Josefina Unit Study- America’s Southwest Frontier 1824
Welcome to the Frontier !
America’s Southwest Frontier Unit Study
(American Girl Josefina)
Discover the wild and colorful Southwestern American Frontier of 1824!
Celebrate life on Josefina’s rancho. Hear the mariachis, dance with friends, and taste the cinnamon sweetness of freshly baked biscochos! Plot your path and follow the wagon trains on the Santa Fe Trail.
Watch for outlaws!
Welcome to Josefina’s World!
This Unit Study is written with daily lessons for a 3-week plan, BUT you are learning however best fits YOUR family! My own children were super interested in some of these time periods, and only just a little interested in others. Follow their curiosity (and your own too!) and take the time to smell the roses… or biscochos!!
These American Girl Units are quite easy to adjust… for example, if you have younger kiddos and you are just wanting to touch on these time periods this year, you might just highlight what parts you’d like to cover each day, and zip through quickly… OR… if you have some older children, or children that are extra excited to learn about life on the Santa Fe Trail and the wild frontier in greater detail, you’ll probably want to use most of the suggested resources, and that would easily stretch this unit out for several months or more. You can add in or take out the hands-on projects… go on ALLLL the field trips, or none… read TONS of the read alouds and suggested historical fiction, or just pick one that looks most interesting to you!
ONE MORE REASON why homeschooling (and FREE curriculum) is AWESOME!
+If this is the first AG American History Unit you’ve tried, you can check out what you’ll find in each FREE Unit Study in the following post-
Overview FREE American Girl History Units .
Here’s a quick outline of what’s covered in this unit-
*History:
Week 1- America’s Southwestern Frontier
Week 2- A Day on the Frontier
Week 3- Life on the Trail
*Bible:
Week 1- Worship- Remembering God
Week 2- Worship- Celebrating God
Week 3- Worship- God and The Beauty of the Earth
*Science:
Week 1- Wild Weather!
Week 2- Natural Beauty
Week 3- Flowers of the Southwest
*Geography:
Week 1- New Mexico
Week 2- The People & National Parks of New Mexico
Week 3- Exploring the Trails
*Art: Georgia O’Keeffe
*Q & A’s For The Free American Girl History Unit Studies-
Do you have some questions about this series of Free History Unit Studies?
+WHAT do you need to buy for these units?
+ARE these unit studies all really FREE?
+WHERE do I find these American Girl Books?
–> Some of these books can be crazy expensive on Amazon, so if you’re having trouble finding them, there’s a list of places you can look in the first post in this series listed below~
+HOW do I use these unit studies?
+CAN I really teach these lesson to my children TOGETHER?
+WHAT is a History Timeline Binder?
*You can read the answers to these questions, along with lots of helpful tips, in the first post in the series:
Native American History: American Girl Kaya Unit Study
*Helpful Resources For America’s Southwestern Frontier Unit Study:
+Below are a few companion resources that I’ve created especially to go along with this Unit.
*Printable PDF Version
Over 100 pages. The complete unit study (with live links), planners, note pages, week at a glance pages, and lots more! And, NO ads! Just print & go!
*America’s Southwest Frontier (Josefina) Printable Pack
269 Printable Pages.
Planning Sheets for each week, teaching tips, Field Trip Ideas, themed copy work pages,
Vocabulary Crossword Puzzles & Bingo Games, themed creative writing organizers, Artist Study, History Detective Pages, and LOTS more !
–>???What’s The Difference Between The PDF Version and The Printable POWER Pack???
Click the link above for a full video explanation!
*America’s Southwestern Frontier Book List
My favorite historical fiction and non-fiction books, family movies,
hands-on activity books, craft kits, cookbooks, SCIENCE books, and more
that will make this whole era come ALIVE!
–>NEW !!!
* A Southwestern Frontier Christmas
If you’re studying this unit during the holidays, or if your family LOVES hands-on projects, I just hit publish on ‘ , the second post in the Hands-On History Christmas series!
*ALL the America’s Southwest Frontier- AG Josefina Resources… SO FAR!!
*FREE Southwest Frontier America Unit Study – AG Josefina
+Josefina Printable Power Pack
+Southwest Frontier (Josefina) Unit Study- PDF Version
+America’s Southwest Frontier (Josefina) Books & Resources List
+Christmas Southwestern Frontier- Hands-On History (Free)
+Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Christmas POWER Pack
+Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Christmas PDF Version
+Josefina- Frontier America Pinterest Board
+Southwestern Frontier (Josefina) Christmas Pinterest Board
*FREE Early American History Curriculum
If you are stretching this unit out, or if you are also teaching older students, you may also like to check out the ideas in this Early American History Curriculum I wrote.
And lastly, there are also TONS of FREE related activities that I have pinned on the Josefina:Southwestern Frontier board and Josefina’s Christmas board for holiday ideas with this theme.
Definitely check out the TOP 10 HISTORY HELPS series for even more ideas!
There are ideas for every type of learner and every age student!
+Top 10 History PODCASTS
+Top 10 History SONGS
+Top 10 History TIMELINES
+Top 10 History AUDIOBOOKS
+Top 10 History MOVIES
+Top 10 History BOOKS (Seriously the ULTIMATE history book list!!)
+Top 10 History GAMES
+Top 10 HANDS-ON History Projects
+Top 10 History PRINTABLES
+Top 10 History FIELD TRIPS
And a bonus…
+Top 10 History for the HOLIDAYS
I am in no way affiliated with, or compensated by the American Girl Company.
There are however links in this unit for some of the suggested books. They will take you directly to Amazon. And, as an Amazon affiliate, I receive a small commission from any purchases that you may make. There is no extra charge to you whatsoever. Thank you for helping support my work in this way 🙂
* America’s Southwest Frontier Unit Study*
*Basic Outline and Core Reading For Whole Unit-
*Core reading:
– Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824
– American Girl Josefina Series
*Week 1: America’s Southwest Frontier
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Meet Josefina (p. 1 )
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s World (p. 2-5)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- The Frontier Village (p. 8-9; 32-33)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Daily Life (p. 10-11; 28-29)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s Family (p. 16-21)
*Week 2: A Day With Josefina
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Southwestern Style & Beauty (p. 22-25)
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Medicine & Health (p. 26-27)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Southwestern Art & Music ( p. 13- inset)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s Faith (p. 12-15)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Food & Fiestas! (p. 34-35)
*Week 3: Life on the Trail
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Friends & Neighbors (p. 36-39)
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- El Camino Real (p. 40-45)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- The Santa Fe Trail (p. 48-49; 54-55)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Life on the Trail (p. 50-53)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina- Becoming “American” (p. 56-58)
The spine for this unit is Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824 , however you still can do this unit without the book!
I have also included 3 of the chapter books in the Josefina series for extra reading, but they are NOT required and none of the activities rely on them. 🙂
They are really good though and add to the fun!
If your family enjoys listening to audiobooks, there is a new series of Historical American Girl Josefina Audiobook versions on Amazon.
So now… LET’S EXPLORE THE FRONTIER !!
*Daily Lesson Plans- Read It…Watch It…Explore It…Try It! Week By Week*
*Week 1: Josefina & America’s Southwestern Frontier
*Important 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!
* American Girl Josefina Series, Book 1, “Meet Josefina”
(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.)
*Week 1- Core Reading
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Meet Josefina (p. 1 )
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s World (p. 2-5)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- The Frontier Village (p. 8-9; 32-33)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Daily Life (p. 10-11; 28-29)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s Family (p. 16-21)
+Day 1: Meet Josefina Montoya
*Core Reading:
–“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 1
-“Meet Josefina”
(Book 1 in the series- choose how much to read each day.)
+Read!
–Meet Josefina and Her Family
–All About Josefina Montoya
+Where did Josefina live? –>We’ll be learning lots more about New Mexico later in this unit!
–Take a Tour of a Rancho With Josefina!
–America’s Southwest
–Josefina’s New Mexico
–How Nueva España Became New Mexico
(This history is from a walk through of a New Mexico Museum, but has a very simple, but complete history)
+Watch This!
– American Girl video introducing Josefina Montoya & Her Family
– Interview With Josefina
– Inspector Gadget’s Field Trips- American Southwest
– America’s Southwest
– Where is New Mexico?
+Explore It More!
-Free Printable Josefina Lap Book
– American Girl Josefina Games & Activities
– Meet Josefina Wordfind
(You’ll find this on page 3 )
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Josefina Coloring Page
– Meet Josefina Lapbook
– Southwestern America Family Coloring Page
– Regions of the United States
– Southwestern States Map Coloring Page
*If you purchased the America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
–All About Josefina Montoya
-Árbol Genealógico
-Timeline
+Day 2: Josefina’s World- Search for Cities of Gold & The NEW Mexico
*Core Reading:
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 2-5
-“Meet Josefina”
+Read!
*The Spanish Southwest
(We will talk lots about the Native Peoples of the Southwest later in this lesson!)
– Spanish New Mexico
– What Is “New” Mexico?
– Introduction to New Mexico History
–A Brief History of the American Southwest For Kids
(This is a series of podcasts. You may like to listen to one or all of the podcasts in this series. There are a few questionable bits of information presented, so PLEASE preview!)
–Coronado and the 5 Cities of Cibolo
(Be sure to scroll down for a lesson and fun activities!)
– Who Was Francisco Vázquez de Coronado ?
– Biography of Coronado
(This is a longer and more complete introduction for your older students)
– Coronado & His Quest For The City of Gold
– A brief introduction to the Spanish Settlement of New Mexico
+Watch This!
– Who Was Coronado?
(Short video about Coronado…. about 4 minutes)
– Quick History of New Mexico
(And I do mean QUICK! You may want to slow down the speed on this video 😀 )
–New Mexico: How Did Spain Take Over New Mexico?
–Setting Up Josefina’s House
+Explore It More!
–Explore the History of New Mexico (Printable)
-Free Printable Josefina Lap Book
–Learn More About Josefina
– American Girl Josefina Conversation Starter
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Coronado Coloring Page
–Josefina and Her Goat Coloring Page
– El Rancho de las Golondrinas Booklet
(This is a printable from a living history museum which is located very near the setting of Josefina’s home! It is geared toward an ACTUAL visit to the museum, but you could explore the museum online and the Virtual Tour Booklet below, and still learn lots from this printable I think!)
–Virtual Tour Booklet of Las Golandrinas Living History Museum
– Gold! Coloring Page
* America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– History Detective- Who Was Fransisco Vasquez de Coronado?
+Day 3: Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Village
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 8-9; 32-33
-“Meet Josefina”
+Read!
– What Is Adobe?
–The Architecture of New Mexico
–Pueblo- People or Place?
–What Is a Pueblo?
–Josefina’s Trip To El Rancho de Las Golondrinas
–Taos Pueblo
–The Acoma Pueblo
–La Mesilla, New Mexico
(Short History of a typical small Southwestern New Mexico pueblo on the El Camino Real Trail)
+Watch This!
–Villa de Albuquerque
(This video is about 50 minutes and covers most of this week’s topics!)
–What Are Adobe Houses?
–What Is Adobe?
-Take a Virtual Tour of El Rancho de Las Golondrinas
–Moments In Time- Santa Fe
(This video might not be very interesting to younger children, but the real photos from early 1800’s Santa Fe are perfect to show what Josefina’s world would have looked like!)
–The Pueblo
–Taos Pueblo
-Take a Virtual Field Trip to Kit Carson’s Home in Taos, New Mexico
–Virtual Tour of The Palace of the Governor’s
(This is the OLDEST inhabited building in the United States! Can you imagine Josefina walking by this building on her way to shop in the market?)
+Explore It More!
-Interactive game – Josefina’s Village!
–Draw a Southwestern Pueblo
– Explore Ancient and Modern Pueblos!
-Colonial New Mexico Building and Art
(This page loads SLOW, but hang in there! Be sure to scroll down to the pictures at the bottom of the page. ” Click onto any image and you will be directed to its Art and Activities Page where you will see a full image of the artwork and a short biography of the artist”.)
–Build an Adobe Dwelling Diorama!
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–New Mexico Architecture Coloring Page
– Taos Pueblo Coloring Page
– Pueblo Coloring Page
* It might be fun to make a diorama of a typical village. Here are a few examples to spark your creativity !
