Pioneer Unit Study American Girl Kirsten Fields of Daisies

American Girl Kirsten- Pioneer America Unit Study

American Girl Kirsten-
Pioneer Unit Study

Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854:
Growing up on America’s Frontier

 

This is an exciting, hands-on study of our country’s Westward Expansion.
We will be discovering what pioneer  life was like through the eyes of Kirsten Larson, a kind and brave young girl who has just arrived in New York, from her home far away in Sweden.  We will read about her adventures traveling west to Minnesota, explore the life of the other pioneers she meets along the trail, her new neighbors, and what life is like in her new home!
Enjoy some Swedish treats that Kirsten’s mama cooked for her, create your own quilting squares, and say goodbye to boring history lessons!
LET’S LOVE LEARNING together!

 

* Pioneer Unit Study*
(American Girl Kirsten)

 

questions about Free History Curriculum

 

 

How Do I Use This Unit?
Though this unit is written as a  3 Week Plan, the best way to use it is however it works best for YOUR family!   Think of it as an outline, and work through it on your own time frame!  Your older kids can work independently through the lessons (I’d recommend the PDF Version for this), or even help by reading some of the read aloud books to younger siblings!

Are you teaching a younger kiddo(s)?

Pick one or two choices from each part of the daily plan and just do those!
Leave lots of time for reading together and doing the hands-on projects.  My Littles LOVED to work on the suggested coloring pages while I read aloud.  You’d be amazed at how much they absorb even when it doesn’t appear that they are listening!  I let them make their own scrapbooks too which helped them have some “school work” to be proud of and show grandparents!
The Hands-On History Christmas Posts are extra fun and great for all ages, or to extend a unit!
The Kirsten Christmas post should be up in time for 2023, but many of the activities will span time frames.

Working with older kids, or some that are extra excited to learn about this part of history in greater detail?

Then you’ll probably want to use most of the suggested resources, adding in the printables, and lots of the reading books.  You could easily stretch this unit out for several months or more if everyone is enjoying it and hungry for more!
Add in more hands-on projects, more field trips, expand the art, science, or geography studies!
The choice is YOURS!
Cut out the hands-on if your family doesn’t enjoy that kind of thing, or complete every single one and host a Pioneer Museum Night to display all your handiwork!
This is the beauty of homeschooling (and of a FREE curriculum lol)!
You get to tweak it and use it however it benefits your family most.


*Helpful Resources:

Pioneer Unit Study American Girl Kirsten PDF Version Fields of Daisies

 

Try the Printable PDF Version of this unit study!
Over 100 pages !
Get the complete unit study (with live links), planners, note pages, week at a glance, and lots more… and no ads or distractions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pioneer Unit Study American Girl Kirsten Printable POWER Pack Fields of Daisies

 

*NEW UPDATE!
144 page companion Pioneer America Printable Power Pack  created just for this unit study!   You’ll find lots of printables for each week of the study for your students, AND weekly planners, note keeping pages, and field trip ideas for the teacher!    Themed copy work pages, History Detective pages, Vocabulary Bingo Games, timeline page, Science Experiment printables, and LOTS more!

 

 

 

 

 

columbus discovers america native americans and the revolutionary war free early american history curriculum

 

 

*If you are looking for even more resources, or resources for your older kiddos, you can also find more ideas for this unit, in this post- 
FREE Early American History Curriculum
(Scroll down to Week 6)

 

 

American Girl History Books for unit studies
 *Books and Resources List
My favorite list of Fiction and Non-Fiction Books, Read Alouds, Movie Suggestions, related Board Games, Activity Books, Craft Kits, and more!

*If you purchase any of the books through this page, I get a small commission from Amazon, which helps me keep on going!  😀   Thank you for your support !

 

*Pinterest-  Because I’m ALWAYS finding more ideas!!!
*Kirsten:Pioneer America  
*Kirsten’s Christmas

*American Girl Pages on Pinterest

history unit studies

 

 

*American Girl- American History Units Overview 
In this post you will find the Overviews/Scope & Sequences for ALL of the American Girl Unit Studies… in one neat place!

 

 

 

 


*Note:  I am in no way affiliated with, or compensated by the American Girl Company.  This post does contain links to products on Amazon (just for some extra fun resources and books).  If you choose to purchase any of them, I’d really appreciate if you clicked through these links !   There is NO extra cost to you whatsoever, and I will get a small commission from each sale.   Thanks friends!   🙂


 

 

Welcome to Kirsten's World image

*Read It…Watch It…Explore It…Try It!


Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854

No other books are required.
This is the spine and creates the outline for the unit… BUT actually, even if you do not purchase or check out this book, you can still complete this unit.
However, this is a great book to use, and you can also find a list of great “extras” for this unit study in the American History Book List (literature, paper doll books, cook books, activity books, science books, etc…).

American Girl Kirsten Book Set
You will see that I also have included 3 of the 6  books from the Kirsten series  in the lessons, but they aren’t necessary or integral to any activities in the unit.  I think your children would love this series and they’d make great read alouds!
AND I just learned that you can also get the Audiobook versions on Amazon.
Right now you can get the first book in the series, Meet Kirsten, for FREE with the Audiobook
Membership Trial.



*Unit Reading Schedule-


*Week 1:   Pioneer America – Kirsten’s World

1.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-    p. 1-3, 40-41
(Meet Kirsten in Sweden)

2.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 4-7
(Journey to America )

3.   “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 8-11
(Go West ! )

4. “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 12-13
(Home on the Prairie- Pioneers)

5.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 14-15, 24-25
(Home on the Prairie- Native Americans )

 

*Week 2: A Day With Kirsten

1.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 22-23, 26-27
(Daily Life)

2.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 16-17; 32-35
(Fun & Games for Everyone! )

3.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 18-21
(Love & Marriage )

4.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 36-39
(Fashion)

5. “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 30-31; 49 (inset)
(Medicine )

 

*Week 3:Friends and Foes on the Prairie

1.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″- p. 44-45
(Around Town)

2. “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″- p. 42-43; 46-47
(Kirsten’s Neighbors)

3.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″- p. 48-55
(The Dakota Conflict)

4.  “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″- p. 48-55
(Conflicts Continue)

5. “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″- p. 56-58
(The Great Land Rush)

 


 

american girl unit study

*Note:  Below you will find just the Week 1 outline for Daily Reading, Videos, Online Activities, Coloring Pages, etc that are directly related to the core reading for each day.
Continue to scroll down to find the other section for each week’s Writing, Copy Work, Vocabulary, Bible, Science, Geography, and Art plans!

*Week 1: Pioneer America –  Kirsten’s World

American Girl Kirsten Series,  Book 1, “Meet  Kirsten
(There are 6 books in this series, so you could choose how much to read each week depending on your child’s level and interests.  I just listed one book per week.  You can usually find these books in your local library, or you may like to find them on Amazon)

 

+Day 1:  Meet Kirsten in Sweden !


*Core Reading
:
Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-    p. 1-3, 40-41
(Meet Kirsten in Sweden)
– “Meet Kirsten


*Read!

Introduction to Kirsten and her family.
Nice focus on her personality & character.
Look on the right hand side to click on equally as detailed descriptions of each of her family members.
-American Girl  “Meet Kirsten’s Family” page.
Brief intro to all of characters in the Kirsten series of books.

-Brief introduction to Ryd (Linköping), Sweden.
(Includes videos, audio, and some pictures)
-Introduction to  Swedish Emmigration to America in the 1850’s…from “My Family History”.
It’s nice to read these true stories !  What an adventure !  (Other great links here too!)


*Watch!

American Girl Meet Kirsten Video introducing Kirsten & her family
Meet Kirsten! 

 

*Explore More!
-Kirsten’s family packed an “America Trunk” with their most precious belongings.
They had to leave everything else behind in Sweden.  Here is a cute writing idea (geared toward the Mayflower-  but would work for this study).   Here is the link to the photo and here is the link to the blog “The First Grade Parade”  which is SUPER cute and full of great ideas!

 

+ Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Map of  Sweden with Ryd
– Swedish Woman in Traditional Dress
– Children in Sweden
– Swedish girl with basket 

 

+Day 2:  Journey to America

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 4-7
(Journey to America )
– “Meet Kirsten”


*Read!

