing, dancing, and storytelling around the campfire. Students will enjoy comparing what they do in the evenings to what they would have been able to do if they were with the wagon train.

Finally, it was time to go to sleep. Most men and boys slept under the wagons, in tents, or on the ground under the stars. The women and small children usually slept in the wagons. The wagons were always placed in a circle. This was for protection against the weather, wild animals, and Indian attack. Contrary to popular belief, most people who did not reach their destinations when traveling by wagon train were challenged by lack of food, water, or being lost.

Additional Resources

http://www.library.thinkquest.org/

www.peak.org/mransom/pioneers

http://www.santafetrailscenicandhistoricbyway.org/

Chapter 4: Buffalo

2008-04-08T18:53:00.003-07:00

Chapter 4 is titled 'Buffalo' and begins with a journal entry from Sallie dated May 13th, 1858. In her entry, Sallie explains what it is like to be part of such a large wagon train and notes that she has a new friend from the other wagon train named Ellen Baley. It is quite evident that the two wagon parties coming together has renewed the travelers' spirits and the mood is now much more light and positive. Even Sallie's sister, Liefy, seems to be glowing because (as we learn later in the chapter) she has been getting close to Frank Emerdick, one of the cattle hands from the Baley wagon train.

An entry by Sallie the following day explains that her father paid a captain in a passing wagon train to mail letters for them to their family back in Iowa. As Sallie is finishing up her entry, she is startled by the sound of buffalo trampling across the prairie. Sallie and her siblings are delighted at the sight because they know that means they'll have fresh meat to enjoy and not the salted pork they've become so accustomed to.

The next morning, as the men are out hunting, Sallie and Ellen decide to go fetch some water from the stream. As they're collecting the water in their buckets, Sallie explains how Liefy acts around Frank and how Frank makes excuses to see Liefy. While down at the stream, the girls run into Mr. Udell, the Baptist preacher, who is washing his clothes, and ask him why he didn't go hunting. He explains that he's hunted plenty of buffalo in his day and how he's made the trip to California three times. As the girls walk back, Ellen says she overheard her mother say that his wife should have never tried to make the trip as she was quite ill.

When the girls return back to camp, they help with chores. When Sallie sees her stepfather, she asks him if they shot any buffalo and he explains that they shot five and one antelope. Just then, Mr. Hedgpeth asks Sallie to round up the children and knives to prepare jerky. Sallie finds several recruits and the men show the children how to make thin strips to preserve the meat over a fire. As the children are working, a baby buffalo walks up. As Sallie pets it and asks where it came from, Mr. Hedgpeth explains he caught it, and much to Sallie's relief, they won't be eating it any time too soon.

Chapter Themes: relief, friendship, excitement, and pitching in to help

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Making a 'Video Dairy' of the Trip West

As students read Sallie Fox, they create an image to summarize each chapter by representing what Sallie saw. For each image, students also include a caption to help explain what the picture represents. These images are drawn on a piece of filmstrip paper or students can make their own by cutting blank paper in half length wise and then breaking the paper into three or four even sections. These images are then "fed" through a construction paper camera to show the story of Sallie Fox and her journey west. An image for this particular chapter could be the sight of buffalo or maybe Sallie's perspective of how everyones' moods are lighter and happier now that they've teamed up with the Baley wagon train.
Standards Addressed

(5)2.4 SWBAT determine importance in stories

a. recall important details/facts of text while reading
b. recall sequence of events
c. identify purpose
d. recall the main idea of text while reading

(5) 6.8 SWBAT produce writing with a voice that shows awareness of an intended audience and purpose

Letter to Uncle Charles and Aunt Rachel

Students will use books and the internet to research how jerky is made. Then they will write a friendly letter from Sallie's point-of-view to Uncle Charles and Aunt Rachel explaining how and why her family makes jerky while traveling west.
Standards Addressed

(5)4.6 SWBAT read and follow multi-step directions in order to perform a procedure or complete a task

(5) 5.3 SWBAT write well-organized communications such as friendly letters with envelope in an appropriate format for a specific audience and purpose

Mathematics

How Much Jerky?

Students will pretend they are part of Sallie's family's wagon train. Her father has just shot a 1,200 pound buffalo and Sallie's mom is preparing to make 300 pounds of it into jerky. Using the recipe below, students will work in small groups to first estimate and then determine how much of each ingredient is needed to make 300 pounds of jerky. Students will need to convert each of the fraction amounts of ingredients listed below into decimals and then back into fractions for their final answers.

