These lessons were made to go along with ‘On The Banks Of Plum Creek‘ written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are planning to go through the whole series and I am keeping track of the different topics we are learning about here on my blog. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have!
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or subject 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.
Week 1: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
1. Water Purification Safety
Drinking unpurified water can sometimes make you very sick.
**BE SURE TO SAVE A FEW SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO! TAKE PICTURES OF BIG PROJECTS!
**This post does contain affiliate links to products and/or services that we use. We may earn a teensy weensy small commission (at NO EXTRA cost to you) if a purchase is made through these links. These links help to support our family, our blog, and our homeschooling mission.
**Although I try to provide as many FREE resources as possible this post may contain affiliate links alt no extra cost to you. We may earn a small commission, if a purchase is made through these links, which helps to support our blog and our family. Thank you!
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.
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.
Week 5: Chapters 13, 14 & 15 (Texas Longhorns, Indian Camp, Fever ‘N Ague)
Routines, like manners, can be used anywhere and everywhere even when we go outside.
The family was all sick during this section of the book. Do you think they kept up with their routines while they were sick? They seemed like they were all too sick to care about routines.
What happens when your mom and dad get sick? Does everyone know the daily routine well enough to keep the house running smoothly?
What do you think are some ideas for a good outside routine? Here are some ideas that could be incorporated into your routine:
Put on shoes
Put away shoes, jackets
Put on Bug Spray
Put on Sunscreen
Put on a hat, if needed
Cleaning up inside toys
Ask permission to go outside
Cleaning up outside toys
Put on outerwear, depending on the weather
Washing hands
Can you think of anything else?
Add your own ideas to this list.
Put the tasks in order from what you should start with.
How could this routine have helped keep the family from getting sick?
2. Ways to help around the house like Laura
We are going to learn how to mop. Mopping can be done a couple of ways. Some people prefer to use a mop and bucket of soapy water, others like myself like to use a steam mop, and some people use disposable mops like Swiffers.
However you mop if up to you but you need to make sure it is done properly. Sometimes we need to hand scrub areas of the floor too and we will learn about that next week.
How to Mop:
Floors need to be swept well before mopping.
Move anything that can be moved to make mopping easier.
You need to find your mop and whatever supplies you will need.
For steam mops you usually only need to fill the tank with water.
Ask for a parent’s help.
For Swiffer type mops, you just need the mop and disposable pad.
For mops and buckets you need:
a mop
a bucket filled halfway with hot water and cleaner added to it.
each time you put the mop in the bucket you will need to wring it out well before putting it on the floor.
Begin mopping in one corner of the area and work your way around.
Pay attention to areas that may be extra dirty.
Check to make sure you didn’t miss anything.
When finished you need to pour out the dirty water, if a mop and bucket was used. We usually pour it in the toilet when we use this method.
Rinse out the bucket.
Clean out your mop, throw away any disposable pads, or put the washable pads in the hamper.
Put away your tools.
Replace anything you moved before you started mopping.
3. Character
We will be focusing on OBEDIENCE this unit. If you don’t have the book we used you can go HERE and download a lesson plan guide to use in your home.
Memorize: Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. – Colossians 3:20
We will be studying obedience during this unit. What is obedience?
The girls often went exploring but made sure not to wander off. It would probably have been easy to get lost on the big prairie. Would you know what to do if you got lost?
Discuss what you have learned.
Make a list of all the steps to do if you get lost.
Work on memorizing the information you would need if you got lost.
When the family got sick they didn’t know what had caused the illness. Mrs. Scott had believed it had come from the watermelon but it had actually came from mosquitoes. How can we protect ourselves from mosquitoes and other insects?
Discuss what you have learned.
What are some ways that we can prevent bug bites?
3. Calcium for strong bones
Ma and the girls were excited to see that Pa had brought home a cow as they hadn’t had any milk for a long time. Why is milk so important in our diets?
Discuss what you have learned.
Name some of the benefits of drinking milk.
Watch this video to learn about how much calcium we need and other sources of calcium.
Discuss what you learned.
What is your favorite calcium rich food? And your least favorite?
**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!
Here are our Lesson Plans For PE, Health & Safety
These lessons were made to go along with ‘The Little House On The Prairie‘ written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We are planning to go through the whole series and I am keeping track of the different topics we are learning about here on my blog. We hope you enjoy these as much as we have!
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or subject 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.
Week 1: Chapters 1, 2 & 3
1. Water Safety
Crossing the creek proved to be very dangerous and scary for the Ingalls family. Watch these videos for some safety tips.