 ‘The Long Way Westward’  read aloud and printable activities
(Not about Kirsten’s family, but the story of another Swedish family on a very similar path across the United States!)
All About Immigration (For Kids!)
-Very nice introduction to the topic of immigration
– My Family History”.
This is “chapter 2″… scroll down to read the exciting adventure of the Andersson family as they arrive in New York and begin their journey west.
Immigration to America in the 1800’s
LOTS of really good pictures & information!  The format may be a bit difficult for your child to weed through, but you may like to use some of the material for your notebooks or reading about a topic of particular interest.
-You might like to include a short lesson/unit on Ellis Island.
I did not include other links to study this until the Turn of the Century- American Girl Samantha Unit, because Kirsten’s family came to America before Ellis Island was used as entry to the United States.


*Watch!

-‘Coming to America-  New York’s Immigration
Video is about 5 min- all about immigration to America in the 1800’s covering many, many angles of the topic.
The Great American Melting Pot”  School House Rocks
– The Swedish Immigrant Trail’
(
Historic content up to about the 4 minute mark…then it is more about the attempt to establish a biking, walking, etc. trail in these communities today)
– ‘An Immigrant Tale’ documentary
This video is about 20 minutes.  This is a personal retelling by Matt Mattson of his family’s immigration to America from Sweden.  He includes many family photos and stories…some funny, some very poignant.   This may be too much for younger children, but I thought it was worth sharing here.

 


*Explore More!

-Explore the AG Kirsten Museum to learn more about Kirsten!

-Homeschool Share  has lots of great printables for this lesson, though they are intended to go along with the book Klara’s New World”.
You will find lap books for both Sweden and Minnesota, a template to make an America Chest, and even a recipe for special Swedish Christmas cookies-  Yum !
-Short slide show ‘Swedish American Heritage’  
-Lesson and activities about understanding immigration…Geared toward a traditional classroom, but  those who are homeschooling still may like to use some of the printable activities for sure!

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!
– Ship arriving in America
– Immigrants arriving in America
Ellis Island 

 

 

+Day 3:  Go West !

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 8-11
(Go West ! )
– “Meet Kirsten”


*Read!

1800’s How People Traveled
Transportation in the early days.…a brief overview
 ‘The Prairie Traveler’ –  
A very detailed account of the journey west written by Randolph Barnes Marcy, in the 1800’s after his trips west… including many historical sketches (the index is super helpful!).

*West By Steamboat
Steamboat History!
The trip west by steamboat.
The Steamboat Times…A Pictoral History of the Mississippi Steamboating Era.


*West By Wagon-
 Daily life on a wagon train headed west
-Short Diary of Mary Jane Smith Watkins & her journey west.
Hour to hour – brief description of a common 24 hours in a wagon train
Kids on the Trail

-Though the Oregon Trail did not go through Minnesota, the stories and information are great for learning about life on the journey westward in pioneer America.
Oregon Trail Video
– Kids on the Trail
– Daily Life on the Trail   (click the links to the right for more pages)
The Oregon Trail

*West By Train
Rails West is a brief introduction to the transcontinental railroad
Transcontinental Railroad–  Mr. Donn’s history page with tons of links to related reading and activities
Henry David Thoreau’s travel west from Massachusetts to Minnesota by train and steamboat.

 

*Watch!

“Elbow Room” School House Rocks 
Travel in America in the 1840’s
About 12 minutes…”The film follows a young man as he travels from New York State to Illinois, showing him as he journeys by stagecoach, works as a mule driver on the Erie Canal, travels by lake steamer, and rides the new steam train!”   by Periscope Film
Wagon Trails West
The Transcontinental Railroad Begins! 
-BBC series ‘Transcontinental Railroad‘  (Part 1 of 5)

 

*Explore More!

Pack your wagon !
(Activities to understand the importance of packing the wagon. Will you survive with what you packed?)
Webquest–  Westward Ho!
(Be sure to read through the lesson plans under the scouts/teachers tab)
-‘Westward Trail’ online interactive map and game

 


+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Steamboat in the 1800’s
– Robert Fulton-  Steamboat
– Covered Wagon on the trail
– Prairie Schooners
– Covered Wagon Coloring Pages
– Train
– Oregon Trail
– Life on the Trail
– Buffalo
– Children on the trail
– Life on the Trail

 


+Day 4:  Home on the Prairie- Pioneers

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 12-13
(Home on the Prairie- Pioneers)
– “Meet Kirsten”


*Read!

What is a prairie? 
(More on this in our Science section!)
Life as a pioneer, from the National Heritage Ranching Center.
This lesson is GREAT!  It  includes reading, games, paper dolls, recipes, activities, and lots of pictures that would be great to use for notebooks or  for the dioramas if you are making one.  Though you may not have a few of the “tools” suggested here, there’s plenty of fun.  I have visited this museum and if you live in Texas, it is totally worth the trip!  (Just not in August!!! Too HOT!)

*Home Sweet Home On the Prairie-
Home on the prairie
Finding shelter on the prairie
Take a tour of Kirsten’s home  from ‘Living a Doll’s Life’
At home on the prairie
Photos of various household articles found in a typical pioneer home.

* Sod Houses-
Building a sod house and living in one…what it was like the good, the bad, and the itchy !
-‘On the Banks of Plum Creek‘ 
Free audiobook on YouTube.  The Little House series is set in the same general era as Kirsten’s books.  In this book, the Ingalls family lives in a sod house.

* Log Cabins-
Log Cabins on the prairie
Little House in the Big Woods
Free audiobook on You Tube.  The Ingall’s Family moves into their new log home!
Reading the walls ?

 

*Watch!

What does a prairie looks like?
The American Prairie  from National Geographic
-Video tour of life in an 1800’s sod house 
Little Old Sod Shanty on My Claim‘ 
Spoken introduction/history/photos & original song complete with banjo.   Really fun!
-‘The Living History School’s Log Cabin Tour
– Little House on the Prairie 
This series (this episode in particular) makes a great visual of what a house on the prairie looked like inside.
Inside a settler’s home
-‘Homesteading
This a full length video (54 minutes) by Prairie Public Broadcasting…all about the early “homesteaders” on the prairie during the 1800’s .   Very well done.


*Explore More!

Build a virtual sod house online by answering question about life on the prairie.
The Homestead Act Mini Page
-It might be fun to make a diorama of a typical Pioneer town.
Here are a few examples to spark your creativity !
 Pioneer Diorama
– Printable Templates for Log Cabin

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Log Cabin
– Log Cabin 2
– Inside log cabin
– Little House On The Prairie 

 

 


+Day 5: Home on the Prairie-  Native Americans

 

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 14-15;  24-25
(Home on the Prairie- Native Americans )
– “Meet Kirsten”


*Read!

An introduction to Native Americans
Native America- American Girl Kaya Unit

*Ojibway Indians
– The Ojibway
– The Ojibway Tribe of Minnesota
– Ojibway Wigwams
– Ojibway homes–  very nice photos & drawings of the insides & outsides of Ojibway homes
– Ojibway People

*Dakota Indians
– Introduction to the Dakota Tribes
– The Plains Indians (Sioux)…lots and lots of links to follow
– Sioux Tribe Daily Life
– Dakota Tepees
– Indian Summer Homes (Longhouses)

 

*Watch!

The Very First Americans’
The Chippewa/Ojibway Indians

 

*Explore More!

DIY No Sew Teepee 
(This looks totally do-able! )

*Add to your diorama or make an Indian Village diorama today!
– Simple paper Indian Homes (different types)
– Make your own cardboard teepees


+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Ojibway Coloring Book
– Wigwam ,  Birch Bark Houses
– Tipis
– Teepees  🙂
– Dakota Indian Tribes  (be sure to look to the left & scroll down a bit)

 


american girl unit study week 3

*Week 2: A Day With Kirsten

*  American Girl Kirsten Series, Book 2, “Kirsten Learns A Lesson

 


+Day 1:  Daily Life

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 22-23; 26-27
   (Daily Life)
– “Kirsten Learns A Lesson”


*Read!

A brief introduction to  daily life on the frontier.
– Another nice intro to frontier life.

*Life was busy for Kirsten and the pioneer families!
No running to the store for milk or bread or soap!