Jerky Recipe
1 1/2 lbs. Buffalo Sirloin Tip Roast
1/3 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

Standards Addressed

(5)1.9 SWBAT explain the relationships among fractions and decimals using objects and symbols

(5)1.15 SWBAT estimate to determine the reasonableness of an answer in mathematical and practical situations involving decimals
(5) 1.19 SWBAT generate and solve multiplication problems using whole numbers and decimals in practical situations

When Would You Set Out?

Students will interview students from other classrooms to determine what month they think would be best to begin their travels west. Students will use this information to create a bar graph to represent the data they collected. They will then research to find the best time (April) and let the students who were polled know what month would be the best and a rationale as to why.
(5)5.2 SWBAT pose questions that can be used to guide the collection of categorical and numerical data
(5) 5.10 SWBAT select an appropriate type of graph to accurately represent the data and justify the selection

Social Studies

Trampling the Trial Causes Conflict

Students will research the uses that Native Americans found for the whole buffalo and the conflict that arose by the disregard of the use of the whole animal by westward travelers to gain a better understanding of the conflict that arose between Native Americans and travelers.
Standards Addressed

(5)2.2 SWBAT demonstrate an understanding that people may respond to the same incentive in different ways because they have different preferences
(5)3.32 SWBAT explore the impact of human modification of the physical environment on the people who live in that location

Chartin' Chores

Students will identify the chores children were responsible for throughout the text (fetching knives for jerky, hanging laundry on the line, preparing food, collecting buffalo droppings, washing dishes, etc.) They will then compare and contrast them to the chores they are responsible for today. How are they similar? Different? Why is that so?
Standards Addressed

(5) 3.23 SWBAT list examples of historical movements of people, goods, and ideas
(5) 3.35 SWBAT describe how the physical setting influenced an event in the past

Science

To Spoil or Not to Spoil?

Students will identify how food was preserved on the trail as compared to how it is preserved in present times. Students will then work in groups to conduct an experiment to see how the preservation process works and how it extends the time period that food is consumable. Each group will conduct an experiment in which they pickle a different vegetable and compare its longevity to that fresh vegetable. In science notebooks, students will record observations each day to see the changes over time and gain a better understanding for the need of process of preservation along the trail.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.4 SWBAT draw conclusions from scientific evidence
(5)1.6 SWBAT design and conduct safe investigations with a partner and with a small group, based on self-generated questions

Salt and Food...What Does It Do?

Students will work in small groups to research via books and the internet how salt preserves food. They will then construct a flow map on poster board to show step-by-step how food is salted, what it does, why it's useful, and how long salted products last for.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.10 SWBAT cooperate and contribute ideas within a group
(5) 2.3 SWBAT investigate and describe that by combining two or more materials, the properties of the resulting material can be different than the original

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

During this time period, it was such a relief for travelers to meet honest people from wagon trains. Traveling together provided both parties with more protection because of the number of armed men, while at the same time, it allowed for the sharing of supplies. The parties of these wagon trains were able to lend a hand to one another and both sides benefited. Also making friends on the trail to spend the time with helped travelers become distracted from being preoccupied with the length of time it was taking to reach their destination.

Every traveler was expected to pitch in and help out along the way. Older siblings, like Sallie, were expected to help take care of younger siblings. In addition, children were expected to help with chores like fetching water, washing clothes, helping jerk meat, collecting firewood or buffalo droppings for the fire, and assisting in preparing dinner. After the chores were done and everyone had eaten, it was common for someone in the group to play an instrument such as a harmonica or fiddle while everyone danced or chatted around the fire. The travelers worked much harder than they played, but they still took time to appreciate the experiences along the way.

Additional Resources

A link to a website with recipes and directions on how to make jerky in the oven, on the grill, or in a dehydrator
http://www.leeners.com/jerkyrecipes.html

A link to a site for teachers to explain how the processes of salting and pickling preserve food
http://recipes.howstuffworks.co m/food-preservation5.htm

Chapter 3: Patience and Perseverance

2008-04-08T18:53:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Angie Weigel, 5th grade teacher, Goolsby Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview:

Chapter 3 of Sallie Fox is titled 'Patience and Perseverance' and describes the outlook Sallie Fox and her family needed to have in order to successfully make it through the long and arduous journey via wagon train from Keosauqua, Iowa to Vacaville, California. During their trip, the narrator has an omniscient viewpoint and reflects on Sallie's family's past and present. In addition, the reader is greeted with a first hand account of what happened throughout the story as he or she encounters Sallie's brief journal entries that are scattered throughout the book.

In the opening of the chapter, the narrator explains how the weather on the trail alternated between hot and sticky conditions to thunderstorms with torrential downpours. At times, when it has rained, the travelers felt frustrated because the oxen became stuck in the mud and slowed the wagon trains from making it to their destination on time. At this point in the story, Sallie is feeling rather miserable because of the intense heat and all of the mosquitoes and gnats swarming around her through the dust-filled air, but she knows that being the older sister to her toddler brother, Orrin, means she must set a positive example, and her mama reminds her of that.

Later the narrator provides the reader with some background knowledge by reflecting back to Sallie's stepfather's prior trip out to California in search of gold and the stories he brought back to share with his family. Sallie's stepfather called California "the land of opportunity" and promised his family that one day they would all go out there together. The opportunity to fulfill his promise becomes apparent to Sallie's stepfather one day when he and Sallie are at Mr. Rose's store, and Mr. Rose asks him if he can hire him to lead a wagon train to California so Mr. Rose can open a horse racing ranch there. Sallie's father graciously accepts and prepares for the trip ahead by growing food for the cattle, purchasing a variety of animals such as horses, oxen, and cattle, gathering the necessary supplies, and stockpiling food. Once the grass begins to grow so the cattle have something to eat along the way, Sallie's family begins their journey west.

At the end of the chapter, Sallie's stepfather has stopped the train for the evening and the trains form a circle. Upon settling down for the evening, their group sees another train of wagons and upon meeting the wagon train members, Sallie's family learns that is it headed by Gillum and Right Baley. The two trains agree to join as one, but agree to keep their cattle separate. The chapter closes as Sallie's father explains to his family how fortunate they are to have the opportunity to be with a well-disciplined group and how joining together will provide more safety during their travels.

Chapter Themes: perseverance, adapting, optimism, opportunity, flexibility, and appreciation

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Creating Pioneers' Guidebooks

Students will use books and the internet to research and become experts on a variety of topics related to traveling west as mentioned throughout the book. Students will use the information they gathered to create a Pioneers' Guidebook. The purpose of the guidebook would be to demonstrate understanding of these topics and would serve as a resource during the 1800s for wagon trains heading west. Topics from chapter three could include 'How to deal with the changing temperatures', 'How to maintain a positive attitude along the way', 'Supplies you should bring with you', and 'Settling down at night routines'. Each topic would be a page in the guidebook and when the book is finished, students could go back and put each page in the order they feel it best fits based on the process of leaving the east and heading west.
Standards Addressed

(5)11.4 SWBAT record information

a. note-taking
b. organizational formats (graphic organizers)
c. outling

(5)5.2 SWBAT write informative papers that develop a clear topic with appropriate facts, details, and examples from a variety of sources

Comparing Then and Now

Students will work in small groups brainstorming what things are like in the 1800s as described in Sallie Fox and compare and contrast those things to now using a Venn Diagram. (Some examples from the text thus far might include clothing, diet, preparing meals, transportation, entertainment, and children's chores.)
Standards Addressed

(5)2.12 SWBAT clarify understanding of text

c. complete a graphic organizer

(5)6.4 SWBAT organize ideas through activities

d. mapping

Mathematics

Calculating the Trail

Students will work in pairs to map out the journey Sallie takes with her family. As students read the book, they will mark each place her family stops on a blank map of the United States. After reading the entire book, students will use the scale to estimate the shortest distance Sallie's family traveled. Then students will connect each point and measure the shortest route in inches. They will then convert the inches into actual miles traveled. Afterwards, come together, and on a pre-drawn map of the U.S. on chart paper, plot the stopping points. Then, as a class, discuss the following questions:

Was the trip more or less miles? How do you know?
List reasons as to why the trip would have been longer. What about elevation? How would climbing and descending down mountains make a difference?
If the wagon traveled an average of 12 miles per day, about how many days would it take for the wagon train to reach Vacaville, California?, etc.