– Pueblo Diorama
– Southwestern Frontier Diorama
(scroll down to see how they made their diorama)
* America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– Diorama Template and Clip Art pages
– Josefina Paper Doll
+Day 4: Daily Life On The Southwestern Frontier
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 10-11; 28-29
-“Meet Josefina”
+Read!
–Daily Life on the Frontier
–Josefina Takes a Field Trip
–Colonial/Mexican New Mexico
(Complete lesson through the historical Casa San Ysidro site. Scroll down a bit & you will find a nice overview of daily life, including some pictures and activities.)
– Daily Life In An Early New Mexican Town
–Daily Life of Native Americans of the Southwest
(Loads SLOW, but worth it! This is a very complete PDF- pages 26-43 and 80-81 give lots of information on Daily Life)
– Life during Spanish settlement of New Mexico
*Daily Work-
–Churro Sheep!
–Weaving
–Raising Turkeys ?!
–Growing Maize
–Milling
–What Is An Horno?
–Cooking In El Horno
–Drying Food
–What Are Ristras?
–Hide Tanning
+Watch This!
-A video field trip to Rancho de las Golondrinas
–School in 1800’s New Mexico
(This lesson/video has more of an emphasis on Westward Expansion, but still fits in nicely with this unit)
–Colonial New Mexico Through Art!
–Still Weaving!
–Fur Trade!
–Villa de Albuquerque **If you didn’t watch this yesterday!
(This video is about 50 minutes and covers all of today’s topics!)
+Explore It More!
–Daily Life on the Rancho
–Daily Life in the Town
– Historical GAMES from New Mexico !
(There is a video, and 5 different games and activities to do !)
*In every time and culture, cooking is part of daily life.
-Read or cook some of Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Recipes!
–All About Sheep
–Making Yucca Soap?
–Harvest Time!
–Lockdown in Lincoln, New Mexico
(Several fun activities and a video background)
–Fun and Games- DICE!
(This site opens slow!)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Navajo Churro Sheep Coloring Page
– Southwestern Woven Blankets
– Making Tortillas Coloring Page
– Gathering Flowers Coloring Page
– Boy Making a Toy Coloring Page
– Little Girl With Her Chickens Coloring Page
+Day 5: Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Family
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 16-21
-“Meet Kaya”
+Read!
– Life story of Minnie Fargier
– Story of the Maxwell family
– The Story of Los Luceros and It’s Family
(Scroll to download a lesson and also to see the powerpoint images)
– Hispanic Culture in New Mexico
(Scroll down a bit to read more about family traditions)
* Special days for families
–Feliz Cumpleaños!
–What A Traditional Mexican Birthday Is Like
(Not necessarily for NEW Mexico, but you can get an idea of the Latino culture)
–Quinceañeras
–What Is a Quinceañera?
– A New Mexico Wedding
(A pumpkin on the porch? A wheelbarrow ride? Read or LISTEN to this short history of a traditional New Mexican wedding!)
– A Frontier Wedding
+Watch This!
–Familia!
–The Heart of Mi Familia (Read Aloud)
–What is a Quinceneara?
–Las Mañanitas!
(Here are the Lyrics to ‘Las Mañanitas’ so you can follow along!)
–Feliz Cumpleaños!
(A traditional Mexican birthday, but it gives a great idea of what a traditional hispanic birthday is like!)
–La Piñata
(Piñatas are part of lots of hispanic traditions for families. Learn this song and sing along!)
+Explore It More!
–Loteria
(Try playing this family game together! You can also purchase this * Loteria Game *)
-Play along to this Learn Family In Spanish Game
–Spanish Family Words Word Search
-Play this Whack-a-mole Game to learn Spanish family words
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–Fiesta Coloring Page
– Family Dinner Coloring Page
– Fiesta! Coloring Page
– Piñata Coloring Page
– Hispanic Girl Dress Coloring Page
– Feliz Cumpleaños Coloring Page
– Ready for Dancing Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– La Familia
*Week 1- Southwestern Frontier Hands-On History Activities!*
At the end of each week’s daily lesson plans, you will find a few suggestions for hands-on history projects and activities related to the week’s focus.
You can totally skip these, do all of them, or pick a few! You can do them scattered throughout this unit, or take one whole PROJECT DAY to work on the ideas you’ve chosen! Have fun making the history you’ve study come to life!
-Josefina loves flowers! Make your own Folding Flower Box!
-Make some Paper Flowers to decorate your box, table, or your room!
-Print out this outline Map of New Mexico
+Use it as a form to make a Salt Dough Map
+Use it to add places we’ve studied throughout this whole unit
–Make Your Own Adobe Village
-How to make an Adobe Brick Mold and make your own bricks!
-Try making your own Corn Husk Doll
-Try making your own Hula Hoop Woven Rug! Looks really fun
– How to Build and Weave on a Cardboard Loom
-Try making a mini-pinta just to celebrate YOUR Family!
-Read about Ristras.
+Try drying food for snacks yourselves!
*Week 2: A Day With Josefina
*American Girl Josefina Series, Book 2, “Josefina Learns A Lesson
*Week 2: A Day With Josefina
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Southwestern Style & Beauty (p. 22-25)
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Medicine & Health (p. 26-27)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Southwestern Art & Music ( p. 13- inset)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina’s Faith (p. 12-15)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Food & Fiestas! (p. 34-35)
*Day 1- Southwestern Frontier Fashion & Beauty
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 22-25
-“Josefina Learns A Lesson ”
+Read!
*Lots of different peoples made their home in New Mexico!
Native Americans, Spanish settlers, and all kinds of “cowboys” coming through on the trails west made Santa Fe and the rest of the Southwest a very diverse culture! The traditions, languages, foods, and even the clothing of these folks were very different!
–Children’s Clothes on the Frontier- 1800’s
–Native American Clothing
–Southwestern Native American Clothing
(Scroll to pages 52-56 to read about this topic! You could also elect to print these 4 pages since this is a long (but really good!!) PDF )
-Photos of Southwestern Native American Tribes Clothing from the 1800s.
– Mexican Heritage Clothing
(This is a fantastic site with all kinds of interactive information and activities!!)
– What is a Tegua?
(The one piece of clothing most all New Mexicans wore!)
–What is a Robozo?
– Cowboy Clothing
–History of the Cowboy Hat
(Reading and short video)
–Clothes on the Trail
(From a NPS Traveling Trunk- Scroll through this huge resource to pages 25-26 and 43-44 to see types of clothing. You may find other helpful information for this unit in there too!)
+Watch This!
– Dressing the Part: The Cowboy
– Fashioning New Mexico
– How Mogollon Sandals Are Made
(This is so interesting, but may be long for younger children)
– Native American Headresses
– What Can You Do With a Rebozo? (English Version)
or listen to this book in Spanish and English–> What Can You Do With a Rebozo?
+Explore It More!
–How To Draw a Native American Headdress
– 1800’s Fashions of the Southwest
– Dressing Up
(Children in their Sunday clothes pose in front of adobe church, Alamo National Forest, N. Mex. Terr. May 13, 1908)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–Peoples of the Southwest Clothing Coloring Page
–Southwestern Cowboy Coloring Page
–Mexican Fashion Paper Dolls and Clothing
– Spanish Boy Paper Doll
– Spanish Girl Paper Doll (paper dolls)
–Cowboy Coloring Page
(Print and color or color online)
–Southwestern Cowboy Coloring Page
–Cowboy Coloring Page
–Navajo Coloring Page
–Native American Coloring Pages
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– It’s Fashion & Beauty Week!
*Day 2- Frontier Medicine and Health
1- If your family really enjoys this topic today and your older children want to learn more, I highly recommend John Hudson Tiner’s book ‘Exploring the History of Medicine‘ !! My son LOVED this whole series of books, and this one was his favorite! We still have it (my son is 31). 😀
2- Check your board game stash, local library, or this amazon link to play The Snake Oil Game !
This is such a fun game and surprisingly educational. Perfect for today’s lesson.
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824” p. 26-27
-“Josefina Learns A Lesson ”
+Read!
* Introduction to medicine as practiced on the American frontier
Did you know that before the 1850’s no medical training was required by law to declare yourself a doctor? Yikes!
– Medicine on the American Frontier
– Legends of America- “Old Time Cures & Remedies”
– Medicine in the 1800’s
–Clark Stanley’s Snake Oil!
–Wild West Doctors
(Very interesting, but lots of reading. Best for older students)
–Traveling Medicine and Snake Oil Shows
– What is a Lunger?
(An interesting article (intermediate level) about the “lungers” and other people who sought the arid climate of New Mexico for health)
– Doctor Susy
(A story about a frontier doctor & medicine in general during this period)
–Martha Jane Cannary, Frontier Nurse
– Pioneer Medicine in the Wild West
(Here is the apothecary of pioneer doctor Henry Hughes. It might be interesting to read through the common remedies listed to see if any are still used today.)
– Funny Cure Alls
(Humorous cure for sure! 🙂 )
– Snake Oil- For Real!
+Watch This!
–Going to the Doctor in the 1800’s ???
–The WILD West…Going to the Doctor
–The Real Story of Snake Oil!
– What Is A Snake Oil Show?!?
(Do not try this recipe at home kiddos!!! Yikes!)
–Who Was Calamity Jane?
(Listen to this short read aloud and find out about this colorful character!)
+Explore It More!
–Medicines of the 1850s-1900
–Interactive Timeline of Medicine
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Apothecary Coloring Page
–Snake Oil Ad Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Medicine on the Old Frontier
-Who Was Calamity Jane?
*Day 3- Southwestern Art and Music
Today’s lesson is FULL!
You could easily spend a whole week exploring the art and music of this period!
Remember that these units are just outlines to give you a platform to DIVE IN to the topics of interest that spark your children’s thirst to learn! The American Girl Units are written only for a 3 week study, but could EASILY be stretched into one or even two months long, depending on your interest!
We have been learning, there were a very diverse collection of people living in New Mexico during the early 1800’s. You’ve seen how this meant that there were different types of homes, different kinds of foods, and also different kinds of clothing that made up the culture here. Art and music were also a beautiful mix of all of those living in America’s Southwestern Frontier!
+Core Reading-
“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 13 (inset)
-“Josefina Learns a Lesson”
** ART Section **
+Reading-
–Art of the American Southwest- Facts For Kids
–Southwest Native American Art
–Native American Pueblo Art
(Scroll down [or print] pages 66-73)
–Southwestern American Indians, Baskets
-A complete lesson on the Pottery of the Southwest
–Spanish Retablos Art
(This is an entire lesson with activities for different age ranges, so you may want not want to use the entire lesson)
– History of art in New Mexico
(Might be a bit complicated for younger children, but lots of good info.)
+Watch This!
– What Is Mexican Folk Art?
– A Mexican Folk Art project & powerpoint
–History of Southwestern Basket Weaving
–History of Southwestern Pottery
–History of Southwestern Jewelry
–History of Southwestern Art Weaving
–History of Southwestern Painting
+Explore It More!
–Color and Line
(Southwestern Art is FULL of Color and Lines- try this independent art lesson to learn more!)
-Click through this collection of Spanish Colonial Architecture
–Virtual Tour- The Pottery of New Mexico!
**There is a complete lesson on Georgia O’Keeffe in the “ART” section of this unit study.
Here are a few extra resources!
– Georgia O’Keeffe Lesson
(You might like to do a lesson on Georgia O’Keeffe. She adored the beautiful landscapes of New Mexico (among other places especially in the Southwestern US)… there are more ideas for this at the end of this unit. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom page of this link for LOTS of cool activities & printables on O’Keeffe)
–Georgia O’Keeffe Art Projects For Kids (and adults!)
(There are LOTS of ideas to choose from here!)
** MUSIC Section **
+Reading!
–Southwestern Native American Music
(Scroll or print pages 78-79)
–All About Mariachi Music
–What is Mariachi?
–What are Corridos?
– Cowboy Songs
(Short history and an entire lesson plan!)
–Ballads on The Trails
– Music of the Southwest
(Here are many songs to listen to from an extensive study and collection of music of the southwest during the 1800’s)
+Watch This!