+Washing Clothes
– Hauling the water, building the fire, making the soap…washing clothes

+ Soap & Candle Making
Making soap & Washing Clothes
Candle Dipping

+ Spinning
-Pioneer Clothing
Making Clothing

+ Cooking on the Frontier
– Pioneer food & cooking
– Cooking on the Homestead…definitely a chore!
– Cooking on the frontier…from the PBS series Frontier House 
– Churning Butter–  Milk to cream to butter, finally…Phew !
– Butter Making Process
– Bread baking

+Farming
 Pioneer Farming
Farming Tools on the prairie

 

*Watch!

Frontier House – This is episode 1 of the PBS series that chose two modern families & challenged them to live as closely as possible to the way the early pioneers did.   Very interesting idea.  You can find many full versions of this program on You Tube.   Lesson plans for some of the episodes are included on the PBS site…click on the menu to find lots of other information.
Scholastic Time Machine 1840’s   (about 3 minutes)
Pioneer Skills:  Washing Clothes 
From Flax to Linen    (about 2 minutes)
The Wool Spinner      (about 2 minutes)
Farming life in the 1800’s

 

*Explore More!

Make your own butter !
Soap Making  from The Giles Frontier
7 Pioneer Recipes To Try Today!

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Washing Clothes
– Pioneer Girl Washing Clothes
 Spinning Wheel
Pioneer Clothing 

 


+Day 2:  Pioneer Fun & Games for Everyone !


*Core Reading
:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 16-17;  32-35
   (Fun and Games For Everyone)
– “Kirsten Learns A Lesson”


*Read!

Pioneer FUN !!
Did Pioneer children play ?


*Toys & Games
Little House on the Prairie Games
Pioneer Children’s Toys and Games
Fun & games on the trail
Indoor & Outdoor Pioneer Children’s Games
Toys the Pioneer Children Played With
(Nice photos !)

*Barn Raising
– Barn Raising Lesson Plan

*Quilting Bees
– Quilting Bees
– A short history of quilting   (nice photo of a quilting bee)
– Quilting Bees

*Husking Bees
– The Husking Bee  (a very good description from the book Beautiful Belmont)
– Corn Husking Parties

*Dances
– House Dances
– Reading of Chapter 8, “Dance at Grandpa’s” from Little House in the Big Woods
– “Dance at Grandpa’s”
A book for younger children adapted from the Little House in the Big Woods series

 

*Watch!

– Barn Raising
– Barn Raising Dance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers  (Just for FUN! )
– Entertainment on the Frontier 
– Pioneer Dancing  (How-to Videos…with links to traditional music)

*Explore More!

Pioneer Toys, Games, & Crafts  
(Printable Information and Activity Book by the Frontier Culture Museum)
Make your own Thaumatrope
How To Make An Easy Rag Doll
-Make a Johnny Appleseed Dancing Doll
– Try a quilting bee with this easy quilt making tutorial
– Resources for more quilt activities & learning

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!
– Quilt Coloring Pages
– Quilting Bee
– Pioneer Children Playing
– Pioneer Boys Playing
– Pioneer Children Games
– Dance to the Fiddle



+Day 3:  Love & Marriage

 

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 18-21
   (Love & Marriage)
– “Kirsten Learns A Lesson”


*Read!

*Courtship and Marriage
Pioneer Weddings
Courtship & Marriage in the Wild West
A sweet recounting of a Pioneer Courtship & Marriage
(Scroll down to that heading if you don’t want to read all the other sections)
– A Pioneer Wedding
Mail-Order Brides and Marriage on the Prairie

* Hope Chests
Swedish Betrothal Chest
History of the “Hope Chest”

*Suitor’s Spoons  (Love Spoons)
History
Love Spoons

* Wedding Feasts
Most weddings on the frontier were special, but simple.  People all brought a dish and pot luck was on the menu.  Just like every day on the prairie, people ate what they had.
Here’s a few ideas:
The Pioneer Wedding Cake  and a recipe to try yourself
(or ask your friends to all bring a layer & have an afternoon tea )
* Or perhaps they would have had a special cake like this one from
Little House on the Prairie  (recipe included)
19 Pioneer Recipes
(Scroll down to the Molasses Cake recipe for an extra special treat!)

 

*Watch!

-Watch “Love Comes Softly”
(This is a sweet Hallmark Family Movie!  Watch on YouTube or rent it on Amazon Prime)

*Explore More!

Make Your Own Love Spoon  (virtual game)
* Try making your own Valentine’s cards…whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not, it’s always nice to tell someone you love them.  🙂
– Here is some 1800’s Valentine’s Clip Art  (just for some ideas)
*Cook a prairie meal to celebrate a special occasion in your house!
– Prairie Recipes
– Little House on the Prairie Recipes


+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Hope Chest
– Hope Chest 2
– Spoon  (Might be fun to design your own wedding/love spoon!)
– Bridal Crown 1   (fun to color;   Or glue to poster board, decorate, and wear !)  🙂
– Bridal Crown 2
– Country Dance
– Bride & Groom  From SheKnows.com
(remember Norwegian brides often wore green dresses!)



+Day 4:  Pioneer Fashion

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 36-39
   (Pioneer Fashion)
– “Kirsten Learns A Lesson”


*Read!

*Pioneer Clothing
Pioneer Clothing Was Functional
-Introduction to Pioneer “fashion” 
How did the 1800’s  pioneers dress ?
 “Fashion” of the pioneer woman

*Traditional Swedish Clothing of the mid-1800’s
Traditional Swedish Women’s Clothing , Accessories, and Undergarments
Swedish Folk Costume

*Native American Dress
*Traditional Dress of the Dakota and Ojibway 
* More common dress
Native American War Bonnets

 

*Watch!

Clothing of the 1800’s

 

*Explore More!

-Make a pioneer sunbonnet together…
+Easy Sunbonnet directions
+Easy no-sew pioneer bonnet from Craft Gossip

-Try making a traditional dress for Kirsten (or another doll similar in size).
There are several really nice patterns to try HERE.

Make an apron
Aprons were an important part of the Frontier woman’s wardrobe…also of the traditional
clothing worn by the women in Sweden.   Here’s a fun & easy YouTube tutorial with
directions on how to make an apron using a tea towel !

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Pioneer Children
– Pioneer Man & Woman
Pioneer Paper Dolls
– Cut outs for diy paper dolls

 


+Day 5: Pioneer Medicine & the Traveling Show


*Core Reading
:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 30-31; 49 (inset)
   (Pioneer Medicine)
– “Kirsten Learns A Lesson”


*Read!

Pioneer Medicine
Medicine in the Old West
(an audio interview from the book “Medicine in the Old West”… about 16 minutes )
Old Time Cures and Remedies
“Patent Medicine” and Receipt Books
Remedies of the 1800’s   Yikes!
Mrs. Winslow’s Receipt Book
You can read this original copy online !
Druggists and Teeth Pullers
(Hold on to your teeth kiddos!)

 

*Watch!

PLEASE preview the following videos before showing them to your children!!
They are mostly slapstick funny in style, but there could be some objectionable things too 😀
Frontier Dentistry
Medicine On the Frontier
Emma and Emma:  Pioneers In Medicine
(PBS Artifact Spotlight)



*Explore More!

-Make your own patent medicine from the 1800’s.
Rock Candy was used quite frequently as a treatment for all kinds of ailments.
Make your own and feel great.  😀
Recipe, history of the “candy”, and science lessons included!

-Just for fun- but maybe good to do first to give everyone a kind of picture of what some of the more unfamiliar/complicated reading may be ahead in this topic.
Little House on the Prairie-  “Circus Man”    (full length episode)
A traveling “medicine man” comes to Walnut Grove appearing to heal all kinds of ailments with his  mixture of magic and medicine.  What will Doc Baker do ?


+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– Kilmer’s Swamp Root poster
– Patent Medicine
Pioneer Medicine
– Elixir Poster


 

American Girl Unit Study Week 3

*Week 3: Pioneer Friends & Foes on the Prairie

*  American Girl Kirsten Series, Book 3, “Kirsten’s Surprise

 

+Day 1:  Around  a Pioneer Town

*Core Reading:
“Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 44-45
   (Around the Pioneer Town)
– “Kirsten’s Surprise”


*Read!

Around Town   (Brief introduction to community life)
Pioneer Village
(Introduction to & pictures of a typical pioneer town…audio of text for young readers is nice too!)