Standards Addressed

(5)1.19 SWBAT generate and solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems using whole numbers and decimals in practical situations
(5)1.25 SWBAT use a variety of appropriate strategies to estimate, compute, and solve mathematical and real-world problems

The Price of Going West: Then Versus Now

Students will research the cost of traveling west in a covered wagon. They will work in small groups to generate a list of the necessary supplies that would be needed for about six months of travel to help them determine an estimate for how much it cost during this time period to travel west. Students will then determine what the cost of the items would be today to see a comparison and have a better understanding of the financial impact of a trip of this magnitude.
Standards Addressed

(5)1.25 SWBAT use a variety of appropriate strategies to estimate, compute, and solve mathematical and real-world problems
(5)3.7 SWBAT determine totals, differences, and change due for monetary amounts in practical situations

Social Studies

Investigating Thunderstorms

Students will work in small groups using books from the library and the internet to locate information about thunderstorms to answer the following questions: 1.) What is a thunderstorm?, 2.) What causes thunderstorms?, 3.) What precautions should Sallie and her family take to stay safe in a thunderstorm? They will then take the information they discovered and create a journal entry from Sallie's point-of-view when she was traveling through thunderstorms and include this information.

Standard Addressed

(5)3.17 SWBAT define and give examples of natural hazards

Making Choices for the Trail

Students will make a list of the items that Sallie's stepfather stockpiled for the trip including food and other supplies. Students will then choose five items to remove from the list and be expected to justify what the cost would be to lose them versus the gain of keeping other items.
Standards Addressed

(5)2.1 SWBAT describe how scarcity requires a person to make a choice and identify a cost associated with the decision
(5)2.3 SWBAT demonstrate an understanding that choosing a little more or a little less generates either a benefit or a cost

Science

Smooth Ride

Students will research Conestoga wagons and the type of materials used to make wheels during this period. Students will research other materials that were available during this time period. Students will work in small groups to create a model using the type of material from their research in order to determine its effectiveness on rough terrain. Based on observations, students will determine if pioneers used the best materials available to them at that time.
Standards Addressed

N.5.A.5. SWBAT know how to plan and conduct a safe and simple investigation.
N.5.A.6. SWBAT know models are tools for learning about things they are meant to resemble.

Weather Along the Trail

Students will choose six points along the trail and track the weather using www.weatherchannel.com. Students will use the information to record changing weather in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Students will make note of extreme temperatures and weather conditions. Students will use this information to make predictions (forecasts) of the weather for the following week based on the data they collected previously.

Standards Addressed

(5)3.3 SWBAT investigate and describe various meteorological phenomena
(5)3. 7 SWBAT investigate and describe how change is a natural phenomena that can be seen throughout the natural world

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

During the century after the American Revolution, many people in the eastern portion of the present-day United States, (like Sallie's family), began to feel crowded , and yearned to head west because it symbolized opportunity. Some people wanted to go west simply because the eastern portion of the U.S. was so conservative. The west also offered fertile land at affordable prices and small time farmers knew they may be able to farm on a commercial level if they headed west.

Like Sallie's family, people traveling across the country generally set out from a "jumping off point" such as Independence, Missouri, or Keosauqua, Iowa. These travelers traveled in wagon trains for added protection and the ability to share supplies. Each wagon train had a captain, (like Sallie's stepfather, Alpha Brown), who was experienced and knowledgeable in traveling and made important decisions regarding the wagon trains' travel.

Travelers heading west could generally expect the trip to last six months or so, so they had to plan carefully and make sure to pack enough supplies without over packing the wagon. This was very difficult to do because there was not access to stores accept for the few trading posts along the way. Travelers also had to think about weather over the course of those six months. They found that the best time to leave the "jumping off point" was usually April because the weather was pleasant and the grasses were growing so that the animals would have something to eat.

As travelers headed west, they ran into many obstacles. First, (as the family encounters later in the story), the prairie was full of snakes, scorpions, and wild animals , so travelers had to take great care in every day activities such as collecting buffalo droppings in lieu of firewood. There was also the rumors of Native American attacks, that although exaggerated in the frequency of occurrences, still occurred when some Natives reacted negatively about wagons tearing through the land. Another obstacle was the weather. Sometimes it was hot and miserable and other times it was freezing cold, so travelers had to learn to adapt to the weather and make the best of it. They had to be prepared with blankets for when the temperatures dropped. Another obstacle travelers faced was maneuvering through natural landforms such as the Rocky Mountains. Finally, another obstacle was finding food and water and taking care of your family. Many people died of exhaustion and diseases, so travelers had to deal with the heartbreak that such events brought about.

Throughout this experience, it was necessary for travelers to remain optimistic and keep their eyes on the goal of arriving in the west. For many, this was what kept them motivated during their lengthy and tedious trip west.