–If I Had a Mariachi
–Music of the Southwest- Mariachi
–‘Dar Los Dias’
(Music of New Mexico! This is such a sweet tradition!)
–Traditional Spanish Folk Music
-‘Old Dan Tucker’ (1843)
–Home on the Range
–‘Buffalo Dance’
(Music from the Zuni Pueblo)
+Explore It More!
–Color the Mariachi Online
– Listen to famous corrido, ‘La Adelita’
– Native Americans of the Southwest Music
(Music of the Indians of the Southwest…this site from the Smithsonian includes music for sale, however, it allows you to listen to short clips of many songs for free)
– Music of the Southwest- Native American
*Lesson plans from the Smithsonian on the history of music in the Southwest.
You can download PDFs of these lessons at the top right.
– Music of the Southwest- Jarocho
– Music of the Southwest- Mariachi Band
– Music of the Southwest- Mariachi
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
* Music
– Maracas Coloring Page
– Mariachi Paper Doll
– Dancers
– Laud Coloring Page
– Musical Fiesta Coloring Page
– Charango Coloring Page
–Mariachis Coloring Page
(Cute mariachi printables for younger students)
* Art
– Georgia O’Keeffe Kids Coloring Pages
– O’Keefe Landscape Coloring Page
– Acoma Pottery Coloring Page
– Native American Pottery Coloring Page
– Southwestern Pottery Coloring Page
– Mexican Folk Art Coloring Page
– Santa Fe Coloring Page
– Southwestern Land Coloring Page
*Day 4: Josefina’s Faith
Today’s lesson is a bit like a World Religions intro as there are many different belief systems being introduced all at once. Be sure to review all the links, etc… (as always) to be sure they are appropriate for your family.
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 12-15
-“Josefina Learns A Lesson”
+Reading!
–Native Americans Religion
–Southwest Native Americans Religion
–Navajo Indians Religion
–What is Catholic?
(Basic introduction to the religion of the majority of Spanish settlers in New Mexico, including Josefina)
–Introduction to Spanish Missions
–What is a Spanish mission?
* History of missions in colonial New Mexico
–New Mexico Missions
+Watch This!
–Missions of the Southwest
–What is a Spanish Mission?
(This video is about Spanish Missions in Texas, but the explanation of what the Spanish missions were and what they were doing in the Southwest)
–PBS Colores – Churches of New Mexico
(Lots of beautiful video & historical photos of the missions and religious art of this area)
+Explore It More!
–Explore lots of the Spanish Missions of New Mexico
-Pictures of New Mexico Missions
(Click on the name of the mission and a photo and short history will come up!)
–What is El Santuario de Chimayo ?
–Draw Your Own Spanish Mission
–Spanish Mission Art Project
(This project uses the Santa Barbara Mission as a template, but you could maybe choose one of the New Mexican Missions coloring pages instead if you’d like!)
–New Mexico Missions
(Their history, traditions, and importance in the community- not written with younger students in mind. The photos make great primary sources to spark interest!)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–Missions of New Mexico Coloring Book
(Scroll down to pages 6 and 7 to find 2 mission coloring pages!)
–New Mexico Mission Stamp Coloring Page
–New Mexico Mission Coloring Page
*Day 5: Southwestern Frontier Food and Fiestas!
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 34-35
-“Josefina Learns A Lesson”
+Reading-
–History of Food in New Mexico
–New Mexico Chiles
*Josefina’s Christmas- Food, Family, and FUN!
(Hands-On Christmas unit all about Josefina !)
* Some traditional fiestas
– Fiesta of Santa Fe
– Fiestas de Taos
–What Is Dia de los Reyes Magos?
–Celebrating Dia de los Reyes Magos
–Brief introduction to some traditional celebrations
*Foods of the Native Americans of New Mexico
–Native American Foods and Agriculture (Overview)
–Pueblo Foods
–Navajo Food
+Explore It More!
*Decorations, games, recipes, and other activities to have a FUN FIESTA!!
– Family Ornaments
– Cinco de Mayo
– Ideas for FIESTA!
– Cinco de Mayo Traditions and Ideas
– Party Ideas For Cinco de Mayo
– Mexican Paper Cutting
– Biscochitos
– Traditional New Mexican Pastries
+Watch This!
–Foods of New Mexico
–Las Posadas in New Mexico
–Cinco de Mayo– this video would be great for younger students
–Cinco de Mayo– a bit longer and more detailed version!
–Too Many Tamales!
(Read aloud)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–Empanadas Coloring Page
–Making Tortillas Coloring Page
–Chiles Coloring Page
–New Mexico Red & Green Chilies Coloring Page
– Spanish Coloring Page
– Baila! Coloring Page
– Three Kings Traditions Coloring Page
– Los Reyes Magos Coloring Pages
– Feliz Noche de Reyes Coloring Page
– Rosca de Reyes Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– Fiesta! Let’s Celebrate!
– Recipe Cards
*Week 2: Southwestern Frontier Hands-On History Activities!*
-Try making your own Rebozo
– Can you weave a scarf on this Mini-Loom?
– Create Your Own Retablo! OR Create a Shoebox Retablo
(The ones pictured are Peruvian retablos, but the idea is exactly the same)
–Alebrije Art Project
–Repujado Craft
–Mexican Embossed Tin Art Project
–Paper Flowers
(Remember, Josefina had a very special love for flowers !)
–Pinch Pots
–Alebrijes
–No Sew Mexican Rag Doll
–Mexican Folk Art Birds
–Colcha Embroidered Placemat
*Josefina’s Recipes:
–New Mexican Hot Chocolate
– 3 Bean Soup
–Chicken Enchiladas
–Green Chile Stew
–Agua de Melon
*Cooking Activities With Josefina
– https://www.visitalbuquerque.org/restaurants/recipes/
– Traditional Rosca de Reyes
– Tamales
– Fiesta Food!
– Navajo Blue Corn Pancakes
– Try making your own Homemade Tortillas Yum!
*Week 3: Frontier Life On the Trail
* American Girl Josefina Series, Book 3, “Josefina’s Surprise ”
*Week 3: Life on the Trail
1. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Frontier Friends & Neighbors (p. 36-39)
2. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- El Camino Real (p. 40-45)
3. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- The Santa Fe Trail (p. 48-49; 54-55)
4. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Life on the Trail (p. 50-53)
5. “Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- Josefina- Becoming “American” (p. 56-58)
+Day 1: Frontier Friends & Neighbors
This lesson overlaps with the Geography lesson for Week 2.
You will find A LOT of information/activities below. You could choose one of the days to do the reading, and one to try some of the hands-on activities.
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 36-39
-“Josefina’s Surprise”
+Reading!
–Native American People of the Southwest
*The Pueblo Indians
– The Pueblo
– Pueblos of the Southwest
– The Zuni
– Crow Canyon
– The Pueblo- New Mexico
*The Navajo Indians
–Kids Facts About the Navajo Tribe
–Navajo Tribe
–The Navajo Tribe
*The Comanche Indians
–New Mexico- Comanches
–The Comanche
*The Apache Indians
– Who Are the Apache People?
– The Apache Indians
– The Apache
– Apache Tribe
*A brief Intro to the Wild West
( Some of it’s characters…as it happened in the Southwest.)
–What is the Wild West?
–The West is Wild!
– What Was Westward Expansion?
– The Old West
– Lincoln- the Wild Southwest (Lincoln, still the wild west)
– Wild West- Life & Celebrities
– Hometown Hero? Billy the Kid!
– Who Was Kit Carson?
– Kit Carson
+Watch This!
–Who Were the Comanche?
–We Are the Pueblo
–The Navajo Nation
–5 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Wild West
–Old photos from the Wild West
(Good for seeing a bit more of the whole picture!)
–Who Were The First Cowboys?
–The Story of Kit Carson
–The Story of Billy the Kid.
(Please preview!!)
– What was it like to be a sheriff in the Wild West?!
–All About Cowboys
(Horrible Histories)
+Explore It More!
–Map & Links to Josefina’s “friends & neighbors”
– Pueblo Indians making drums
– Pueblo Indian Woman baking in adobe oven
– Explore Pueblo History
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Apache Warrior Coloring Page
– Pueblo Indians Coloring Page
– Pueblo Indians Coloring Page
– Navajo Nation Flag Coloring Page
– Cowgirl Coloring Page
– Wild West Printables
– Billy the Kid Coloring Page
– Kit Carson Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
– Peoples of New Mexico (if you didn’t complete this last week!)
– History Detective- Who Was Kit Carson?
– Favorite People of the Wild West
+Day 2: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
You might notice in the reading this week that there are 2 different caminos/trails.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the royal inland trail) and El Camino Real de los Tejas (the royal trail that goes through Texas).
+El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was a very long trail that connected Mexico City to New Mexico. People used it to travel, but mostly to trade goods. It helped Spanish settlers move north and bring supplies to towns along the way.
+El Camino Real de los Tejas was a shorter road that went east into Texas. Its main purpose was to connect Spanish missions and settlements in Texas with the rest of New Spain. Missionaries, soldiers, and settlers traveled this road to help build and support new communities.
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 40-45
-“Josefina’s Surprise”
+Reading-
–El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
(Reading for the Jr. Ranger program)
–Short Introduction To El Camino Real
–> Also What Is Fort Selden ?
–The History of El Camino Real
–Short History and Images of El Camino Real del Tierra Adentro
–Camino Real del Tierra Adentro
-A complete lesson plan on “El Camino Real”
–What is El Camino Real Tierra Adentro
+Watch This!
–Short Intro to El Camino Real
–El Camino Real Video By Junior Rangers and Jr. Ranger Card
–Children Who Lived On the Trail
* Moments In Time Video & Lesson Plan on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
– El Camino Real
– Take a Journey By El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
* A play presented by some students of Socorro…a bit hard to hear, but very nice.
– El Camino Real- A Play
+Explore It More!
–Camino Real Photos from the New Mexico Museum of Art
(This site takes a long time to open!)
–Virtual Field Trip of El Camino Real (the Texas path)
–Timeline of El Camino Real
(Zoom in to see the details)
–Explore Places Along the Trail
–Interactive Map of El Camino Real
–NPS Jr. Ranger El Camino Real Booklet
(Information To Receive Your Badge)
–El Camino Real Timeline
(Click to see online, or you can order a printed brochure style one!)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
–Animals of the Trail Coloring Pages
– You may like to color this map as well
–Ancient Trade Routes Worksheet (free download)
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Life on the Trail Journal Page
-El Camino Real Mapping Page
+Day 3: The Santa Fe Trail
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. p. 48-49; 54-55
-“Josefina’s Surprise”
+Read!
–What Was the Santa Fe Trail?
–Travel on an Interactive Santa Fe Trail
* History of the Santa Fe Trail and lots of links
– Santa Fe Trail
– The Spanish and the Santa Fe Trail
– People on the Trail
* National Parks Service Santa Fe Trail printables
–History of the Santa Fe Trail
–Critters on the Trail
–Famous Folks of the Santa Fe Trail
–5 Landmarks on the Santa Fe Trail
–Musical Instruments on the Trail
–Santa Fe Trail- Studying a Picture
* More sites to check out
– What Would You Do Along the Trail?
– Read ‘The Santa Fe Trail’ (Full Book to view online)
+Watch This!
–Traveling The Santa Fe Trail
–Santa Fe Trail Facts!
–The Santa Fe Trail Turns 200!
–Travelers On the Trail
(This is set primarily in Kansas, but still on the Trail and very informative and fun!)
–What Can We Learn About The Trail Through Artifacts?
–Who Was Buffalo Bill Cody ?
–Buffalo Bill Cody For Kids
+Explore It More!
–Santa Fe Trail Wagon Master (younger kiddos- click each PDF to print what you want to use)
–Santa Fe Trail Wagon Master (older elementary PDFs)
–Santa Fe Trail Wagon Master (middle school ages PDFs)
–Junior Wagon Master… Wagons Ho!
–On the Chuckwagon (Lesson and activities!)
-Nice map of theSanta Fe Trail
–Interactive map of the Santa Fe Trail
-Art & old photos specific of the Santa Fe Trail from the New Mexico Museum of Art
–Famous Folks Who Followed the Trail!