The General Store
* Harkin’s General Store Museum in West Newton, Minnesota
The General Store
* A Personal Story of a General Store 

*The Hotel
* The Main Street Hotel
(Though this history is from Iowa, it is a good depiction of a frontier town)
*Frontier town hotels in the 1800’s
(Photo tour is on the right hand side of the page. Click on the first photo to open the slideshow…click on each individual photo to read a brief description)

*What to See on an 1800’s Main Street
(Be sure to click links on the bottom right for pictures)
– The Livery Stable and Blacksmith Shop
The Pharmacy
– The Millinery
The Saloon
(Be sure to click on the photos to see a larger version…if you click through to page 3, there
are lots of other links too.   Page 3 begins the mention of “saloon girls”….just a heads up.)


*Watch!

Spring Mill Pioneer Village
Video Tour of Historic New Ulm, Minnesota
The Train Depot
(This is a video of lovely old photos circa late 1800’s early 1900’s of Castle Rock, Washington. It’s a FUN way to see the old trains and depots, as well as the pictures of an active main street of this period, all set to music.)
– The Jail
-Video Tour of Bodie, California Ghost Town
(There are tons of these home videos on YouTube…this one includes a tour with some commenting by a park ranger)


*Explore More!

-Take a virtual tour of Bonanzaville Pioneer Village
Build a Pioneer Town!
Printable templates to build you own pioneer town! If you have already started your diorama for this unit, use some of these pieces to add to it.


+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

Old West Town 
– Western Main Street
Pioneer Village 
– Blacksmith

 


+Day 2:  Kirsten’s Pioneer Neighbors

*Core Reading:
– “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 42-43;  46-47
(Kirsten’s Neighbors)
– “Kirsten’s Surprise”


*Read!


*Kirsten’s German Neighbors*
– German Immigration Facts in Brief
– History
– A brief history of German immigration to Minnesota with audio
German Immigrants Bring Beautiful Toys To America
German Children’s Toys Noah’s Arks

*Kirsten’s Norwegian Neighbors
– History  (in brief)
– History of Norwegian Immigration to America
(be sure to click on the photos to the left of the reading)
– Photos of Traditional Norwegian Clothing
(This is actually an entire article, but it’s full of beautiful photos, so skim on through!)

*The Dakota and Ojibway
A Plains Indian Child in the 1800’s  iAdventure
(This is a very well done interactive/choose your own adventure type iAdventure…lots of information here about what it would have been like to be a young indian girl or boy in the mid 1800’s.)
Life on the Reservation 1800’s
Indian Children’s Games
(Do you recognize any of these games? )

 

*Watch!

– Video history/tour of New Ulm, Minnesota
Learn Ojibwe
Ojibwe Children’s Counting Song

 

*Explore More!

*Kirsten’s German neighbors brought many new customs to her town
Afternoon Coffee (or tea) and Cake …. Kaffee und Kuchen
(This was also customary in many parts of Peru…one of my favorite things when we
lived there!)
+Recipe for Apfelkuchen (Apple Cake)…for an afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen, fun for sure!
+Recipe for Butterkuchen  (Butter Cake)  Scroll to bottom of recipe for “quick” version

– German Language
Kirsten’s neighbors often spoke different languages, making it hard to understand
one another….   Try playing some fun games and listening to the German language.

*Kirsten’s Norwegian neighbors brought their own language, recipes and customs
Lefse  (a traditional favorite, lefse is a thin pancake served in a variety of ways)
Easy Lefse Recipe
Skolbrod
(My daughter had this sweet treat “School Bread”, from the bakery in “Norway” while on a
trip to Epcot.  She enjoyed them so much she asked me to make them for her birthday
cake.   I think after reading all the recipes I could find I came up with a fantastic version.
The one above is a bit complicated and omits the toasted coconut which is so good.  If
you’d like me to send you my recipe, just leave me a message in the comments and I’ll
be glad to send it to you.  🙂   )
-Try some fun learning games for speaking Norwegian
-Learn a bit of Swedish with this fun video!

*Kirsten’s Native American neighbors also had their own amazing culture, language, and delicious and unique foods!  Sometimes this made communication between them and the new settlers coming into their land very difficult.  The Native Americans and the Pioneers didn’t always get along, but they were determined to try.
+The Plains Indians used a type of sign language that made it possible for them to understand both people from other tribes and the settlers, despite language barriers.
This is a fun interactive game to try your “hand” at it.  😀
Talking Hands Game
-Here are some Dakota and Ojibway recipes to try !
+ Wojapi
+ Lakota Plum Cakes

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

– German Girl Paper Doll
– Norwegian Paper Dolls
– Swedish Paper Doll
Sioux Child Paper Doll
Sioux Children Paper Dolls
Ojibwe Coloring and Activity Pages

 


+Day 3: The Pioneers and the Dakota Conflict

*Core Reading:
– “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 48-55
(The Dakota Conflict)
– “Kirsten’s Surprise”


*Read!

The Dakota Conflict:  The Treaties
(short audio explanation of the beginnings of The Dakota Conflict….approx. 3 minutes)
Interactive Map of Treaties
The Dakota Conflict   (Lessons and Videos)

The Conflict Begins
The Dakota Conflict WebQuest    (complete interactive lesson)
An Oral History of the Dakota
(including the Dakota Conflict…click through to find the appropriate reading)

* Little Crow   (“Welcome to Kirsten’s World- 1852”  pages 50-51)
*Little Crow
*Little Crow   (a short audio biography about Little Crow… approx. 3 minutes)
*Little Crow’s Speech on the eve of the Sioux uprising


*Watch!

The Dakota Conflict- Introduction     (short video with good photos…approx. 3 minutes )
The Dakota Conflict- Newcomers       (video…approx. 2 minutes)
The Dakota Conflict- Treaties               (video…approx. 2 minutes)
The Dakota Conflict-  War                      (video…approx. 3 minutes)
“The Dakota Conflict” a longer video from PBS…. 56 minutes
OR you can chose to watch different segments of the above video indexed HERE


*Explore It!

The Dakota Uprising!
(This is a mapping activity with good discussion questions)
-Take a Virtual Field Trips to see some of The Dakota Conflict Monuments

 


+Day 4:  The Dakota Conflict Continues

 

*Core Reading:
– “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p. 48-55
(Conflicts Continue)
– “Kirsten’s Surprise”


*Read!

The Dakota War of 1862
The Attack on New Ulm and Related People
(Be sure to look on the right sidebar for all kinds of related links!)
Holl Family Account of life on the frontier and the Attack on New Ulm
(This account was written by Irene Persons after interviewing Ms. Margareta (Holl) Hahn.
The interview took place on March 24, 1937. )


*Watch!

The Dakota Conflict- Aftermath                  (video…approx. 2 minutes)
The Dakota Conflict-  Internment              (video…approx. 4 minutes)
The Dakota Conflict-  150 Years Later        (video…approx. 4 minutes)
* The Erd Building in New Ulm, and an account of the attack on New Ulm
* The Kiesling House in New Ulm, and the Dakota attack

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

Minnesota Coloring Map

 

+Day 5:  The Great Land Rush

 

*Core Reading:
– “Welcome to Kirsten’s World 1854″-   p.  56-58
(The Great Land Rush!)
– “Kirsten’s Surprise”

*Did You Know?
“The Homestead Act of 1862, which gave away 160 acre claims, was repealed in the lower 48 states in 1976. In Alaska, claims could be filed up to 1986! ”  ~NPS


*Read!

Free Land!  The Homestead Act from The Mini Page 
(Do you remember these coming in the Sunday paper???   Fun find of the day! )
Homestead History
(From the National Park Service with many links to related reading, videos, etc…)
Homestead History   (Not the same as the above link!)
(Short Lesson about the Land Rush from the National Parks Service… it is written for use in a classroom, but there are some really good ideas included, as well as a printable game your whole family may enjoy playing!)
The Great Land Rush

 

*Watch!

History of the Homestead Act
(This is a short video with nice photos & illustrations….VERY thorough, but entertaining!
While I try to keep everything in my units completely free online, near the very end of this video you are requested to sign up for a free 5-day trial.  I felt like the main “meat” of this topic was covered in the free beginning of the video.   I’m not familiar with this site, but you may like to sign up after seeing this.    There is a similar free  video with similar material.  You can watch it  HERE.)

Oklahoma Land Rush Scene from Far and Away 
(YouTube clip…3 minutes.  You may want to preview…could be a bit intense for the littles.)

 

*Explore More!

Homestead Webranger Challenge from the NPS
(Interactive Game-  be sure to click on the menu at the bottom right corner for the
next pages)
Land Rush Mini-Unit Study from DIY Homeschooler

 

+Coloring pages to use for notebooking, lap booking, etc…. or just for fun!

Westward Ho!
Land Rush Cowboy on Horse


*If you’d like to read the rest of the Kirsten series, I’ve included them below!

Happy Birthday Kirsten!
Kirsten Saves The Day!
Changes For Kirsten

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Reading Comprehension Think!

*Reading Comprehension Ideas:
Show what you know about the Pioneers !


* Keep a history notebook!

Make sections and just quickly add in important people (scientists, artists, musicians, leaders, etc), important places, important events, and important ideas as you study this period of time. Use these lists later for writing prompts, notebooking, lapbooking, creating a timeline, etc…

* Make a Timeline!
If you haven’t started a Timeline, I HIGHLY recommend making one for this unit!
Timelines are like a constant visual review of history!  And if you are continuing on with the rest of the American Girl Units, you can just keep adding to it!
I have made a list of my favorite ways to Create Your Own Timeline… seriously, I have ideas for pretty much every personality of family… creative, tech loving, small spaces, hands-on, and MORE!


* Create a notebook, lapbook, scrapbook, folder, etc…to show what you’re learning.

This is a fantastic way for the kids to articulate creatively what they have  learned! Need some inspiration?   Here are some examples of Notebooking ,  Lapbooking , and Folders  (with templates!)

Meet Kirsten ideas for learning games, discussion questions, and more!

* You can find interactive quizzes for many American Girl Doll books, including the series of Kirsten books.


*FUN Book Reports
Can a book report possibly be FUN?!?  Don’t believe me?  Try this  Book Report… OR show what you know with a Book Report Cake, a Rainbow Report, or a Pizza Box Book Report!  See doesn’t this sound fun?!?  If you’re still not convinced may try making a book report poster.   This family made a giant poster from the Kristen series!

-Make a Museum!
If this sounds like a bit of a stretch, it’s really not.  😀  Think of it as a mini-museum!
Here are some ideas on how to make your own history museum (not history specific, but you’ll get the idea)!   I have done this just with my kids, but also in a co-op.  SUPER fun!!  This would be a great project to work on throughout this unit study, adding all your hands-on projects, pictures from field trips, creative book reports, art, and even recipes you’ve made to the museum!  We hosted a night for friends and family to come learn all about what we had been studying.


* Find whatever outlet that excites your kids!

One video featured a girl showing how to create different period hairstyles on her AG doll for example !  Or perhaps you’d like to set up a scene to scale with your Kirsten doll & make a video to share like this one… Kirsten Larson’s Christmas Cabin   ( a bit longish, but you get the idea that it is a way to show what you’ve learned).


*LOTS of Hands-on Activities 

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this unit to see a list of some of the fun crafts, cooking activities, & other creative ideas!

Mad-Libs

*Language Arts/Grammar Ideas-

* You may choose to use your regular grammar curriculum, add just a few of the  ideas below  into the mix, or use all the ideas below.  Isn’t homeschooling wonderful sometimes?  🙂

*America’s Pioneers-   Kirsten Unit Study Vocabulary ideas-

*Choose any list of vocabulary you’d like to use for this unit.
I have included a brief list for each week from the core reading for younger students.

*This unit spends a bit of time learning about Kirsten’s native land, Sweden.   It might  be fun to find some words that are still used today that originated from Swedish.
Swedish words

Pioneer Alphabetizing Activity , Word search

 

*Kirsten’s World Vocabulary Lists From Core Reading:

*Week 1:
1.  immigrant       2. pioneer                   3. frontier
4. port                    5. merchants            6. reunited
7. idle                      8. settlers                   9. lye
10. flax


*Week 2:

1. bud                        2. birch                        3. livestock
4. bee (quilting)   5. courtship              6. Scandinavian
7. serenade           8. calico                      9. prairie
10. diagnose


*Week 3:

1. nationality          2. trappers                3. produce
4. Yankee                5. coward                  6. reservation (Indian)
7. conflict                8. captive                  9. surrender
10. ration


*Pioneer Unit Copy Work/Narration ideas
american girl unit study

*Week 1:

* This week’s Scripture verses-
Romans 5:3-4
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Hebrews 10:32-36
Hebrews 12:1-3
James 1:2-4

* It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Swedish !   Bible Gateway has the Swedish Bible in several versions.  You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.   You may also like to check out an English/Swedish dictionary for help!

* Listen to “Let It Go” from Frozen in Swedish with lyrics.  It is the first version on the video.  Fun to see if you can pick out any of the words….Then copy the chorus in Swedish maybe ?
Talk about what it must have been like for Kirsten to hear all the foreign languages upon arriving in America.   This was fun even if you just listen.  🙂

* Helen Keller Quotes
* Printable sheet of great quotes about persistence and perseverance  with lines to copy!
* Helen Keller Paper–  good to use for copy work or for note booking

 

american girl unit study week 3
*Week 2:

* This week’s Scripture verses-
Isaiah 30:18  and James 1: 17  (The best example of a Giver)
Psalm 37:21
Proverbs 11:25
1 Peter 4:10
Acts 20:35
1 John 3:17
1 Timothy 6:18-19

*It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Swedish !
Bible Gateway has the Swedish Bible in several versions.  You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.

* You could try copying a pioneer song such as
Oh, Shenandoah      + We’re Goin’ out West    + Sweet Betsy From Pike

*Did you try one of the cooking activities this week?
Copying recipes is a fantastic exercise.  There are all kinds of skills to be practiced!
You can copy one of the recipes from the lesson or you might like to try one of these:
Swedish Pepparkakor Ginger Cookies
Swedish Rice Pudding, Julgrot

*” The Lord is Good To Me ”  lyrics
* Johnny Appleseed Paper–  you could use this for copy work or for a note booking page

 

American Girl Unit Study Week 3
*Week 3:

* This week’s Scripture verses-
Proverbs 3:1-2
John 14:15
John 14:21
Colossians 3:20
1 John 2: 5-6

*It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Swedish !
Bible Gateway has the Swedish Bible in several versions.  You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.

* You might like to copy the poem “I Hear America Singing”  by Walt Whitman.

*Copy an excerpt from this Eyewitness to History account of the Great Land Rush  or a portion of the Homestead Act

* You might like to copy a part of Sojourner Truth’s famous speech “Ain’t I A Woman?”
or some of her inspirational quotes.


*Miscellaneous Copy Work Extras

* Nice covered wagon copy work printable (with lines)
* Pioneer draw & write printable

*Santa Lucia is a traditional holiday song…try copying a part in English or Swedish
(It’s a BEAUTIFUL song…here’s one version to listen to  HERE  )

*If you’d just like to hear some beautiful Swedish Christmas Carols while you work,
try these !


*Grammar ideas-

* Here’s a website of very short daily grammar reviews

Fun Grammar  offers interactive online games, and Education World has fun editing worksheets.

* You could also choose a sentence, or photocopy a page of the reading.
Depending on what skill you want to emphasize, have your child diagram a few sentences, or find all the verbs, nouns, etc…, or whatever grammar skill needs work.


*Writing Ideas-


* Week 1-

* Imagine you are a child who has just arrived in the United States.  Write a letter to your family or a friend “back home” in Sweden. You may chose to write about the trip across the sea or your first impressions when coming ashore in America.  Paint a picture with your words so that your friend/family can “see” what you see, “smell” what you smell, “hear” what your hear, and “feel” all the emotions that you may have felt during this amazing experience.


* Week 2-

* There are so many interesting characters both pioneers and those from the infamous “wild west”.  Choose your favorite person and write a short biography, a poem, a folk song, or a fact sheet to highlight this person’s role in history.


* Week 3-

* Though there were many friendships made between the Native Americans and the Pioneers, their encounters were not always friendly.  Think about the personal accounts you have read this week.  Try writing a journal entry, a poem, or a short story from the point of view of a Lakota child.



Heart Bible

*Bible: Great Christian “Pioneers” 

*Week 1:  Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan-  Perseverance
*Week 2:  Johnny Appleseed-  Generosity
*Week 3:  Sojourner Truth-  Obedience

*NOTE:
While most of these American Girl Unit Studies can (after review) be completed independently by older children, the Bible studies would be most enjoyed together !

american girl unit study

*Week 1:   Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan-
Perseverance & Patience

“While they were saying it couldn’t be done, it was done.”
   ~ Helen Keller

Life on the frontier was full of difficulty and seemingly impossible challenges.
One’s perspective on life and the determination to persevere through endless hardships could literally be a matter of life or death for the pioneers.   Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan both lived during this period of history and have been great examples of what can be accomplished through faith, patience, and perseverance !  