Additional Resources

A link to a map of the Oregon Trail: http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/maplibrary/oregontrail.html
A link to a site where you can purchase the computer game 'Oregon Trail': http://www.learningcompany.com
A link to a blank map of the U.S.: http://www.50states.com/tools/usamap.htm
A link to a website about thunderstorms for elementary students: http://www.fema.gov/kids/thunder.htm
The link for the activity 'Weather Along the Trail': www.weatherchannel.com

Chapter 2: Prairie Days

2008-04-08T18:52:00.001-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Dana Matthews, Fifth grade teacher, Doris Reed Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview: In this chapter, life on the trail is introduced. Sallie and the other members of the wagon train are having a typical day on the trail. During this time, Sallie reminisces about the early days on the trail and wonders what life is like on the trail that lies ahead. We learn about her sister Relief (Liefy) and the leg ailment that could affect her time on the trail. Her father’s importance on the trail is also hinted at and the fact that he uses books to help him is also noted. Finally, her mom talks about who they will be seeing in California and talks about her wedding to Alpha Brown, so that we learn more about the structure of the family.

Chapter Themes: Leaving Home, Organization of a wagon train, Leaving to join family, Daily Activities/Schedules, Use of Guidebooks, Cooking/Preparing Food

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

A Time When They Left Home

Students will write about a time they left home. Some examples would be going to camp, staying at a friend's house for the first time, going to Grandma's, etc. Then, students will write about how it would feel if they knew that they would never get to see their family again. This can be written as a letter, a newspaper article, or a journal entry.
Standards Addressed

Write paragraphs with main ideas and supporting details.
Use rules of capitalization.

Create A Trail Guide

Procedures:

Students will read a portion of Josiah Gregg's Commerce of the Prairies (http://www.kancoll.org/books/gregg/gr_ch02_1.htm)
Students will work with a partner to create their own trail guide. This may be to any place that they have ever visited or that they want to visit.
Students will be required to use the Internet to find information about their place and use factual information in their trail guide.

Standards Addressed

Select information from multiple resources to answer questions.
Formulate research questions and establish a focus and purpose for inquiry.

Mathematics

Load Your Wagon: How much food do you need?
Students will figure out how many wagons they need for a family of five going on the Oregon Trail. The following is how much food they will need per person:
150 pounds of flour
20 pounds of corn meal
50 pounds of bacon
40 pounds of sugar
10 pounds of coffee
15 pounds of dried fruit
5 pounds of salt
½ pounds of baking soda
2 pounds of tea
5 pounds of rice
15 pounds of beans
5 gallons of water
Students will have to figure out how much each person's provisions cost and then multiply by five. Since a wagon could only hold 1800 pounds, students will have to then make a guess as to how many wagons they think they will need, considering the fact that they have not put anything else in the wagon.

Standards Addressed

Generate and solve multiplication and addition problems
Apply multi-step, integrated, mathematical problem-solving strategies.

How is your day like a pioneer child's day?

Students will create two daily schedules: one that is a typical pioneer child's day and one that is a typical day in their life. Students will then make a double bar graph comparing how much time they spend doing the following activities compared to a pioneer child: chores, school, cooking, playing, and sleeping.
Standards Addressed

Select an appropriate type of graph to accurately represent the data and justify the selection.
Find elapsed time.

Social Studies

Frozen Moments: Pioneer Life on the Trail

Procedures

Students will get into groups of four and receive a card with one of the following topics on it: cooking breakfast, "nooning," driving a wagon, crossing a river, nightly entertainment, doing laundry, collecting water, collecting buffalo chips for fuel.
Students will create frozen moments. They have to start and end in a frozen position. They must also act out their activity without making noises or talking. The students have to use props. When they are done with their frozen moments activity, the class will guess what their activity was.

Standards Addressed

Describe life on the Santa Fe Trail.
Participate in group discussions as a contributer and leader.

Science

Which Leavening Agent Would Be Best?

