Life on the Prairie
Grade Levels: 3 - 5
Objectives- Students will use vocabulary related to prairie life.
- Students will learn about household items used by prairie families.
- Students will make judgments about the challenges and rewards of prairie life.
Materials
- Life on the Prairie worksheet
- Furniture Website 1800-1850:
(http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/1800/objects/1furniture.htm) - Food Preparation Website 1800-1850:
(http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/1800/objects/1foodprep.htm)
Procedures
- Introduce key vocabulary: ceramics, display, exhibits, museum, preparation, prairie.
- Have students work individually to complete the Life on the Prairie worksheet as they visit both websites.
- Set aside a time for students to share what they have learned from the websites.
Assessment
- Use the rubric to assess students' understanding of prairie life in the 1800s.
Extension Activities
- Choose from a large collection of cross-curricular activities for all grade levels.
- Have groups work together to create Same/Different charts, comparing prairie life in the 1800s with prairie life today.