*Read!

“The Race”
(This poem would make a great introduction to the topic of perseverance and to the lives and achievements of Helen and Anne!)

Helen Keller’s Biography
Anne Sullivan’s Biography
* You may like to read some of Helen’s most inspirational quotes here.
Keep in mind the character traits of perseverance and patience as you read.
* Kids Bible Study on Perseverance from Kids of Integrity
* Perseverance…The Word of the Day !
(Need a little encouragement yourself Mama ?  Don’t Ever Give Up !!)


*Watch!

Helen Keller
( Animated Hero Classics)

Adventures from the Book of Virtues:  Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan
(A lesson on the virtue of patience!   This video is geared for younger kids,
but I enjoyed it too  🙂  )
* Adventures from the Book of Virtues:  Perseverance
The Miracle Worker
(There are several different versions of this movie.  Look on YouTube for one that you
like best.  So good!)

 

*Explore More!

*Helen Keller Mini-Unit from Garden of Praise
*Sign Language Mini Unit  (from Fields of Daisies)
(You could use one idea from this unit, or make this another part of your Kirsten Unit Study!   I have listed many resources, printables, stories, and activities to get children (of all ages…babies too!) started on learning basic American Sign Language !)

* Keep a journal of any quotes or inspiring thoughts you may read about during this study.
(Printable pages you can use for this are found in the companion Pioneer America Printable Power Pack!)

* Use the Sign Language Alphabet chart to spell words into each other’s hands.
Play a game to see who can guess the most words.
Did you find it difficult?
How do you think Helen felt as Anne tried to teach her to communicate in this way?
You can print a chart here  

* Try learning a bit of Braille … then try “writing” your name or another word in braille.
Braille Bug
Arthur:  You’ve Got Braille
Braille Printables –  LOTS and lots of them for any occasion!   🙂

* Family Bible Study on Perseverance from Thriving Family      
Perseverance Devotion and Patience Devotion from Garden of Praise    
* Perseverance and Patience Bible Study for kids from  Confessions of a Homeschooler

 

*What Does The Bible Say?

*Romans 5:3-4
*2 Timothy 4:7-8
*Hebrews 10:32-36
*Hebrews 12:1-3
*James 1:2-4


*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-

* What is perseverance ?  Define it in your own words!
* How did Helen and Anne show patience?
* In what ways did they persevere?
* Do you think that they ever wanted to give up?
* What helped them keep working hard to overcome the obstacles?
* Have you ever had to practice perseverance?
* Discuss some difficult things your child/family has faced and how they have persevered.
* What is one thing (at least) that Helen and Anne’s stories challenged you to persevere in?

* Read through some of the Scriptures above…
* What does the Bible say about perseverance?
* Do you think God knew we would face hard times in our lives?
Why or why not ?
* What has God given us to help us persevere?
* How can we have patience to not give up during the challenges we face?
* What can we do to “push through” the hard times in life and and find the energy
to keep on working toward our goals?

 

*Sing!

* “I Have Decided”


* Color!

* Helen Keller Notebooking Page

*Helen & Anne at the water pump coloring page

*Perseverance coloring page

*If you’d like a coloring page or printable activity to go along with any of the stories from the scriptures listed above, you can find them here: – http://www.calvarycurriculum.com/childrens-curriculum-ot.php



american girl unit study week 3

*Week 2:   John Chapman-  Generosity


*Read!

*John Chapman was a young man with a simple dream.  He wanted to share apples with people all over America.  He ended up sharing a whole lot more than apples along the way as he traveled among the pioneers and the Native Americans.  His knowledge of plants and nature, his kindness toward all people, and his great generosity became legendary.   Up to this very day people from all over the world have heard about his story and his simple message lived out in an extraordinary way.

* A lovely biography of John Chapman, published by Harper’s New Monthly Magazine in 1871.
* Introduction to Generosity
* Kids Bible Study on Generosity from Kids of Integrity

*Watch!

* Johnny Appleseed Video Biography from The Story of Liberty  
(This is a nicely narrated type of video…not animated)
* American Legends:  Johnny Appleseed    (about 9 minutes)
* Adventures from the Book of Virtues:  Generosity


*Explore More!

* “Johnny Appleseed”  mini unit from Garden of Praise
*EVERYTHING “Johnny Appleseed” from Free Homeschool  Deals
* Johnny Appleseed Lapbook
John Chapman printables 

*Make a list of some ways that you (or maybe your whole family) can intentionally be generous!  You won’t believe how much fun this is or how much JOY you will feel by being
kind to others!!  (There is a printable sheet in the Power Pack ! )
Need a few ideas ?
Ian McMillan–  YouTube clip from ABC News 
Rosie’s 21 Acts of Random Generosity
Video that will…    (I don’t know anything about the person who posted this video, but it is a lovely example of how each small act of kindness can have a ripple effect and make a real difference.  Watch all the way to the end!)

 

*What Does The Bible Say?
Isaiah 30:18   
James 1: 17
Psalm 37:21
Proverbs 11:25
1 Peter 4:10
Acts 20:35
1 John 3:17
1 Timothy 6:18-19


*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-

* John Chapman preached his message of the love of God best perhaps by his love for others.

-What is generosity?
-Name some actions that are generous.
-Can you think of a time in your life that someone has been generous to you?
-How did it make you feel?
Did the kindness shown to you make you want to go and do something kind in return for someone else?

*Many people laughed at John and thought he was quite strange.  Some people were even angry that John showed kinds to everybody, including the Native Americans who some people saw as enemies.
John didn’t let this stop him from continuing his work and his kind ways.
-What do you think motivated John to live such a different kind of life?
-Have you ever been afraid to show kindness to someone because of what other people’s reactions might be?

* Read this week’s Scriptures if you haven’t already.
You may also like to read through this short and FUN Bible lesson on Generosity.
There’s lots of activities and ideas and questions to talk about in your family or
in during a quiet time all by yourself.

-What does God have to tell us about generosity in His Word?
-What were some of the ways you’ve read about in the Scriptures above to
show generosity?
-Who does God tell us to show kindness toward?
-In what ways  did “Johnny” show this kind of generosity ?
-What lessons can you learn from Johnny Appleseed?
-Did anything inspire you to show generosity in a creative new way?

* Sing!
* Learn the “Johnny Appleseed Song”  (“The Lord’s Been Good To Me)
Hands & Feet


*Color!

* Johnny Appleseed Notebooking
(These are really nice pages…not cartoonish)
Johnny Appleseed Paper–  you could use this for copy work or for a note booking page
* Johnny Appleseed Coloring Page
* John Chapman Coloring Page  (Hidden Picture)
*Generosity Coloring Page

 


American Girl Unit Study Week 3


*Week 3: Sojourner Truth-  Obedience


“Lord, I have done my duty, I have told the whole truth  and held nothing back.”
~Sojourner Truth

“The Lord gave me ‘Sojourner,’ because I was to travel up an’ down the land, showin’ the people their sins an’ bein’ a sign unto them. Afterwards, I told the Lord I wanted another name ’cause everybody else had two names, and the Lord gave me ‘Truth,’ because I was to declare the truth to people.”
~Sojourner Truth


*Read!

* What is Obedience?
* Sojourner Truth mini-unit study from Garden of Praise
* Sojourner Truth – biography
* Biography from PBS
* Bible Study on Obedience from Kids of Integrity
* Bible Study on Obedience from Confessions of a Homeschooler
(Really nice week long study-  check out this site for other similar Bible studies for kids
& lots more!)

*Watch!

* Sojourner Truth Video Biography from The Story of Liberty  (about 5 minutes)
* Alice Walker reads “Ain’t I a Woman” –  YouTube  about 3 minutes

*Explore More!

* Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” Speech and discussion questions
* Activity for “Ain’t I a Woman Speech”  from Scholastic


*Related Scriptures for Further Reading-

-Proverbs 3:1-2
John 14:15
John 14:21
Colossians 3:20
1 John 2:5-6


*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-

-What do the following words mean?  You can define them in your own words!
+sojourner     +truth (also John 17:17)     +obedience

*Sojourner Truth couldn’t read.  Sojourner Truth couldn’t write.  And she was a slave.
She had only a few possessions and endured incredible hardships.
Yet as she lived out all her days, she had spoken in Universities, dined with some of the most famous people of her day, and even met the President !
-What happened that made Isabella Baumfree change her name to “Sojourner Truth”?
-What are some of the achievements she had in her life that really stuck out to you?
Why?

*Sojourner had a very personal experience with God and continued to want to know Him her whole life.   Think about Sojourner’s close friendship with God.
-How do you think her friendship with God helped her to accomplish so many amazing things?
-What kinds of ways did Sojourner honor God?

*Spend some time just being quiet with God yourself.  
You could just sit silently, you could pray, or you could slowly read some of this week’s Scriptures.
-Does any thing come to mind that might be a way for YOU to be obedient to God’s direction for your own life?
(You could also use the printable “Truth” journal sheet for this activity in the Printable Power Pack.)

*Sojourner Truth tried hard to listen to God.  
When she believed she knew what He wanted her to say or do, she did it.  She lived to be obedient to the Lord.  Near the end of her life, she said she would like to be able to say, “Lord, I have done my duty, I have told the whole truth  and held nothing back.”
-Have you ever known that God wanted you to say or to do something?
-Were you obedient?  Why or why not?
-What happened?


*Sing!

* “Lord, I Done Done What You Told Me to Do “
* “I Will Follow”


*Color!

* Sojourner Truth Coloring Page
* Sojourner quote page header
* Sojourner Truth Coloring Page 2
* Obedience Coloring Page

*If you’d like a coloring page or printable activity to go along with any of the stories above, you can find them here:
– http://www.calvarycurriculum.com/childrens-curriculum-ot.php


 

Frog in Pond

 

*Science Ideas for Pioneer Unit:

*Week 1:  Using a Compass & Orienteering
*Week 2:  Simple Machines & Inventions
*Week 3:  Great Inventors of the 1800’s

 

The number 1

*Week 1:  Using a Compass & Orienteering

* Kirsten came far across the sea to the shores of America, and then far across the land to find her home in Minnesota.  How did the ship’s captain know which way he was heading in the middle of the ocean or where to find the harbor in New York?   How did the settlers find their way across the great plains and over mountains?  The compass of course !
What is a compass?  Who invented the compass?
Why do I need one?  How do I use one ?

+ Read!

Who Invented the Compass and How Does It Work ?  from Explain That Stuff !
Compass 101 –  YouTube  (3 minutes)
All About Compasses from Compass Dude


+ Discover & Do!

* How to make a simple compass from Easy Fun School
*
DIY Make a Simple Wet or Dry Compass from Science With Kids
* Compass belonging to Lewis & Clark, circa 1804
* Finding Directions Using a Compass Lesson Plan & Activities

* Orienteering is a very popular sport in Sweden.  This would be a super fun idea to try along with this week’s lesson on using a compass.  This site has LOTS of ideas for different types of orienteering activities for people of all ages, from toddlers all the way up !  Have fun !!lesson on using a compass.  This site has LOTS of ideas for different types of orienteering activities for people of all ages, from toddlers all the way up !  Have fun !!
A few more sites just in case you like this activity-

– Orienteering Activities for younger kids
 Learning Orienteering from the beginning
– Orienteering Activities for all ages and also Geocaching  (which uses a gps instead of a compass)

* More Compass related games to play online !  Have FUN!
* 3 Active Compass Games


+ Color!

* Compass Rose
* Compass Mapping Printables
* Mariner Compass
* Compass Roses  from Willow Draws

 


*Week 2:  Simple Machines  & Inventions

*The 1800’s were a-buzz with exciting happenings!
People in young America were exploring, and inventing, and pushing the borders of all they knew.  Did you know that the sewing machine, the bicycle, the steam engine, the washing machine, the first postage stamp, staplers, calculators, matches, safety pins, typewriters, microphones, batteries, photographs, zippers, straws, and toilet paper were ALL invented during this time?   And in 1898, the very first roller coaster was patented.  🙂
Phew!   What an exciting time to be alive !
This week’s science ideas (Simple Machines), go along with next week’s lessons (Great Inventors of the 1800’s).
You might like to switch the order !

+ Read!

*Simple Machines
*Simple Machines & Inventions Unit!   This is so much fun !!
Includes videos, experiments, and lots of links to more reading…you won’t be bored.  🙂
from Fun, Hands On Unit Studies 
–  Inclined Planes and Wedges
–  Levers and Screws
–  Wheels and Axels
–  Gears and Pulleys
–  Inventions and Rube Goldberg Machines

* Who is Rube Goldberg and what were his machines ?
(scroll down to see MythBuster related video !)

* Did you know that inspiration for an invention can come from the simplest daily activities?
Can you guess what invention came about after a walk around the block ?
Find out here.
Teacher’s guide is here.   (includes printables)


+ Discover & Do!

EXPLORE Simple Machines    (DK FindOut!)
What Is A Machine?    (Video)
Simple Machines    (Video)
The Simple Machines Song
I Spy Simple Machines Printable
(Scroll down to the bottom to download the printable)
Make a Simple CANDY Machine!!
Build A Snack Machine!
Simple Machines Mini Book
Rube Goldberg Machines for Kids   (Sesame Street style 🙂  )
-Try at designing a Rube Goldberg Machine yourself !!
-Sid the Science Kid Shorts-
Sid’s Amazing Invention
The Tree House
The Broken Wheel

 

+ Color!

Inclined Plane and Wedges
Levers and Screws
Wheels and Axels
Gears & Pulleys
Rube Goldberg’s Machine  from Education.com

 

 


*Week 3:  Great Inventors of the 1800’s


+ Read!

* Mini-Units of Great Inventors from  Garden of Praise
(Be sure to keep scrolling down for activities, videos, coloring pages, projects, and further reading.  You could spend weeks on these ! )
 – Alexander Graham Bell
Cyrus McCormick
Thomas Edison
The Wright Brothers
Henry Ford
Nikola Tesla

* Stories of Great Inventors by Hattie Macomber  from Project Gutenberg
(This story is written in a very entertaining and conversational manner, much like Hillyer’s
‘A Child’s History of the World’.  
Nice black and white drawings.  Give it a try… it isn’t boring either.)



+ Discover & Do!

*Enjoy these videos with the Inventor Units above!
Alexander Graham Bell  (Nest Video- 24 minutes)
Cyrus McCormick   (about 2 minutes)
Thomas Edison   (Nest Video- 24 minutes)
The Wright Brothers  (Nest Video- 26 minutes)
Henry Ford   (about 3 minutes)
Nikola Tesla   (Brain Pop movie free-  about 7 minutes)

+ Color!

– Some Notebooking Pages for Great Inventors from Homeschool Share
  You can find coloring pages for the above inventors by clicking on each unit and scrolling down.

– There are coloring pages included in each of the above mini-units as well.   🙂

 



 I Want to See the World

*Geography Ideas- Pioneer Unit Study*

*Week 1:  Sweden
*Week 2:  Across America:  The Prairie
*Week 3:  Minnesota

 

american girl unit study
*Week 1:  Sweden


+ Read!

* Sweden from National Geographic Kids
*
Sweden Mini-Unit from Our Cup of Tea     (This is a lovely blog ! I love finding these!)
* Around the World in 12 Dishes- Activities, Recipes, and Books About Sweden
from The Educator’s Spin on It     
* Sweden Facts for Kids
* Sweden Virtual Video Tour   (YouTube-  about 6 minutes)
* Country Study


+ Map It!

Sweden Map:  Labeling Activity
The Geography of Sweden
(After reading through this page, print out one of the blank maps of Sweden.
Try labeling the major bodies of water or other geographic highlights of Sweden…You may also like to print out a world map (or at least a map showing Europe and North America.  Label Kirsten’s journey from her home in Ryd, Sweden to America… and from New York Harbor to Minnesota…see pages 1-11,  in ‘Welcome To Kirsten’s World 1854.)
Interactive map of Sweden


+Explore More!

* Swedish Flag coloring page
* Lots of activities to learn about Sweden including many to learn a little of the language from Enchanted Learning. 