Students will investigate what they could use as a leavening agent for cake baking while on the prairie.
One group will make a cake using baking powder, one group will make the same cake using egg whites, and one group will make the cake using baking soda.
Students will decide as a class whose cake worked the best.
Standards Addressed
Design and conduct experiments in a small group

Make careful observations and test things more than once

There's A Hole In Your Bucket, Dear Liza
Since carrying water was very important on the trail, students will design a bucket that leaks the least.
In small groups, students will be given materials to create a bucket. They may use all or some. They will receive wax paper, construction paper, aluminum foil, modeling clay, pipe cleaners, string, rope, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, a cardboard box, a paper bag, glue, and a stapler. Students will create their bucket, fill it with two cups of water, and will be timed on how long it takes for the water to leak out. The team with the lowest time will win.
Standards Addressed

Use provided materials to construct objects for a particular tasks.
Manipulate objects and observe events in an experiment.

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

The trip to California would take most emigrants 4-6 months to make. Since it was such a long journey, a wagon train had to be an organized mini-city. Emigrants joined together into parties so that they would have protection and help. Most parties consisted of relatives journeying west together or people from the same hometown, as in the case of Sallie Fox. Some companies consisted of people who met at a jumping off place and were looking for a group to join. The most successful groups were those that had a written constitution, a set of rules, or a code to go by when disagreements happened. There were rules governing drinking, gambling, camping, and marching. The captain’s train usually got to go first, with a set order of how the other wagons would follow. There were also penalties written into the codes for rule breaking and how to help the sick or deceased and their families. Almost every wagon train elected a leader, or captain. The captain had a vitally important job. They decided when and where the group would camp each night, where and when they would stop for meals, when they would start in the morning, how to cross rivers, and which trail they would take. The captain was often elected because they were the richest or oldest member of the wagon train, not necessarily the one with the most experience or knowledge, which could have devastating effects later on in the journey.

Shortly after starting their journey, a well-defined daily routine became the norm on the trail. A typical day for a pioneer family began before sunrise, with a breakfast of bacon, coffee, and bread. The wagons had to be loaded and re-packed so that the wagon train could leave by six or seven o’clock in the morning. Around mid-day, they stopped for nooning. Lunch consisted of a cold meal of coffee, beans, and bacon that was eaten at breakfast, also. This was also a time to stop to rest the horses and to take a break from walking. The wagon train usually stopped around 5:00 every night, after traveling anywhere from 10-20 miles that day. The wagons were circled to protect the travelers. In the evening, a hot meal of rice, boiled beef, and tea was usually served. Men took care of the animals and made repairs to the wagons. Evening activities usually included some schooling for the children, singing and dancing if somebody had an instrument, and telling stories around the campfire. Some wagon trains would stop on Sundays to rest all day and get needed chores done, or take the morning off for religious services and continue on in the afternoon.

Additional Resources

Chapter 1: Cottonwood Creek

2008-04-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

Teacher's Guide Chapter Author: Dana Matthews, 5th grade teacher, Doris Reed Elementary School, Clark County School District
__________________________________________________________________

Chapter Overview:

In this chapter, we are introduced to the Sallie Fox family. Sallie and her sister Francie are out picking berries and two of the major fears of the trail are revealed: animals (they ran into a snake), and Indians (Mom was afraid because they were out after dark and Indians could get them). Then, we are with the family as they wake up and cook breakfast in the morning, pack up their wagon, and roll on down the trail. Sallie’s diary is introduced in this chapter, also.

Chapter Themes: Fear of Indians, Common Foods, Memoirs/Diaries, Sleeping Arrangements, Traveling Companions, Food Preparation

Chapter Activities

Language Arts

Pioneer Memoirs

Procedures
Students will pretend that they are in the same wagon train as Sallie Fox. They will decide if they are single or have a family. They will write a journal entry with each chapter as if they are part of the action. They will describe how they feel as they read about Sallie Fox's journey.
Standards Addressed

Write responses to literature that support judgments with examples.
Understand purpose and structure of genre.

Two Special Things

Procedures
The class will create a double bubble map comparing and contrasting items that we have now and items they had in pioneer times.
Students will pretend that they are a pioneer. They can only choose one special thing to take on the trail with them because of the space in the wagon. This one special thing must be from pioneer times (i.e. NO NINTENDOS!).
Students will create this item out of art materials and write why they would choose this as their one special item to take with them.
Then, students will write about one special thing that they had to leave behind. They would explain why this item was the hardest to leave behind.

Standards Addressed

Record information using organizational formats.
Write paragraphs with main ideas, supporting details, and a conclusion.

Mathematics

How far would it take in a covered wagon?

Procedures

Students will be told that a wagon train went roughly one mile per hour. Then, students will be given familiar distances to figure out how many days it would take to get places that would only take us hours or minutes. Examples: 400 miles to California, 10 miles to the nearest Sam's Club, 3 miles to the grocery store.