Discuss what you have learned.
Name 5 ways to stay safe around water.
2. Games/Outdoor Play
Horses were very useful in many ways during the pioneer times. This game doesn’t involve horses but is a fun game to play.
The Ingalls’ family used their fireplace not only to cook but also to keep warm. This means it was essential to use almost everyday. They kids learned how to stay safe around the fireplace and you can too.
Discuss what you have learned.
List 5 things you should do to stay safe around a fireplace.
2. Heater Safety
The Ingalls family used their fireplace to keep warm but many of us don’t have fireplaces. Sometimes people use heaters to keep warm. Let’s learn how to stay safe.
Sometimes people use things like BBQ grills to heat their home when they can’t use a heater. Do you know why this can be dangerous?
Discuss what you have learned.
Make a safety checklist for heating your home.
3. Games/Outdoor Play
Laura enjoyed watching all of the animals on the prairie and mentioned the many different types of birds she saw. You can take turns naming the birds while playing this game.
The story talks about how hot the sun was on the prairie and mentioned how Mr. Scott didn’t tan but burned. Let’s learn some safety tips for when we are in the sun.
Discuss what you learned.
Name something that Ma continued to remind the girls to use to protect them from the sun.
Do you think the girls tanned or burned? Why?
What are some ways that we can stay safe in the sun?
Do you know how to treat a sunburn? Watch this video for tips:
2. Snake Safety
The girls enjoyed exploring and playing outside. They often saw a lot of different wildlife on the prairie but they knew to stay away from snakes. Let’s learn a little about snake safety and what to do in case you get a snake bite.
Discuss what you learned.
Write down the steps to take if you see a snake.
Write down the steps to take if you get a snake bite.
The girls often went exploring but made sure not to wander off. It would probably have been easy to get lost on the big prairie. Would you know what to do if you got lost?
Discuss what you have learned.
Make a list of all the steps to do if you get lost.
Work on memorizing the information you would need if you got lost.
When the family got sick they didn’t know what had caused the illness. Mrs. Scott had believed it had come from the watermelon but it had actually came from mosquitoes. How can we protect ourselves from mosquitoes and other insects?
Discuss what you have learned.
What are some ways that we can prevent bug bites?
3. Calcium for strong bones
Ma and the girls were excited to see that Pa had brought home a cow as they hadn’t had any milk for a long time. Why is milk so important in our diets?
Discuss what you have learned.
Name some of the benefits of drinking milk.
Watch this video to learn about how much calcium we need and other sources of calcium.
Discuss what you learned.
What is your favorite calcium rich food? And your least favorite?
Click HERE to read about the Plains Indian’s diet.
Discuss what you have learned.
How does this compare to our diet?
4. Games/Outdoor Play
Regular exercise is important for strong bones. Watch this video to learn about what exercises can help increase bone density.
Discuss what you learned.
Go outside and play 30 minutes and try out some bone strengthening activities.
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.
Week 6: Chapters 16, 17 & 18
1. Fire Safety
Ma and Laura acted quickly when there was a fire. Would you know what to do if there was a fire in your home?
Watch this fire safety video:
Discuss what you learned.
Come up with a fire safety plan and practice it.
2. Burn Treatment
After the fire was out Ma checked Laura for burns but she wasn’t hurt. This was a good thing.
We have learned about fire safety but sometimes we might find that we have accidentally gotten burned. Let’s learn about how to treat a burn:
Discuss what you have learned.
3. Games/Outdoor Play
Pa told them about the geese and turkeys he saw while out hunting and brought back some ducks for dinner. Have you ever watched the birds flying south for winter? If not, maybe you can keep an eye out for them in the Fall.
When they heard the scream at night Pa thought it may have been a neighbor needing help. He soon realized it was a panther and came back home quickly.
Wild animals can be dangerous. Do you know what to do to stay safe if you encounter a wild animal?
Discuss what you have learned.
What kinds of wild animals could you encounter where you live?
How will you keep yourself safe?
2. Games/Outdoor Play
Laura and Mary played games with each other and Baby Carrie. Try any of the games listed below or choose your favorite game to play. These would be really good games for when you are stuck inside the house.
We learned about how the Fever n’ Ague was spread by mosquitoes but do you know how other diseases are spread?
Discuss what you have learned.
2. Diseases spread to the Indians
We have read and researched about the Indians. Did you know that many Indians died from diseases that were brought by the newcomers? