On the Banks of Plum Creek Week 6 Lesson Plans

Mornings:

We start every morning off with our prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance. Below is a picture of the prayers that we say and a video of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Not the prettiest example but that’s what we’ve been using for the past few years.

Don’t have a flag? Grab one HEREand print it out to put up somewhere… you could even let the kids make a flag to proudly display. Amazon also has some little ones like this one HERE and HERE.

After this we have our calendar time also where we go over such things as the Days of the Week, the months, and some basic math.

This one came from Lakeshore Learning.

The younger kids will also be watching some of these videos while I work with the older ones:

We may also use some of the songs found HERE.

And we will be trying out some relaxing background music with Google.

We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States.

Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or topic simply push the ‘ctrl’ and the ‘F’ button down together and a small bar will pop up. Type in the week number or chapter number you want and it will take you to it.

On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.

Answer can be found HERE.

Answer Key Password: momsrock

Week 6: Chapters 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 & 34

(The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn, Going to Town, Surprise, Grasshoppers Walking, Wheels of Fire, and Marks on the Slate)

Here is our lesson plan for the week:

Language Arts

Reading:

Read Chapters 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 & 34

You can read it or let the kids help to read it aloud.
You can also access an audio version:

Discussion Questions:

Chapter Twenty-Nine (The Darkest Hour Is Just Before Dawn):

How was the weather changing?
What disappeared as the weather got cooler?
What did Anna do with the paper dolls? Charlotte?
What did Laura find in a puddle? What did she do?
How did Pa let them know he was home?
What did the girls need? How did Pa handle it?

Chapter Thirty (Going to Town):

What did Pa do in town?
What did Mary get? And Laura?
What did Ma not get? And Pa? Why?

Chapter Thirty-One (Surprise):

What did the girls do every day?
What did Nellie do that made Laura mad?
What new sound did they hear?
What new sight did Laura see? What was on it?
What gifts did everyone get? What special gift did Laura get?

Chapter Thirty-Two (Grasshoppers Walking):

What did Pa make?
How was the weather changing?
What was hatching? What did they do?
What strange thing happened? How long did it last?
What did Pa want to know?

Chapter Thirty-Three (Wheels of Fire):

What did they plant? When did the old-timers say they should be planted?
Where did Pa go? Why?
What happened while Pa was gone? Who came to help?
What did Ma say about good neighbors?

Chapter Thirty-Four (Marks on the Slate):

What did they need to harvest before they froze?
How did they harvest them?
What did they do with the turnips?
How did they keep track of how long Pa would be gone?
Did Pa come home when they expected? Why or why not?
What sad story did Pa tell them?

Additional Reading:

Older Children:

Each child would complete a reading lesson from our McGuffey Primer Books or other reading materials that we chose for the day.

Younger Children:

Younger kids will also be doing one lesson a day from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

We are also working through All About Reading Level Pre-reading with William as he needed something a little different from what we had been doing.

Vocabulary/Spelling:

Print: On the Banks of Plum Creek Vocabulary Week Six List

Older Kids:

Day One: Write your words three times each.
Day Two: Write your words in ABC order.
Day Three: Look up definitions and use five of your words in a sentence.
Day Four: Test (optional) or Worksheet:
- On the Banks of Plum Creek Vocabulary Week Six Worksheet

Parents click HERE for the answer key.**see instructions at the top of the page.

Younger Kids:

Spelling You See Level A

Handwriting:

Older Kids:

Spencerian Penmanship

-or-

A Reason for Handwriting, Transition to Cursive, Book T, Based on Scripture Verses

Younger Kids:

A Reason for Handwriting: Level A: Manuscript Student Workbook

Writing:**

We will be using the Writing Activity Station Kit from Lakeshore Learning for some of our lessons.

Write a descriptive story about a day in the life of your favorite toy.
Write a descriptive poem about the weather today.

Other Activity:

Group:

Continue reading Word Fun
Watch Signing Times: Everday Signs
Work on your Moby Max account

Older kids:

Continue reading your book.
Play Bookworm Wordy Wonder Bundle.
Free Choice Spelling Activity
Bonus Points: Read to a younger sibling

Younger kids:

Read: Free Choice from the bookshelf
Work with the Alphabet Theme Box from Lakeshore Learning.
Teach Your Monster to Read
Free Choice Spelling/Vocabulary Game

Math

You may find it easier to buy a Math Workbook to work through as you go along with the study.

** For fun you may try ‘ciphering’ on a slate with a slate pencil.

Group:

Do an activity from Building Thinking Skills® Level 1.
Do an activity from Math Games.

Rotate through these activities:

Older Kids:

Work on a lesson in your Ray’s Arithmetic Books or other math workbooks.
Work on Khan Academy
Special Tasks:
- Use information from p. 208 to calculate how many potential grasshoppers were in each square foot of ground.

Younger Kids:

Work on your Math-U-See Primer or another workbook.
Practice with Numbers & Counting Theme Box
Work on Khan Academy or ABCmouse.com

Geography and History

Memorize the Continents and Oceans using the videos below to help:

1. State Study

This week we will study Wyoming.
Complete your notebooking pages.
Older kids can write a report about the state.