After students figure out their list and how long it would take them, they will write a journal entry about how it would change their lives if it took that long to get anywhere today.

Standards Addressed

Generate and solve multiplication problems.
Apply previous experience and knolwedge to new problem solving situations.

Did they eat healthy food?

Students will take the typical foods eaten by a pioneer family (bacon, milk, boiled beef, tea, coffee, biscuits) and figure out if they got the right ratio of calories that they need to be healthy. Students will make percentages from the ratios and compare them to food standards of today. Students will then discuss with a partner whether the pioneers ate healthily or not.
Standards Addressed

Explain the relationships among percents and ratios.
Discuss and exchange ideas about mathematics as a part of learning.

Social Studies

KWL Chart: Life on the Trail
Procedures

Students will discuss what part of history we have arrived at.
In a small group, students will create a KWL chart about life on the prairie.
One person will put their group’s ideas on the class chart.
The class will discuss the similarities and differences that they see between the groups on the chart.
Throughout the book and as a culminating activity, students will answer the questions in the L column of the chart.

Standards Addressed

Organize major events in U.S. History.
Use organizational formats to comprehend information.

Primary Sources: Children's Pioneer Journals

Procedures

Students will read two different journals of children pioneers with a partner.
They will compare and contrast the journals in two column notes.
Students will discuss their notes with their team.
The whole class will discuss what they found. Ask students the following questions:

What were hardships that these two pioneers faced on the trail?

What were things that the pioneers had to do that you don’t have to do at home?
What are daily things that had to be done on the trail?
What do you think might happen to Sallie Fox as she travels on the trail?

The following websites will give you pioneer journals:

Standards Addressed

Interpret and analyze historical passages.

Record information using note-taking.

Science

How will the environment affect Sallie Fox and her family on the trail
Students will create a class sized map that traces Sallie Fox's journey. A group of four students will look at each place Sallie Fox will be traveling and describe the environment that is in that part of our country. They will then decide how the environment will affect Sallie Fox and her family (i.e., will there be enough water, hay for the livestock, rivers to cross, etc.). At the end of the novel, they will decide if their predictions were right.

Standards Addressed

Investigate and describe interrelationships and interdependence of organisms with each other and with the non-living parts of their habitats.
Predict that some events are more likely to happen than others

The food pyramid
Students will look at the basic foods that pioneer families ate on the trail. They will decide if they ate the right portions of each food group according to today's standards. Then, they will look at the terrain and environments and decide what the family could have gotten from nature to supplement their diet.
Standards Addressed

Use the food pyramid to decide if what people eat is healthy.
Decide what nature can provide for people.

Historical Overview of Chapter Themes

One of the most difficult tasks facing a pioneer family going west was the issue of food. There were no grocery stores to stop at and re-supply. The few places that were available on the trail could cost as much as five times more than back home, so pioneers tried to bring as much with them as possible. The following were recommendations for the amount of food to bring per person, except infants:

150 pounds of flour
20 pounds of corn meal
50 pounds of bacon
40 pounds of sugar
10 pounds of coffee
15 pounds of dried fruit
5 pounds of salt
½ pounds of baking soda
2 pounds of tea
5 pounds of rice
15 pounds of beans
5 gallons of water

Pioneers were also encouraged to bring a milk cow or two along with them to provide fresh milk and butter along the trail. There was also the option of hunting for game along the trail, but that took time and there was no guarantee that there would be animals to hunt, especially after years of pioneering had brought many people along the route.

The necessity of bringing enough food to last the entire journey left pioneers with some tough choices. A wagon could only hold 2000 pounds, but to save the oxen, the prevailing wisdom was to keep the pounds down to 1600-1800. Besides food, pioneers also had to bring extra clothes, cloth and sewing supplies to make new clothes and shoes, wood and tools to make parts for the wagon, cooking utensils and pots and pans, and any personal items that they wanted to take to their new house. Many pioneers, especially those with large families, brought more than one wagon with them on the trip: at least one for food (sometimes two or more depending on the size of the family), and one for personal items. Unfortunately, to save weary oxen, many of these personal items got left behind on the trail. Later, people picked these up, refurbished them, and made a business out of selling these items to others. Life on the trail definitely led to some difficult choices.

Additional Resources

Stories of Young Pioneers by Violet T. Kimball
If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine
http://www.endoftheoregontrail.org/outfit.html