* Country & Cultures Notebooking Printables from  Guest Hollow

* Short Stories about Sweden to read together:
Our Little Swedish Cousin‘ by Claire Coburn
Little Erik of Sweden‘ by Madeline Brandeis
Peeps at Many Lands- Sweden‘ by Mrs. Liddle and William Liddle

+ Start a diorama.
You may like to create several, one for each week’s theme, or just add on each week to make one larger diorama.  I have included lots of links to coloring pages & paper dolls that would be good to use.  

 


american girl unit study week 3

*Week 2:  Across America:  The Prairie

 

+ Read!
* Ecosystems and Biomes
(You might want to start with these short video clips about what an ecosystem is and what a biome is… not specifically about prairies, but a good starting point.  Excuse the whiny girl character-  Eeks!)

* Minnesota’s Biomes  (a brief intro)

*Wild Kratt’s Mystery on the Prairie  (about 27 minutes)

*  From the National Parks Service, short intros to Prairies
All About Prairies
– Minnesota Prairies
Plants of the Tallgrass Prairie
(Click on each one to see colored photos and a brief description!)
Oak Savanna

* Explore the Prairie !
(Interactive site from Camp Silos)

American Serengeti  
(45 minute video about the American Prairie by National Geographic…if you didn’t watch this during week 1)

* North American Prairies

+ Map It!
* Print out a blank map of the United States here.
–  Label Minnesota ;  outline it in a dark color
–  Label the state in which you live
–  Label the 3 types of prairies (or grasslands) found in America
(Here is some help from the National Parks Service… Grasslands and Prairies
of North America)

*Activities-  Biomes of Minnesota   (look for the printable pdf)

 


+ Explore More!

* Biomes- Prairies  from Enchanted Learning
( A brief intro to the topic and LOTS of links to different animals common to the prairie lands of North America)

* Read about some of the wildflowers and grasses that grow in the Minnesota prairie here.
Try planting your own little prairie where you live.

* Want to study more?
The Young Naturalist’s Stories and Teacher’s Guides are an EXCELLENT resource !
Each topic includes a short story with nice sketches and a teacher’s guide with questions and links to other resources for further study!  You could spend months on these mini-lessons!

* Add items studied this week to your diorama…
OR you may like to make a separate diorama this week of a prairie habitat
OR you may like to make a collage of what you might find on the Minnesota Prairies.

 


American Girl Unit Study Week 3

*Week 3:  Minnesota

+ Read!

* State of Minnesota from the History Channel
(Nice, funny, short intro to the state of Minnesota…YouTube about 8 minutes)

* Minnesota Unit Study from Easy Fun School  
(Lots of ideas for fun activities including projects, recipes, and crafts!)

* All About Minnesota

+Map It!

* Watch this short tutorial on reading a map by the National Parks Service – http://www.nps.gov/webrangers/activities/readingmap/

* Minnesota maps and other printable activities from Enchanted Learning

* Mapping Lesson Plans for the state of Minnesota  from
Minnesota Department of Agriculture

* Minnesota Road Trip !
(Here’s a fun alternative way to study the state!)

 

+ Explore More!

* Links to Everything Minnesota !

* Minnesota Coloring Book  (printable)

* FREE State Notebooking Pages from The Notebooking Nook  

* FREE State Lapbooking Pages from Homeschool Helper Online
(Be sure to scroll down to see the LONG list of printables !) 

* Minnesota Animals
– Learn about 10 common animals in Minnesota and the actual size prints they make.
Do you have any of these same animals in the state where you live ?

* Minnesota State Interactive Quiz

* Minnesota Coloring Page

*Add to & finish up your diorama (It might be fun this week to add some of the major landmarks or landforms that  we have studied this week to your diorama….)

 


IMG_4080

*ART- Carl Larsson!

* This would be a good unit to study the Swedish artist Carl Larsson.
His paintings are bright, lovely, and happy.   I think you and your children would enjoy his work, if only just to click through some of his pieces.  🙂

– Lesson plans for a simple study of Carl Larsson
– Brief biography
– Scroll through a beautiful slideshow of Larsson’s paintings
– Links to lovely photos of many of Larsson’s works
– Larsson’s Wikipedia page  and  WikiArt page

– Making Art Fun – a show what you know kind of printable

– Some more artist study ideas to use from my favorite Kitchen Table Classroom!
– Worksheet on How to Analyze a Artwork


*Misc. Recipes, Crafts, Activities, and other Fun Stuff

* Recipe for St. Lucia Buns 
* Recipe for Swedish Rice Porridge 
*AG Kirsten event planner…games, printables & some ideas for related activities

*Little House on the Prairie  is a super site with loads of activities, crafts, history, stories, recipes and more.  All set in this time period!

*Dala Horse craft
* Other fun Swedish crafts & cooks for kids  🙂
*Make a yarn doll from Little House Living  
*Make a Native American Talking Stick

*Ojibwe Lessons….arts & crafts, science, literature, math, etc…


*Remember these unit studies are designed so that your family can enjoy them for FREE anywhere there is internet access ! There are so many wonderful books that you could add to these studies, please by all means use as many as you have access to.  You could easily stretch these units out for 6 weeks or even 9 weeks by adding some great historical fiction!  :)

Also, check out my  Kirsten:  Pioneer America and Kirsten’s Christmas Pinterest Boards,  and look for some great supplementary books for each of the unit studies HERE  
OR 
you can check my Pinterest “EXTRAS” boards for each unit and HERE.

If you decide to purchase any of these extra books, I would appreciate it greatly if you could click directly from my links.  Amazon will pay me a small commission for it, and it will NOT cost you anything additional.  Thanks for your support!

 

***Hope you have enjoyed the Kirsten Unit Study !
Follow along as we learn all about Civil War America,  Addy’s Unit Study!  ***

Civil War Unit Study American Girl Addy

 

please donate share love

This unit took me about 6 months to create, and I’m SUPER excited to share it!
If you have been blessed by these FREE unit studies, would you share some love and help me keep offering them to other homeschooling families for free?   Many thanks friends!


*Other FREE American Girl History Units from Fields of Daisies~

 

*Overview of All American Girl Unit Studies
(An outline of the scope and sequence covered in each of the AG Units)

*FREE Native America Unit Study-  AG Kaya
+Kaya Printable Power Pack  (Free!)
+
Native America (Kaya) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Kaya Native America Pinterest Board

*FREE Colonial America Unit Study – AG Felicity
+Felicity Printable Power Pack
+Colonial America  (Felicity) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+A Colonial America Christmas-  Hands-On History  (Free)
+A Colonial America Christmas-  Printable Power Pack
+Felicity- Colonial America Pinterest Board
+Colonial America (Felicity) Christmas Pinterest Board

*FREE Southwest Frontier America Unit Study – AG Josefina
+Josefina Printable Power Pack
+Southwest Frontier  (Josefina) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+Christmas Southwestern Frontier- Hands-On History  (Free)
+Josefina- Frontier America Pinterest Board
+Southwestern Frontier (Josefina) Christmas Pinterest Board

*FREE Pioneer America Unit Study – AG Kirsten
+Kirsten Printable Power Pack
+Pioneer America (Kirsten) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Kirsten-  Pioneer America Pinterest Board
+Pioneer America (Kirsten) Christmas Pinterest Board

*FREE Civil War America Unit Study – AG Addy
+Addy Printable Power Pack
+Civil War (Addy) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+Addy- Civil War America Pinterest Board
+Civil War (Addy) Christmas Pinterest Board

*FREE 1900 Turn of the Century America Unit Study – AG Samantha
+Samantha Printable Power Pack   (My FAVORITE yet!!!)
+Turn of the Century (Samantha) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+Samantha-  Turn of the Century Pinterest Board
+Turn of the Century (Samantha) Christmas Pinterest Board

*FREE The Great Depression Unit Study-  AG Kit
+The Great Depression (Kit) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+Kit Printable Power Pack
+Kit- The Great Depression Pinterest Board

*FREE World War 2 Unit Study-  AG Molly
+World War 2 (Molly) Unit Study-  PDF Version
+Molly Printable Power Pack
+Molly- World War 2 Pinterest Board

 

girl christmas holiday homeschooling
*American Girl Christmas School-  Homeschooling Through the Holidays

–> Check out all the American Girl Printables in the Book Store!

If you loved this Unit Study, check out the Printable Power Packs and the live PDF Versions of the American Girl History Units all in a neat BUNDLE!
And nicely DISCOUNTED of course!

american girl unit studies fields of daisies    American History American Girl PDF Versions Bundle


 

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