Play The United States of America Puzzle

2. Landforms & Mapping

Maps:

Discuss what you have learned.
Cardinal Directions Worksheet
Compass Rose Worksheet
What is a compass rose used for?
Do one activity from:
- Landforms & Mapping Resource Box

Landforms:

Buttes and Mesas

Volcanoes

Discuss what you have learned.
Work on your lapbook.
Read 4-5 pages from Geography from A to Z: A Picture Glossary
Do one activity from each of the following:
- Properties of Earth Activity Tub
- Instant STEM Activities

3. Bonus

Extra:

We will also be using this People Long Ago Resource Box from Lakeshore Learning to go with our lessons.

There are also some other resources available here:

Science

1. Pick one or two topics to learn about:

Birds

Grasshopper Migration

Discuss what you learned.
Read Bird-acious (Science with Stuff) and do the activity.
Do an activity from the Growing Things Theme Box
Choose a topic to study and write a report about. Your report will be due next week.
Use the Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever to research.

2. Learn about the weather and seasons.

Fall

Lightning

Discuss what you learned.
Seasons & Weather Theme Box activity
Weathers & Seasons – Interactive Science Activities

3. Read:

Natural World: A Visual Compendium of Wonders from Nature chapter 14, 15 & 16
Discuss what you learned.

Extra Activities:

Life Skills

We will be discussing some of the character qualities that are displayed in the book but if you would like to do a separate character study lesson you can download one HERE.

1. Memory Verse

We will be memorizing Psalm 51 during this unit study. Print it HERE.

Work on memorizing a verse during the week for a special prize.
- Verse 12: Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
- Verse 13: Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Older kids can copy the memory verse down in their notebook.

2. Character

Discuss what you learned.
What commandment did Laura break?

God is good and he takes care of us.
How did God give Laura what she had wanted?

– Read Joel 2:25-26

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.

How does this apply to the story?

Read Proverbs 27:10

Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

Who does this apply to in the story?
Who was a good neighbor?

3. Manners

– Read pages 69 through 84 of Emily Post’s Table Manners for Kids and discuss the manners used in each situation below:

Where are some places that you must eat quickly?
What are some line manners?
What are some tips for eating at a cafeteria?
What are some tips for eating at a sit-down restaurant?
What are some picnic tips?
What is a buffet? A potluck?
What can make a meal special?
Practice these manners when you eat.

4. Fun Activities

Plan a field trip.
Learn why grasshoppers swarm.
Watch another video about ball lightning HERE.
Show someone how you are a good neighbor by doing something nice for them.
Try a turnip recipe from The Little House on the Prairie Cookbook.
- Raw Turnips p. 115
- Mashed Turnips p. 116
Find another recipe online to try, don’t forget that you can use the greens too!
Research ways to preserve foods with Preserving Everything.
Click HERE to learn about fun and unusual holidays.

5. Bonus Skills — Choose one or two to work on

Practice these until you finish this unit study and then we will move on to new skills.

Emergency Preparedness

Discuss what you learned.
Work on a lesson HERE.
Or read a few pages a week from Show Me How to Survive.
Start reading Tsunamis and Other Natural Disasters

Kids Cook Real Food

Work on your next lesson.
Help to prepare a meal using your new skills.
20 Recipes Kids Can Make

Skill Trek

Work on at least one task a week.
Practice your new skill this week.

Back to the Basics

Learn and practice some traditional skills from the book.

Read pages 390-391 (pest deterrents)
Discuss what you learned.

Herb Study

Using one of the following for your study:
Discuss what you learned.
Be sure to jot down some notes.
Play Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, a cooperative board game

Dog Training

We are using Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days as a guide for training our puppy.

Discuss what you have learned
Practice the techniques with your puppy this week.

Discuss what you have learned
Practice the techniques with your puppy this week.

Note:

We will also be using:

PE, Health & Safety

1. Nutrition

Discuss what you learned.
The Ingalls family had an abundant harvest of turnips. What food group would these fall in?
Name 5 other foods that fall into the same food group.
healthy produce guide
Printable – Harvest Vegetables Coloring Sheet
Printable Nutrition Crossword Puzzle – Fruits and Veggies
Do an activity from the Nutrition Instant Learning Center

2. Games/Outdoor Play

Go outside and play 30 minutes and try out some bone-strengthening activities.
Check out these sites for some fun Pioneer games:
- PIONEER CHILDREN – toys and games
- Bobcat Ridge 4th Grade Pioneer Program Games and Recreation Station

Bonus:

Did you know that Square Dancing is a good exercise for helping you to have strong bones?

If you haven’t already signed up for classes have your parents check for a local club near you.

Music, Arts & Crafts

Crafts:

Creativity for Kids Hide and Seek Rock Painting Kit
Plan a day to hide your painted rocks!
50 Bug Crafts for Kids
Or choose a craft from Pioneer Crafts For Kids

Art:

Draw an insect from Draw 50 Animals
Try techniques from Zentangle for Kids
Choose a coloring page from one of these:
- Audubon’s Birds of America Coloring Book
- American Wild Flowers Coloring Book

Music:

The Girl I Left Behind Me p. 112 Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook

You can check out my Pinterest page Little House on the Prairie Crafts for even more crafts and activities.

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