–NPS Junior Ranger Santa Fe Trail
(Info on where to get your Jr. Ranger Badge)
–Explore Santa Fe Trail Maps (or order the brochure map!)
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– Covered Wagon and Trees Coloring Page
– Santa Fe/Oklahoma Coloring Page
– Santa Fe Historic Map (Large) Coloring Page
– Santa Fe Historic Map
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-My Favorite People of the Wild West
-Santa Fe Trail Mapping Page
– Who Was William Becknell?
+Day 4: Southwestern Frontier Life on the Trail
You can read a lot more about what life was like on a wagon heading west in the Free Pioneer (American Girl Kirsten) Unit Study!
This unit is the next one chronologically, so if you are working your way through the Free American Girl History Units series, you will be reading a lot more on this topic in the next study!
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 50-53
-“Josefina’s Surprise”
+Reading-
–What is a Wagon Train?
–Frontier Life- Wagons on the Trail
–Pack the Wagons! (Part 1)
–Daily Life on a Wagon Train (Part 2)
–Riding the Rails and Traveling the Trails
–Life on the Trail
(Scroll down to pg. 30 to begin)
– Stories from the Santa Fe Trail
+Watch This!
–Life On The Santa Fe Trail (Old educational movie but fun!)
–What Was Inside a Covered Wagon?
–Bent’s Fort– around 3 minutes
– PBS Colores series- The Santa Fe Trail
(56 mins. A bit long, but there are some really nice historic photos and it is well done. )
–Wagon Trails West (about 9 minutes)
+Explore It More!
*Pioneer life on the trail (lots of links for reading, activities & games)
– Wagon Trains Game
– Oregon Trail Game
(includes Santa Fe Trail)
* Pioneer Life (lots of links for reading, activities & games)
* Brief intro to the Santa Fe Trail through art
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
* Covered wagons to color and label and other trail life pics
– Wagon Trail Coloring Page
– Wagons West Coloring Page
– Chuck Wagon Coloring Page
– Covered Wagons Coloring Pages
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-The Santa Fe Trail
-My Plan For the Trail
-Packing List For the Trail
+Day 5: Josefina- Becoming American
+We will BRIEFLY cover the Mexican American War today, and the statehood of New Mexico.
The Mexican-American War (1846–1848) helped lead to New Mexico becoming a U.S. state (though many years later). During the war, the United States fought against Mexico and took control of a large area of land in the Southwest, including New Mexico. When the war ended in 1848, Mexico officially gave this land to the United States. New Mexico then became a U.S. territory, which meant it was governed by the United States but was not yet a state. Over time, more people moved there and the population grew. Finally, in 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state in the United States.
+Today’s lesson is intentionally short, as we will have covered the State of New Mexico quite well already in the Geography section for this unit!
+Core Reading-
-“Welcome to Josefina’s World 1824”- p. 56-58
-“Josefina’s Surprise”
+Read!
–The Mexican American War
–What Was The Mexican American War?
–Brief intro to New Mexico history/statehood
–Journey from colony to statehood…reading and some very nice artwork !
-New Mexico becomes a state
+Watch This!
– What Was The Mexican American War?
– The Mexican American War In Minutes
–The 47th Star
– The Story of New Mexico’s Flag
+Southwestern Frontier Coloring & Activity Pages-
– New Mexico’s Stamp Coloring Page
– New Mexico Coloring Page
– New Mexico Coloring Page
– 50 States- New Mexico Coloring Page
– New Mexico State Symbols Coloring Page
– Welcome To New Mexico Coloring Page
*If you’d like to read the rest of the Josefina series, I’ve included them below (these are affiliate links, thanks for trusting that I never include any resources I don’t love! 🙂)
*Week 3: Southwestern Frontier Hands-On History Activities!*
–Make Your Own Covered Wagon!
–Tin Can Lantern Trail Lights
-Cook up a REAL Recipe from the Santa Fe Trail
-Try a Recipe From the Chuckwagon
-Make your own bottle top Castanets
–DIY Maracas
–Make Your Own Southwestern Tribe Spin Drum!
-Make a Native American Ball & Triangle Game
–Pueblo Bowl Art Project
–Navajo Sand Painting Art Project
–How to build and weave on a cardboard loom
–Make a woven bowl
(You could add beads and feathers too!)
–How to make and use an adobe brick mold!
*Try some Southwestern Native American Recipes
–Navajo Fry Bread Recipe
–Apache Green Chile
–Apache Sunflower Cakes
–Pueblo Chicken
–Comanche Nopales Recipe
(This is my favorite way to eat nopales! YUM!! You can make this recipe MUCH easier by buying a jar/can of nopales! <– linked just so you can see what they look like if you aren’t familiar with them!)
*If you’d like to read the rest of the American Girl Josefina Book series, I’ve included them below!
*Weekly Language Arts & Grammar Ideas*
*Reading Comprehension Ideas: Show what you know about the Southwestern Frontier!
This is the same list for each week! Choose which ideas you’d like to work on and come back!
Show what you know about Josefina and America’s Southwestern Frontier!
*Reading Comprehension Ideas
+ Meet Josefina ideas for learning games, discussion questions, and more!
+You can find American Girl Josefina interactive quizzes here and for the other American Girl Dolls too!
+This AG loving mom has lists of American Girl Comprehension Questions for lots of the books in the series.
+Keep a running list in a notebook of important people, important places, important events, and important ideas. Use these lists later for writing prompts, notebooking, lapbooking, creating a timeline, etc…
+Don’t forget that you can use those Coloring pages for creative writing prompts, narration activities, lap books, timelines, etc!
You can use the ones suggested in each Daily Lesson, or you can find a list of great coloring books in the Southwester Frontier (AG Josefina) Books & Resources List!
* Keep a Southwestern American Frontier History notebook!
+Make sections and just quickly add in important people (scientists, artists, musicians, leaders, etc), places, and events.
Use these lists later for writing prompts, notebooking, lapbooking, creating a timeline, etc…
+Design a notebook, lapbook, scrapbook, folder, etc…to show what you’re learning.
If you have crafty, creative, or artistic kiddos, any one of these choices are a great way for the kids to show what they know about the Turn of The Century!
In the following links, you can find some examples of History Timeline Binders, Notebooking , Lapbooks, and Folders (with templates!)
+See how we made some of these!
–>–>How To Make A History Binder (I made a video if you’d rather watch than read 🙂 )
* Make a History Timeline!
Timelines can be a constant visual review as you study through history!
If you are continuing on with the rest of the American Girl Units, you can just keep adding to your timeline and you will end up with a really solid visual for Early American History!
I wrote a post recently on how to Create Your Own Timelines… there are ideas for pretty much every size homeschooling space and every personality of family… creative, tech loving, small spaces, hands-on, etc…
*Curate your own Civil War Museum!
If this sounds a bit too much to do, no fears! It’s a MINI museum!
Here are some ideas on how to make your own mini museum (not specific instructions… but to get you started on ideas)!
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.
*Book Reports (made a little more fun!)
Don’t just assign any old boring Book Report… have your students try showing what they’ve learned about their books with a Book Report Cake, a Rainbow Report, or a Pizza Box Book Report! This family made a book report poster from the Kristen series, but you could easily just adapt this by adding to the poster what we study each week for Josefina.
*Get Creative! Find whatever creative outlet that excites your kids!
-Try making a diorama.
You could create one for Josefina’s pueblo, Josefina’s house during a fiesta, a mini Flower Garden with lots of hollyhocks, a scene depicting your favorite Native American Tribe life, or any part you find interesting about the life and times of America’s Southwestern Frontier…OR you could make several and display the many parts of life during this time in history!
-Create a short video showing what you have learned about some aspect of life in America’s Southwestern Frontier.
+You could be a kid on the Camino Real seeing all the scenes along the trail.
+Print out a small picture of Josefina (or other characters you’ve learned about), animals or other sites you’d see around the rancho or on the trail, or whatever else you’d like to focus on, affix them to popsicle sticks, and use the diorama as a background, and film a short video. Get creative!
–Top 10 Hands-On History Projects For Kids!
I wrote this post (so of course there are WAY more than 10 ideas lol) to share all of my favorite ways to really bring history to life for kids!
*Language Arts/Grammar Ideas-
*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.
* 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 of the sentences, or find all the verbs, nouns, etc…, or whatever grammar skill needs work!
*The story of Pecos Bill and the grammar exercises included in this lesson would make a FUN activity for week 1 !
– Free Pecos Bill Story Map (from TPT)
– Free Pecos Bill Play!
– Free Tall Tales/Pecos Bill Language Arts Printables
*Here is a fun idea…make up your own mad libs by writing a simple paragraph about one of our topics of study.
Here’s a sample using George Washington.
– George Washington MadLibs
*Or just use your favorite out of the box grammar curriculum, add just a few of the ideas below into the mix, or use all the ideas below. Isn’t homeschooling wonderful sometimes?
*Vocabulary ideas-
+Vocabulary Notebooks
I have included a brief list for each week from the core reading for younger students…BUT it probably won’t fit your student’s needs perfectly, so feel free to add any words you want! Each of my children kept a vocabulary notebook. They would add words they chose while they were reading, or any we came across that were new! The notebooks make it super easy to review, or go back to find a word you’ve forgotten.
*Spanish Vocabulary
It might also be fun to include many of the spanish words that you will find in the reading, songs, etc that we have been studying. If you already speak Spanish, maybe you could focus on common modern English words with origins from this period.
If your child is old enough to be proficient in using a computer, it might be a fun activity to include copy & pasted images along with some of the particularly “foreign” words. (ex. fandango, mesas, rebozos, etc…)
1. tia 2. revolt 3. adobe 4. fortress 5. frontier
6. orchards 7. altar 8. drought 9. baptize 10. propose
1. finery 2. sarape 3. fandango 4. yucca 5. inoculation
6. expedition 7. saint 8. rely 9. minerals 10. raw materials
1. pueblos 2. captive 3. caravan 4. bandits 5. plaza
6. trailhead 7. plains 8. traders 9. pelts 10. destiny
*Copy Work/Dictation/Narration ideas-
*Following is a list of suggested quotes and poems from people we have studied each week, Scripture verses from the Bible Study section, song choices, and even recipes! Choose your favorite ideas from this list. The idea is to write from the sources that have sparked your children’s curiosity!
*If you purchased the Josefina Printable POWER Pack , don’t forget to print out the companion copy work pages for each week’s lessons!
*Copy From Reading-
-Page 6 of “Welcome to Josefina’s World” is a lovely description of the “Land of Enchantment” and would be a nice page and addition to your notebook if you are making one for this unit.
-Choose a favorite passage from other reading this week to narrate and/or copy.
*Bible Copy Work-
*What does God say about worship?
–Psalm 150:6 –John 4:23-24 –2 Kings 17:38
–Matthew 4:10 –Psalm 100 –Hebrews 12:28
*What does God say about remembering Him?
–Isaiah 46:9 –Psalm 111:4 –Deuteronomy 4:9
–Psalm 105:5 –Psalm 105:8
*Scriptures of remembrance
– Psalm 71:5 – Psalm 78 – Psalm 106 – Psalm 107
– Psalm 136 – Ecclesiastes 12:1
*It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish !
Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.
*Copy something in Spanish-
You also might like to copy a song you are learning in Spanish, like “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy”
*Print:
If you bought the Josefina Printable POWER Pack, there are TONS of themed copy work printables for both print and cursive, and extras for your own assigned copy work as well.
*Copy Work From Reading–
Choose a favorite passage from the reading this week to narrate and/or copy
*Cowboy Copy Work-
You could try copying an Old Western Cowboy Song from the 1800’s .
*Art Copy Work-
If you chose to study Georgia O’Keeffe this week, you might like to copy some of her insights into the natural beauty found in nature, and specifically that of New Mexico.
*Bible Copy Work-
–Nehemiah 8 (*vs. 12)
– Exodus 5:1 – Exodus 12 – Leviticus 23 – Matthew 26:17-27
– Acts 2:46 – Matthew 18:20 – Psalm 147 – Psalm 34:3
*Copy in Spanish!
It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish !
Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.
*Copy Work From Reading–
-Choose a favorite passage from the reading this week to narrate and/or copy
-Choose an author that was popular during this period & incorporate them into the unit (copy work, timeline, writing prompts, etc…). Be sure to add them to your notebook!
* Copy A Cowboy Poem-
You might like to copy the poem “The Santa Fe Trail” (pg. 12-15), or an excerpt of it… or another poem from this collection found on subsequent pages.
*Bible Copy Work-
– Genesis 2:9 – Psalm 104: 14-16 – Job 12:7-10 – Psalm 19:1-4
– Romans 1:20 – Psalm 148: 7-10 – Psalm 33: 6-9 – Acts 14: 15
– Psalm 23: 2-3 – Psalm 147: 7-9
*Copy something in Spanish-
It might be fun to try copying one of the Bible verses in Spanish !
Bible Gateway has the Bible in Spanish (in several translations). You can easily print the verses out & use them for each day’s copy work.
* From Bible Study-
We learned about worshiping God through His creation in this week’s Bible study.
You might like to copy some of the words to some hymns that were part of that lesson.
How Great Thou Art
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee; How great Thou art!
How great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
*Creative Writing Ideas-
*Rancho Life
Imagine life on Josefina’s rancho. What would it be like to live there?
Write about what a day there would be like, from the time you woke up, to the time you go to sleep. You could choose to write from Josefina’s perspective, or from your own perspective as a visitor there!
Include as many details as you can explaining all the sights, sounds, and even smells and tastes!
*Feliz Navidad!
Imagine a holiday celebration in Josefina’s neighborhood. Write about the kinds of traditions you might experience there! You can find LOTS of information in this post-
A Southwestern Pioneer Christmas
*El Árbol Genealógico
Create Josefina’s family tree and learn the Spanish words for family members!
You can review the vocabulary and print out a Spanish Family Worksheet.
I’ve included a “Family Tree” template in the Josefina Printable Power Pack, if you’d like to use it, but you could also create your own!
*Selling Snake Oil!
Try coming up with your own traveling “snake oil” show.
Invent some of your own “cures” for common ailments. Decide if your “cure alls” will be honest or made up! Some ideas- does chewing peppermint gum cure a stomach ache? Does applying duct tape heal a wart? Does drinking apple cider vinegar help with itchy skin?
Research and see what other ideas you can come up with!
Create a brochure, then call your family around for the traveling medicine show!
Can you convince them?
*Home, Home on the Range!
Try writing your own cowboy campfire song to calm the cows & keep the coyotes at bay!
Write about some things you’ve been learning in this unit, from food, to family, to weather.
You could choose a familiar tune to set your lyrics to, or even create one of your own!
*A Mile In a Missionary’s Shoes
Research a missionary that lived among the people of the 1800’s Southwest, and write entries in a journal describing your travels into Indian territory to share the good news about Jesus with the natives who have never heard His story.
Tell of your hardships, experiences with the people you encounter, founding and living in a mission, and other important facts about your life as a missionary. Explore and write about what you are feeling…what you are thinking…what you are seeing…etc…Paint a picture in words !
*A Santa Fe Trail Journal
Imagine that you are part of a wagon train headed for Santa Fe with a load of goods.
Create a journal of your experiences for at least two weeks of the journey. Use the website information to make your entries as historically accurate as possible. You can also include sketches of anything you might see along the way (plants, animals, town scenes, etc…)
*What Is The Best Way To Retrace The Santa Fe Trail?
Map out your own pathway along the Santa Fe Trail!
Plan your rest stops, select your mode of transportation, and calculate what supplies you will need. Don’t forget to consider the weather and add what you’ll need to your supplies!
Estimate how much time your journey will take and itemize your estimated costs.
Decide between the northern Mountain Fork or the Cimarron Cutoff.
Your goal should be to make the most economical trip possible and still arrive safely, comfortably, and rested.
*Poetry Trail
After reading the poem “The Santa Fe Trail“ (pg. 12-13), try writing your own poem about some aspect of this week’s study.
– Also, you may make up some broad prompts from any topic from our studies so far.
*Bible Study- Ways To Worship God
+Week 1: Worship- By Remembering God
+Week 2: Worship- By Celebrating Together
+Week 3: Worship- By Seeing The Beauty of God’s Creation
*Week 1: Worship- By Remembering God
Josefina’s life was filled with daily reminders of her faith.
Faith in God, and the worship of God were very important in her culture.
Most often, at the center of small southwestern villages (la plaza) such as Josefina’s, was the community church.
The people of the town gathered there for many occasions. It was a central part of the people’s lives.
Everywhere you looked there were symbols of faith and reverence.
Art, jewelry, pottery, blankets, and even every day items used by the families were designed to be constant reminders of their adoration for God. Special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, and holidays were celebrated with great parties (fiestas) showing the people’s joy and thanksgiving to God. Josefina’s world in the pioneer days of the American Southwest, was often difficult and dangerous. These traditions and everyday reminders gave the people comfort and strength when times were hard.
In our reading we learn that Josefina kept a ” box of remembrance” of some special things that had belonged to her mama.
She took it out when she needed to feel close to her mom and when she wanted to remember her better. She felt hopeful after doing it.
This week our Bible lesson is about worship. One way we can worship God is by remembering who He is and all the great things He has done.
I hope this will help you to feel happy and very loved this week! 🙂
*Reading-
* What is worship?
(Be sure to let your child try to answer this question him/herself. You may be surprised at the depth of understanding children can have!)
– What Is Worship?
* Here are a couple of very short lessons/discussions geared toward introducing children to this topic:
– Heart of Worship Lesson
– Discipline of Worship Lesson
*What does God say about worship?
–Psalm 150:6 –John 4:23-24 –2 Kings 17:38
–Matthew 4:10 –Psalm 100 –Hebrews 12:28
*What does God say about remembering Him?
–Isaiah 46:9 –Psalm 111:4 –Deuteronomy 4:9
–Psalm 105:5 –Psalm 105:8
– Psalm 71:5 –Psalm 78 –Psalm 106
– Psalm 107 – Psalm 136 –Ecclesiastes 12:1
*Watch This!
–Worship: God’s Story
–What Is Worship?
–Joshua Crossing The Jordan
(The ending really highlights the importance of REMEMBERING God’s works and His character!)
–Daniel and His Friends Remember God
–Remembering God
–Remember God!
*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-
* What is worship?
Try to answer this question once before you talk about this lesson, and once again at the end!
You may be surprised at the depth of understanding children have!
*Can you think of some ways that God’s people have worshipped Him by remembering who He is and what He has done ?
Here’s a few ideas…there’s LOTS more!
– by making a pile of stones (Joshua 4: 1-7; 21-24)
– by celebrating festivals (Exodus 12: 14;17)
– by dancing, singing, & playing musical instruments (Exodus 15: 20-21)
– by writing songs & poems (Psalm 77: 10-20 )
– by sharing a meal (Luke 22: 7-8; 14-20)
* What are some ways that God’s people worship Him (by remembering what He has done) in our culture today?
Here’s just a few ideas to get you thinking…
– by reading the Bible (full of encouraging stories of God’s faithfulness)
– by singing songs and writing poetry and music, and creating pieces of art
– by gathering together with other people who love Jesus
– by celebrating special days of remembrance such as Christmas or Easter, etc…
*Do you have any personal “Jordan stones” that are reminders to you of a time when you remember God’s presence, or help, or comfort in a hard situation?
+Share your stories with each other!
+Write some of these remembrances on the handout on the following page.
*Jordan Stones Family Memories Board
I made a board of photos of some of my family’s “Jordan Stones”. I made it so that every time I walk past and see it, I will be reminded that God is always with me. He has blessed our family so much, but sometimes life is hard. So when I am feeling sad, or lonely, or discouraged, I can look at these pictures and remember that He has been and is always with me.
*Sing About It!
-Turn on some music!
Grab a musical instrument if you play one….or even a pot lid and a metal spoon. Sounds silly, I know, but try it!
Focus on praising God & not on how silly you look. 😀 Now make a JOYFUL noise!
– Just for fun! A young man teaches how to sing “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy” in Spanish. 🙂 )
+Try Singing A SPANISH Worship Song!
–“En Los Montes, En Los Valles”, a worship song in Spanish.
This was so much fun to watch & be a part of when we lived in South America. One of my favorites!
-Here are the lyrics in Spanish so you can try to sing along if Spanish isn’t your first language…It’s FAST!
-Here is a rough translation in English-
In the mountains, in the valleys,
we exalt him that is worthy of praise.
In the coasts of the seas, we raise a sound of hope.
We acclaim, we acclaim,
We listen to hear the voice of your praise.
With our hands held high we exalt him who reigns forever.
Let us go up to worship at Mount Zion, it is the joy of all the nations.
Where sadness is joy, weeping is happiness.
Let us go up to worship the great king.
*Explore It More!
*Remembering God Activities
-God Is Faithful Memory Jar Activity
–Make a Memory Box like Josefina kept to remind herself of her mama. You could write your “remembrances” on strips of paper or some smooth stones; or you might like to add small items that will remind you to give thanks to God.
If you don’t care to purchase a kit, you could easily find things you already have to do this activity or buy something from your local craft store.
–Memory Box (This is a link to buy a wooden box craft kit on Amazon)
–Memory Box Craft (for older kids or moms!)
–How to Fold a Box Out of Paper
+Journaling-
-One way you can remember what God has done and worship Him is by reading the Bible.
Choose one of our Scriptures from this week’s lessons, or any others you like.
Copy some or all of the verse(s). You can highlight any words that stand out to you… you could draw a picture of what God did or how the story showed WHO God is… or you could just write down what you learned about God from reading!
-Try writing your own song or poem of remembrance.
Perhaps you could add this to your memory box if you made one….Or, you might like to put it in a frame so you will be able to think of it often. Share it with someone!
(There are printables for this in the Josefina Power Pack)
* Coloring/Activity Pages-
–Bible Coloring pages and Printable Activities
* Some coloring pages on Worship!
–Sing! Coloring Page
– Worship! Coloring Page
– I Will Praise God Coloring Page
* Some coloring pages on JOY !
–Joy! Coloring Page
–Worship Joy Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Let’s Talk About It Pages
-My Jordan Stones
-Ways I Love To Worship
-Let Everything Coloring Page
-Bible Study Notes
*Week 2: Worship- By Celebrating Together
* You may like to re-read pg. 34-35 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” for a nice intro to this week’s lesson.
The community of settlers in Josefina’s town were a very close group of people.
Every family worked hard independently and together to survive in the new frontier. The community was a very important part of everyone’s life. Last week we talked about ways that Josefina (and other people throughout history) worshipped God by remembering. This week we will learn about another way.
Celebrations, or fiestas, were something Josefina and her community looked forward to with great anticipation.
Delicious foods, lively music, dancing, and lots of friends and family gathered all together were a wonderful part of the culture of the southwest. There were parties when babies were born, parties when people got married, even a day to remember and celebrate friends and family members who had died. Josefina’s favorite fiesta was the celebration of Las Posadas, which lasted 9 whole days !!
Last week we learned that we can worship God by remembering all He is and all He has done.
This week we are going to learn how gathering together to celebrate is another way we can worship God!
Sounds fun, doesn’t it ?!?
There are many different ways that Christians celebrate God together!
Did you know that in the Old Testament God even told the Israelites some HOLIDAY (holy-day) feasts that He wanted them to always CELEBRATE together?!
It’s true! You might know about some of those special days like Passover, or the Feast of Tabernacles.
What about today? What kinds of celebrations do we still have today?
You might guess Advent, or Christmas, or Easter.
But did you also guess that in a way, Christians today come together EVERY single week to celebrate Jesus by going to church?!
We read the Bible, share communion, encourage one another, and sing songs together. Sometimes when a person decides to become a fellow follower of Jesus we have a baptism, and then have a big meal! THAT is an exciting day to celebrate because we have gained a new brother or sister! We eat together, laugh, talk, and remind each other how wonderful it is to be loved by God!
Just like God’s people thousands of years ago came together to celebrate, just like Josefina’s community gathered for fiestas, we STILL gather as God’s people to celebrate who He is and all He has done. Worshipping together fills our hearts with joy, strengthens our faith, and reminds us that we are part of something much bigger — the beautiful family of God.
*Reading-
–Las Posadas Celebration
(simple description of this celebration)
– Las Posadas Lesson
(Mommy Maestra shares a lovely & complete lesson plan including many recipes & fun activities !)
–5 Fiestas!
(Short article with lots of links for ideas to celebrate with children)
–Learning about Feasts In The Bible
*What Does The Bible Say?
*Examples of celebrations in the Bible-
–Nehemiah 8 (*vs12)
– Exodus 5:1 – Exodus 12 – Leviticus 23 – Matthew 26:17-27
– Acts 2:46 – Matthew 18:20 – Psalm 147 – Psalm 34:3
*If you’d like extra coloring pages or printable activities to go along with any of the stories from the scriptures listed above, you can find them here:
– Calvary Bible Curriculum (Scripture, Activities, Coloring Pages, and more!)
*Watch This!
–3 Parties! Remember and Rejoice!
–A Community Celebrates
–Celebrate Jesus All Year Long!
–How To Celebrate Jesus Every Day!
*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-
* What does it mean to celebrate ?
-What are some reasons that make you want to celebrate?
-What are some things that you celebrate with your family and friends ?
* When something really exciting happens to you, what is the first thing you do ?
-Do you often want to share the great news with a friend ?
-Praise is meant to be shared. Worship in many ways is incomplete without an outward expression or act involving another human being.
+I realize the following quote is probably not very interesting to your child, but it was such a revelation to me about worship, that I needed to share it with somebody! 🙂
Praise is meant to be shared.
Worship in many ways is incomplete without an outward expression or act involving another human being.
As CS Lewis was working his way through understanding worship he happened upon a young couple on a park bench watching a sunset. Though he was enjoying the scene very much, they seemed to be enthralled by it, as they commented on it’s beauty to one another. It seemed to him that they were enjoying it all the more because they were sharing together in its beauty.
I love the idea and practice of celebrating God, expressing our enjoyment of Him, whether through a lovely conversation with a friend, or through large gatherings of friends and family… both of which were God’s great ideas, of course.
Shared praise is something that actually brings us completeness and great joy !
Err….right. The quote.
The excerpt is from the book “Reflections on the Psalms” by CS Lewis.
“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.
It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.
It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is;
to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch;
to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. ”
*Can you think of any examples in the Bible of a celebration ?
-What/Who were the people celebrating?
-When did they celebrate?
-How did they celebrate?
Did they have special food, games, songs, music, or dancing to celebrate??
*What are some of Josefina’s favorite celebrations?
-What/Who were the people celebrating?
-When did they celebrate?
-How did they celebrate?
Did they have special food, games, songs, music, or dancing to celebrate??
*What are some ways Christians celebrate together today?
-What/Who were the people celebrating?
-When did they celebrate?
-How did they celebrate?
Did they have special food, games, songs, music, or dancing to celebrate??
*What are some ways you could celebrate God today?
*Explore It More!
* Host a celebration like Las Posadas-
Do you remember Josefina’s favorite celebration Las Posadas? Everybody in her village got to take part in this fiesta celebrating the birth of Jesus. Choose a story from the Bible that makes your heart feel full and happy. Pick a story that makes you want to share it with your friends. You can dress up like your favorite characters and act out the story as part of your fiesta. Be sure to include some yummy snacks, colorful decorations, and lively music !
* Camp Out !!!! Enjoying God together-
One of the celebrations God gave to His people was called the Feast of Tabernacles.
You can read about how this festival and others began in Leviticus 23….Leviticus 23:33-43 is specifically about the Feast of Tabernacles. This week long celebration was one of the most joyous times in the lives of the people of God. There were many ways they celebrated as a community including making luminaries to light the whole town, music and dancing, singing (Psalms 113-118 were believed to be some of the songs traditionally sung), and of course food!! Did you know that Jesus also celebrated this special week? (see John 7:37-38).
During this week, the Hebrew people didn’t sleep in their own houses. Instead, the whole community built temporary shelters (like tents) to sleep in all week. This tradition helped them to really focus on God and all the reasons why the week was so special.
Set aside a week, a day, or even an afternoon to enjoy God with some people you love. Build a tent of your own. You could camp at a camp ground, in your backyard, or even in your living room. Try to focus on enjoying God with your family and friends during this special time.
Here are a few places to read some more about this fiesta !
–Biblical Fall Feasts
(Scroll down to the 3rd feast section to read about Sukkot/Feast of Tabernacles)
– Building the Sukkah
(Really sweet video showing a Jewish child and his family building their tent)
–Celebrating Together!
(Ideas on how to celebrate as a family! This is a really nice post!!)
* Let’s Sing!
–Celebration (Forest Frank)
–Celebration Dance Moves
-Super silly song called “Shakin’ the Lulav”…. I LOVE this!
You’ll be singing it all day. 🙂 This is a fun song if you are doing the Feast of Tabernacles activity.
OR
Try moseying on down to your “camp fire” and sing a cowboy song!
Laugh…tell family stories…surely the goodness of God will find it’s way into the evening. Shared praise.
– Git Along Little Doggies
– Old Dan Tucker
*Learn this song in English and Spanish!
–“Celebrate Jesus Celebrate”
– “Celebrad Cristo Celebrad”
* Israel’s Thanksgiving Feast
(Short Object Lesson)
*Coloring & Activity Pages-
* Las Posadas coloring pages
– Feliz Navidad Coloring Page
–Los Posadas Coloring Page
* Sukkot coloring pages
– Sukkot Coloring Book
– Feast of Tabernacles Coloring Page
–Lulav Coloring Page
– Setting Up For Sukkot Coloring Pages
*If you’d like extra coloring pages or printable activities to go along with any of the stories from the scriptures listed above, you can find them here:
– Calvary Bible Curriculum (Scripture, Activities, Coloring Pages, and more!)
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Let’s Talk About It Pages
-Ways I Love To Celebrate
-Fiesta! Planner
-Ways I Can Celebrate
-Celebrate! Coloring Page
-Recipe Cards
-Bible Study Notes
*Week 3: Worship- The Beauty of the Earth
*Read pg. 6-7 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World”.
We learned that Josefina lived in “The Land of Enchantment.” The word enchantment here means a feeling of great delight or joy, especially when seeing something beautiful or inspiring.
The landscape of New Mexico is known for its enchanting beauty!
There are enormous snow capped mountains, the waters of the Rio Grande, valleys bursting with wildflowers, and even in the deserts, God’s creation is shouting with brilliant colors, wonderful smells, gentle breezes, and warm sun!
The “awesomeness” of the land did not go unappreciated by the people living there.
The Native Americans and the early Spanish settlers of the Southwest revered it, wrote about it, sung about it, and looked for the Source of it.
Do you know WHO it is that created the Land of Enchantment and every amazing detail of nature that you can see there?
Read these two Bible verses and see if you know!
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” -John 1:1-3
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.” -Colossians 1:15-16
Most people appreciate the beauty of God’s creation, but many people aren’t sure who the CREATOR of it all is.
But we KNOW! We shouldn’t ever worship the sun, the stars, the seas, or the towering mountains… but we absolutely should worship the ONE who created all those amazing parts of our world!
That is what this week’s Bible focus on worship is- noticing God’s creation, and worshipping HIM as the Creator!
We’ll start with a very short story… about a squirrel.
Sometimes to appreciate the beauty of creation that is all around us, it takes slowing down to be able to see it.
I live in Texas. It is very hot here in the summer.
As I write this, I am looking out my window. The ground is dry and cracked…the grass is brown and crunchy, my garden is all shriveled up, and it hasn’t rained in over a month now.
As a girl from the coast, finding the beauty in my crunchy, brown backyard takes a minute.
But it’s there!
I have been watching a scrawny brown squirrel. I thought about chasing him away, but then I noticed what he was doing. He’s been TOTALLY appreciating my withered garden! I’ll even guess that at this moment he is thinking it is quite beautiful! He has grabbed my one and only tomato off the vine.
It is misshapen and still green, but he is holding it in his little hands like he has hit the jackpot.
He isn’t bothering to take it home to feast on. He’s already stuffing his face!
See, what I thought was rather ugly and useless, he has found to be absolutely ENCHANTING!
I imagine that with the drought of this summer, that juicy, green tomato tastes pretty amazing to him.
Thank you for helping me notice the lesson you wanted me to see today God!
What a wonderful Creator you are! Your touches of beauty are everywhere out there!
“Look at the birds of the air;
(or little backyard suburban creatures)…
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?”
~ Matthew 6:2
*Reading-
–Days of Creation!
(Each Day has a short paragraph to read and then lot of other related things to check out, including printables! Super FUN!)
–Explore Creation!
(This has TONS of kid friendly pages to explore- all about creation!)
–How Did God Create Everything From Nothing?
–John 1:1-3 Lesson
(This is an entire lesson plan, so parents preview and print out what you want to use!)
–Space Camp Chaos! (A story about God’s amazing work of creation!)
*Let’s read and find out what God has to say about His creation!
– Genesis 2:9 – Psalm 104: 14-16 – Job 12:7-10 – Psalm 19:1-4
– Romans 1:20, 25 – Psalm 148: 7-10 – Psalm 33: 6-9 – Acts 14: 15
– Psalm 23: 2-3 – Psalm 147: 7-9 – John 1:1-3
*Watch This!
-LOTS of videos about CREATION
(Many of the videos are answering questions about creation submitted by kids!)
–The Creation Story- Genesis 1 & 2
–Romans 1:20 Devotion (Seeing God in creation)
*Wonders Of Creation Videos-
–Wonders Of Creation: Woodpeckers!
–Wonders Of Creation: Giraffes !
–Wonders Of Creation: Platypus !
–Wonders Of Creation: Classroom Series
–God Made Animals (Great for your younger students)
*Ideas to Think About & Discuss-
Look around!The beauty of the earth reflects the beauty of the One who created it!
When God created the highest heavens, the roaring oceans, the towering mountains, the littlest to the largest animals, sweet smelling flowers, and trees growing the most delicious fruits…He looked at each amazing creation and saw that it was good!
And then He created man, in His very own image, and He breathed His own breath into Adam.
Do you know what God saw?This creation was very good!
-Why do you think God took such care to make the place for us to live so beautiful?
-Have you everthought that God created the whole earth to show His majesty, but also with us in mind?
-Can you think of some of the parts of creation and guess why He created them the way He did?
(Ex. the moon for quiet light at night, the order of day and night, warmth of the sun, plants for food)
He created it to provide for us…He created it to remind us of minute of every day of who He is…
He created it for us to enjoy…He created it for us to rule and reign over.
WOW!!!Those are some reasons to rejoice and praise God!
This week we will talk about one more way we can worship God !
It starts by slowing down, opening our eyes, and SEEING the beauty in His creation all around us.
-What parts of God’s creation cause you to be amazed?
It could be how a tall tree can grow from a tiny seed, or the beauty of towering mountains, or animals, or babies, or the mighty power of a hurricane, or how huge the ocean is, or how many countless stars are in the night sky, or the way God created the human eye to work…
The Native Americans of the Southwest saw these very sights and worshipped them.
They appreciated the beauty and majesty of what they saw…but worshipped the created things instead of the one who created it ALL!
We know that God Himself made the earth and everything in it.
-Do you stop and give Him thanks when you notice the beauty of a sunset or some other lovely part of nature?
-What are some ways that nature can remind you to worship the Creator and not the loveliness of the created thing?
*Explore It More!
* Try keeping a journal (at least for this week) of something in nature that causes you to worship God each day. It could be some amazing fact about life you’re learning about in science…it could be something you saw in your own backyard (like my little squirrel friend). Stop and look around you. Take a moment to think. Now, draw a picture of it, write a little note to yourself, take a photo & tape it in your journal. Be creative. When you are finished, take a few minutes to give thanks to God.
-IF you purchased the Printable Power Pack, there is a printable mini-journal to use for this activity!
*Family Camp Out!
Here is an interesting devotional about nature and God’s purpose…lots of good thoughts! Might make you want to camp out tonight!
*We have learned about Georgia O’Keeffe this month.
She noticed the tiniest details in objects. She appreciated every small part of things. Pick an object that you find lovely. Take the time to examine it closely. Now focus on one small area. Try looking at it under a magnifying glass. Notice the smallest details. See how it is put together. You might like to take a photo of it at up close. If you enjoy painting, use your photo to paint the magnified object as Georgia O’Keeffe was known for doing.
(There is an entire lesson on Georgia O’Keeffe in the ART section of this unit study!)
“Nobody sees a flower,
really — it is so small —
we haven’t time,
and to see takes time,
like to have a friend takes time.”
~Georgia O’Keeffe
Here’s an example~
– Georgia O’Keeffe Art Lesson
–Georgia O’Keeffe Big Flowers art project
* Many of the hymns and worship songs we sing refer to the beauty of God’s creation.
Take some quiet time to think about one part of creation that makes your heart want to sing. Maybe you could go sit outside on a sunny afternoon…or look up at the moon and stars in the night sky… Write a song if one comes to your mind. If not, maybe you could take the time to choose a few of your favorite songs. Find a quiet place outside and read them aloud…take time to think about the words. If you play an instrument, you could learn to play one! Whatever you choose to do with this activity…PRAISE the Lord for the beauty of His creation!
*Let’s Sing!
–“Let Everything!”
-‘Creation Sings the Father’s Song‘
-‘All Creation‘
– ‘How Great Thou Art’
-‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness‘
– God Created Song
*Coloring/Activity Pages-
– Squirrel coloring page
–John 1:3 Coloring Page
– Creation coloring pages
–Flowers coloring pages
– How To Draw Flowers
(Ebook on how to draw flowers… be sure to “flip” through the book. Really fun!)
**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:
– https://calvarycurriculum.com/nt-matthew-john/
*Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Let’s Talk About It Pages
– Beautiful Things
– My Favorite Parts of Creation
– Let All The Earth… Journal Mini-Book
– Bible Study Notes
*Southwestern Frontier Science Ideas:
*Week 1- Wild Weather In The Southwest!
*Week 2- Frontier Life- Natural Beauty & Your Skin
*Week 3- Flowers Of The Southwestern United States
*Week 1: Wild Weather !
* As you are learning about the desert geography of New Mexico this week, you may be surprised to know how turbulent the weather can be there. There are monsoon type rainstorms that cause flash floods and mud slides, wild fires, tornadoes, and even blizzards in the higher elevations! The settlers in the southwestern United States had many adventures with wild weather!
*Before you begin, do you know what kind of scientist studies weather?
+ Read! Watch! Learn!
* You may like to read pg. 28-29 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” again as an intro to this lesson.
*Floods!
– Rain to Floods!
(Nice intro with lots of links)
–Science- Flood!
– A Story of the Flash Flood!
(Pioneer story of flash floods in the southwestern US)
– Wild Weather- Floods!
– Why Do Floods Happen? (video- about 4 minutes)
– Understanding Floods
(Although this video is made specific to Australia, it is really informative! Best for older kids)
*Wild Fires!
– Wildfires
(Nice intro with lots of links)
–Smokey the Bear interactive game
–Wildfires For Kids
(From the NPS… lots of reading to explore fires!)
– Santa Fe Trail Dust- Prairie Fires!
(Story of wild prairie fires faced by settlers of New Mexico)
–All About Wildfires
(Video about 5 minutes)
–Wild Kratts- Wildfires! (2 minutes)
–How Wildfires Can Actually HELP!
(Video about 4 minutes)
–NPS Junior Ranger- FIRES! Booklet
(Work through this book to earn another badge!)
–Directions for how to gain your Jr. Ranger Badge
*Tornadoes!
– Weather- Tornadoes!
(Nice intro with lots of links for activities too!)
– Tornado Science
– Tornado Questions!
– Tornadoes!
– Old West Tornadoes!
– Wild West Tornado Stories
(Some thoughts & information about what the early settlers might have thought about tornadoes)
–What Is a Tornado?
(About 4 minutes)
–What Causes a Tornado?
(About 3 minutes)
–Magic School Bus Kicks Up A Storm!
(About 25 minutes)
–Storm Chasers! Tornadoes and Hurricanes
(Just something extra if your kiddos are extra interested in this topic!)
*Blizzards!
– Wild Weather- Blizzards
– Blizzard!
– Blizzards! Facts For Kids
– Snow Games Online!
– What Is a Blizzard?
(Video- about 4 minutes)
– Science of Blizzards!
(Video about 3 minutes)
+Watch-
**There are also videos under each of the weather sections above!
– The Great American Southwest
– What Is a Natural Disaster?
+Discovering & Doing-
–Wild Weather Interactive Game
–Wild Weather Disaster Plan Coloring Book For Kids
–Wild Weather Printable Trading Cards
* Wildfire activities-
– Wildfire Prevention Detectives
(Smokey Bear for intermediate age groups…lots of printable activities, etc…)
– Fire Safety
(Printable Coloring/Activity Fire Safety Book! Although this is about house fires, not wildfires, it is always a good lesson to teach especially younger children! This would be an easy tie in!)
–Fire Prevention Games and Activities
* Tornado activities to try-
–Magic School Bus Experiment- Tiny Tornadoes
(Great to go along with the Magic School Bus Kicks Up a Storm video linked above!)
– Make Your Own Tornado
– Tornado Science
– Tornado Activities
(Lots of printables about tornadoes)
–Tornadoes! Printable Book
* Flood activities-
– Don’t Flood Game
– Floodwaters in the Desert Activity
– Printable Flood Preparedness Activity Book
– Flood Safety Activity Book
* Blizzard Activities
–Snow Storm In A Jar
–Snow Science!
–Science of Winter Weather
–Frost In a Jar Experiment
–Instant Ice Experiment
*Coloring Pages-
– Tornado Coloring Page
– Snow Coloring Pages
– Wildfire Coloring Pages
– Flood Coloring Page
*America’s Southwestern Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Wild Weather!
-Wild Weather Prep Page
-Family Preparedness Planner
*Week 2: Frontier Life- Natural Beauty and Your Skin
In Frontier times, people made their own lotions, lip balms, and healing salves using simple, everyday ingredients like beeswax, herbs, dried flowers, animal fats, and lard. These homemade items weren’t just for beauty—they were also used for practical care, like soothing blisters from farming, chapped lips from the wind, or cracked hands after hard work.
+Reading-
*You may like to read pg. 24-25 in “Welcome to Josefina’s World” again as an intro to this lesson.
“In Josefina’s day, few people in Mexico or the United States bathed, brushed their teeth, or even changed their clothes daily. But the women of New Mexico, despite the lack of water and the ever-present dust, worked hard to keep their homes, their families, and themselves clean and beautiful.”
– from ‘Welcome To Josefina’s World’
Men needed skin care too!
Days spent in the sun, working in a field, or driving a wagon on the Trail took it’s toll on men’s hands and faces!
*Your Skin-
–Skin Science
–Understanding The Largest Organ In The Human Body
(A good reason to care for your skin!)
-How Your Skin Works (video- about 6 minutes)
–The Science of Your Skin! (video- about 5 minutes)
–Make a Model of The Skin or Make this 3D Skin Model
*Skin Care-
– 1800’s Beauty
– Make Up, Creams, Balms, and Lotions- Recipes From the 1800’s
– Native American Beauty Secrets
–What Are Cosmetics?
–Make Up Science
* Here is an entire Unit Study on Beauty and Makeup to explore!
*Find out what kind of scientist would study cosmetics!
–What Kind of Scientist Studies…
–What is a Cosmetic Scientist
+Discovering & Doing-
*Before you complete any of your experiments… Find out…What is Scientific Method?
*Homemade Skincare
*Make your own “primrose” perfume
*Why not try making some of your own beauty products using natural ingredients like Josefina and her friends may have done?
Make your own Beeswax Lip Balm like the ladies on the Frontier!
(This recipe is super easy and kids can do it themselves!)
*There are recipes for all kinds of fun things here, not just makeup. So get a few friends together and have a beauty party!
–DIY Lotion Bars (These make great gifts too!)
–Make your own sweet smelling shampoo
-This is a cute step by step video by “The Glitter Girls Club”
– How To Make Homemade Lip Gloss
– Make Your Own Beauty Balms
– Make Your Own Vanilla Hand Lotion
(Another cute video by “The Glitter Girls Club” on how to make sparkly vanilla hand lotion)
– Fizzy Bath Bombs Recipe
– Rosewater Toner Recipe
*More Skincare Science
–Skincare Science Experiments
*Coloring Pages-
(You may like to use these pages for clip art, to record your recipes, etc…)
–Cosmetics Coloring Pages
–Making Perfume Coloring Page
–Perfume Coloring Page
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Scientific Method
-Recipe Record Sheets
-Beeswax Lip Balm Process Page
-Note Taking Sheet
-Wildflowers Perfume
*Week 3: Flowers of the Southwest
* One of the things that reminded Josefina so much of her mama was the primroses that she so loved to grow. Even though much of the area surrounding Josefina’s home was desert, there were plenty of lovely flowers that grew there.
What’s your favorite ?
*First, learn what kind of scientist studies PLANTS!
+Read! Watch! Learn!
– Desert Plants
(Links to lots & lots of desert plants all with BEAUTIFUL colorful pictures)
–What Is a Wildflower?
–Early Wildflowers of New Mexico
(Wildflowers of New Mexico and some of their traditional uses)
–Celebrate Wildflowers US Forest Service
(Lots of kids activities…parts of a wildflower classification, dissection and labeling pages, etc)
-Lesson Plan All About Wildflowers
–What’s Inside a Flower?
(Video about 4 minutes)
–New Mexico Desert Flowers
(Video about 2 minutes)
–The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
(Video about 8 minutes)
+Discovering & Doing-
– Desert Plants
(Videos of desert plants…very interesting)
–Butterfly Gardens
Try making your own special butterfly garden area of wildflowers. Find what wildflowers grow best where you live!
–Backyard Smart: Know Your Zone
–Zone Maps By State
–What Grows In Your Zone?
* Wildflowers grow, well….WILD!
Most come from seeds and droppings from birds and other animals. Why not try growing a surprise garden. What’s a surprise garden? Read on…
– Wildflower Surprise Gardens
*Josefina saved her mama’s dried primroses in her memory box.
Maybe you’d like to try drying some wildflowers yourself. You can keep them just to look at, or use them to make a craft such as notecards, bookmarks, etc…
–How To Preserve Wild Flowers
–Pressed Flowers Bookmark
–Make Seed Balls
–Wildflower Observation Journal Page
*Coloring Pages-
–Wildflower Coloring Pages
(Beautiful coloring pages of wildflowers with descriptions of each flower)
– Flower Parts Coloring Page
– Flowers Coloring Pages (Color By Number)
* Here are some ideas for printables to record your experiments and findings!
– Science Experiment Worksheets
– Plant Tracking Sheets
*America’s Southwest Frontier- Josefina Printable Power Pack
-Flowers of the Southwest
-US Garden Zones
-Gardening Coloring Page
*America’s Southwestern Frontier Geography Ideas-
+Week 1- All About New Mexico
+Week 2- Ancient Peoples and Places of New Mexico (National Parks in New Mexico)
+Week 3- On the Trail in New Mexico (State Parks of New Mexico)
*Week 1: All About New Mexico
+READ IT!
– New Mexico Facts
– All About New Mexico
– New Mexico
– A to Z Kids Stuff- New Mexico
–Fun Facts About New Mexico
– 50 States FACTS! New Mexico
–Spanish Exploration of New Mexico as told by the explorer Villagrá
-Very brief intro to The Settlement of Santa Fe & Exploration of the Southwestern United States
+MAP IT!
–New Mexico Map Activity
–Mapping activities on early history of New Mexico
(Entire lesson plan for teachers & students)
–1768 Map of New Mexico
(Includes geographical features and Native American tribes)
–Interactive Map of New Mexico and Online New Mexico Scavenger Hunt
*Make a map showing the four corners states.
Highlight the state of New Mexico.
Be sure to label rivers, mountains, the capital and any other important things you’d like to note.
New Mexico Map
+HANDS-ON HISTORY!
-Find out what the 4 major biomes of New Mexico are.
Choose one or more to create a mason jar biome!
*New Mexico Flag Projects
-Eraser Dot Flag
Make a NM flag by dipping a pencil eraser in red paint, copying the pattern of the flag onto a yellow sheet of construction paper!
-Bean Art New Mexico Flag
Make a NM flag using some of the common beans (Pinto, kidney, red beans), dried corn, and/or spices found in New Mexico to make New Mexico’s Flag, or create your own design representing the state of New Mexico! Example of the idea behind this Bean Project.
-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.
*Coloring and Activity Pages-
–New Mexico Wildlife Coloring Book
–New Mexico Printables
–New Mexico Coloring Pages
(Nice variety of coloring pages from the New Mexico Historical Preservation Society)
–New Mexico Printables and Activities
(Links to all kinds of free printables about New Mexico)
–New Mexico State Symbols Coloring Pages
–New Mexico – State Coloring Pages
–Printables For New Mexico
–New Mexico Natural History Museum Coloring Pages
*From The Southwestern Frontier (Josefina) Printable Power Pack
-All About New Mexico
-New Mexico Map It!
-Places I’d Like to See In New Mexico
*Week 2: People and Places of New Mexico (The National Parks)
This lesson overlaps with the reading on Day 1, Week 3.
You will find A LOT of information/activities below. You could choose one of the days to do the reading, and one to try some of the hands-on activities.
+READ IT!
–History of the Peoples of New Mexico
– New Mexico’s Ancient People
(This is a lesson based on another book…however, there’s some nice reading & printables included in the lesson that do not require the book. Scroll down to the section entitled “Ancient Peoples” for a nice intro to this unit.)
* The Pueblo (Anasazi People)
– Introduction to the Pueblo People
– Who Are the Anasazi?
– Native Americans- Pueblo
– The Ancient Pueblo People
* Navajo and Apache People
– Who Are the Navajo?
– The Apache People
– Who Was Geronimo?
– Who Were The Navajo Code Talkers? (video- about 10 minutes)
*Mogollon People
– Meet the Mogollons
(‘Meet the Mogollon’ intro and project)
– New Mexico Mogollons
+WATCH IT!
–The Puebloans
–Musical instruments of the Pueblo People
–‘Spider Woman Teaches the Navajo’ story read aloud
–‘Baby Shark’ in Navajo!
–‘Fry Bread’
(Sweet story, ‘Fry Bread’, read aloud!)
-Can you make the ‘Two Coyotes‘ ? Try this fun string trick!
+MAP IT!
–The Geography of New Mexico (reading)
– New Mexico Geography
*Add to your New Mexico map from week 1 (or make a new one!).
Map out Josefina’s Native American neighbors in New Mexico, and the other “three corners” states…or print out one of these new maps to use in your notebook.
– The Four Corners
+HANDS-ON HISTORY!
– Make Your Own Pueblo Coil Pot
– Pueblo Pottery
(A complete lesson with lovely historic photos of Pueblo art and activities to try at home)
– Native American Sand Painting
– Navajo Fry Bread
(Navajo Fry Bread recipe with a nice history….Yummmmmm!)
–Pueblo Piki Bread
(Free TpT printable recipe for Pueblo Indian Piki Bread!)
*Try making a woven basket
– Native American Basketry
– Make your own Basket!
(How-to weave a newspaper basket!)
* Add items studied this week to your diorama
(You could add paper dolls this week… make a southwestern family, or perhaps you may like to include some of their “neighbors”… or interesting people they may have met along the trails! Why not add in some of the indigenous animals too?!)
*Coloring Pages:
–Navajo Nation Flag
–Navajo Coloring Page
– Navajo Blanket Coloring Page
– Native Americans Coloring Page
– Pueblos Coloring Page
– Pueblo Indian Coloring Book
(This is from the ruins in AZTEC, New Mexico… but NOT about the Aztec Indians 😀 )
–Southwestern Native Americans Coloring Pages
*America’s Southwest Frontier- American Girl Josefina- Printable Power Pack
-All About New Mexico
-New Mexico Map It!
-Places I’d Like to See In New Mexico
*Week 3: On the Trail…Exploring New Mexico Through State Parks
Last week we looked at the ancient people of New Mexico, including the NATIONAL Parks dedicated to preserving their history.
This week we are going to be learning about some more parks in the state of New Mexico. These are called STATE parks.
See if you can find out what the difference is!
+READ IT!
– What is a National Park?
(Complete Lesson Plan…just in case you need one. 🙂 )
–How the National Park Service Got Started
–History of National Parks For Kids
–Live Web Cams in the Parks
(Scroll down the “locations” list on the left to take a virtual tour of some of the US National Parks)
* Carlsbad Caverns
– Explore the Caverns!
– Carlsbad Caverns Jr. Ranger Books (Levels pre-K to High School!)
– Carlsbad Caverns
(NPS main page…look to the left for links to the history, people, and nature of the park)
– Bat Biologist- Carlsbad Caverns Jr. Ranger Book
– Carlsbad Caverns Interactive Fun
– NPS Caves Coloring Book
–Quick Tour Carlsbad Caverns (video- about 4 minutes)
–Carlsbad Caverns With Benny and Leo (video- about 8 minutes)
–Take a Virtual Tour To Carlsbad Caverns- Kid Safari (video about 7 minutes)
* Bandelier National Monument & the People of New Mexico
– Video Tour of Bandelier National Monument
– Explore Bandelier National Park
– Junior Ranger Book- Bandelier National Monument Park
– Bandelier National Monument- Lesson Plan
– Nature at Bandelier
– Bandelier- People of New Mexico
(Links for LOTS of activities to teach about the people of New Mexico)
*Aztec Ruins National Park
–Aztec Ruins National Park
(Kids discover the park interactive)
– Take a Tour of Aztec Ruins National Park
(NPS video tour of this ruin by young park rangers)
– Nature & Science of Aztec Ruins Monument National Park
– Aztec Ruins National Park- Lesson Plans
(Lesson plans about the plants, people, history, etc… SCROLL down below the “Traveling Trunk” intro!)
* Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument…the meeting of the Spanish and Pueblo
– Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
– Nature At Salinas Pueblo (video- about 10 minutes)
– Animals at Salinas Pueblo
– How A Boy Earned His Name- A Ranger Reads
– Take a Tour of Salinas Pueblo National Park!
(Video tour by young park rangers )
– Video Tour of Salinas Pueblo National Park!
– The People of Salinas Pueblo National Park!
* Pecos
– Pecos National Historic Park For Kids
– History and Tour of Pecos!
(Nice video history/tour of Pecos National Monument by the NPS)
– Tour of Pecos National Historic Park (video- about 4 minutes)
– What is the Pecos National Monument?
– The People and Places of Pecos
– Spanish History and the Pecos
– Pecos and the Santa Fe Trail
– Pecos National Park- Junior Ranger Book
* Chaco Culture National Historic Park
– All About Chaco Canyon Historic Park
– Take a Tour of Chaco Canyon!
(Video virtual tour of Chaco Canyon National Park by young park rangers)
– History of Chaco Canyon
– What’s at Chaco Canyon?
– Chaco Canyon National Park- Learn More!
*Gilla Cliff Dwellings
– Gilla Cliff Dwellings Printable Activity and Coloring Book
– Gilla Cliff Dwellings – Junior Ranger Book 2
(These have the same first few pages, so scroll down to see the rest)
– Nature at the Gilla Cliff Dwellings
(Be sure to look at the bar to the left for other links!)
– Take a Tour of Gilla Cliff Dwellings
(Nice, short video tour of the site)
– The Gilla Forest
(The Gila Forest…short video from PBS)
–Cliff Dwelling coloring page
+MAP IT!
* Watch this short tutorial on reading a map by the National Parks Service
– How To Read a Map
– Map Reading With Snacks
* On a blank map of New Mexico, map out these National Parks/Historic Sites
– Mapping New Mexico
* Make a comparison chart listing the geographic location (North, South,Central, etc…), the indigenous people group, any special landforms found there, wildlife, or anything else you’d like to compare).
–Sample Comparison Chart
(Here’s an idea of the type of chart I had in mind, although the columns would be comparing different items & the rows would be each of the National Parks)
+HANDS-ON HISTORY!
–Santa Fe Trail National Park Activities
–Become a Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Junior Trail Ranger!
– What Does The National Park Logo Mean?
–Design Your Own National Park and Logo
–Mesa Verda Park Activity Book
–Become a Virtual Mesa Verde Junior Ranger
–Carlsbad Caverns National Park Printable (print page 13)
–National Parks Printables
*Add to & finish up your diorama
(It might be fun this week to add some of the famous landmarks or landforms that we have studied this week to your diorama….)
+Coloring-
*You will find lots of the printables this week under each National Park!
– America’s National Parks Logo Coloring Page
– Gilla Cliff Dwellings Coloring Page
*Art- Georgia O’Keeffe
* Read & Watch!
*Meet Georgia O’Keeffe
*Who Is Georgia O’Keeffe ?
*Georgia O’Keeffe Short Biography
*Georgia O’Keeffe For Kids (video- about 4 minutes)
*Georgia O’Keeffe – Little People Big Dreams (video- about 5 minutes)
*The Story of Georgia O’Keeffe (video- about 5 minutes)
–Georgia O’Keeffe – Art History For Kids (about 4 minutes)
*Georgia’s New Mexico
*Take a virtual tour of many of Georgia’s works HERE
* “My Name is Georgia” (Read aloud on YouTube- about 5 minutes)
* Discovering and Doing-
*Georgia O’Keeffe Art Activities For Kids (LOTS of choices!)
*Georgia O’Keeffe Unit
*Super FUN Georgia O’Keeffe Art History Lesson (from Happy Family Art – love this site!)
*Creative Chalk Art Project (YouTube instructions )
*Paint a landscape ! Step by step how to (Great lesson from Painted Paper Art !!)
*Try making these Georgia O’Keeffe Flower Bowls (from The Crayon Lab)
–How To Draw Like Georgia O’Keeffe
–Large Format Flowers- Georgia O’Keeffe Art For Kids
* Coloring & Notebooking-
*Be sure to check out the artist note booking pages in the Josefina Power Pack!
*Georgia O’Keeffe coloring page
*O’Keeffe Ram’s Head and Hollyhock
*Lawerence Tree
*Great tips to make your OWN printable artwork coloring pages (for any artist)
*Misc. Crafts, Cooking, & Creative Ideas-
You can find lots more ideas for hands-on projects and recipes in this post- A Southwestern Frontier Christmas- Hands-On History
*I hope you have enjoyed the
America’s Southwestern Frontier – American Girl Josefina Unit Study !
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!
Follow us through history with Pioneer America, Kirsten’s Unit Study coming up next!
*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
+Native America (Kaya) Printable HISTORY Cards and Bingo Game
+Native America Books and Resources List
+Kaya Native America Pinterest Board
*FREE Colonial America Unit Study – AG Felicity
+Felicity Printable Power Pack
+Colonial America (Felicity) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Colonial America Books and Resources List
+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
+America’s Southwest Frontier (Josefina) Books & Resources List
+Christmas Southwestern Frontier- Hands-On History (Free)
+Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Christmas POWER Pack
+Josefina’s Southwestern Frontier Christmas PDF Version
+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
+FREE* Kirsten’s Swedish Pioneer Christmas Unit
+A Pioneer Christmas- PDF Version
+A Pioneer Christmas Printable POWER Pack
+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
+Civil War Unit Book and Resources List
+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
+Turn of the Century (Samantha) Unit Study- PDF Version
+Turn of the Century Books and Resources List
+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
+The Great Depression (Kit) Printable Printable Power Pack
+Great Depression Books and Resources List
+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
+WW2 File Folder Game
+World War 2 Unit Study Printables BUNDLE!
+World War 2 Books and Resources List
+Molly- World War 2 Pinterest Board
*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!
*FINAL NOTE:
Remember these unit studies (scroll down, they’re all listed below) are designed so that your family can enjoy them for FREE anywhere there is internet access ! No additional books necessary. 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. 🙂
These units could stretch out for months if you’re having fun learning!
Remember to check out my favorite books, movie suggestions, craft books, and more for each of the unit studies 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. This will help keep the rest of my content completely free !
THANKS FRIENDS !!
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Fitoru
Wonderful list of links, nice content, good read and informative. Learn a lot of stuff today.
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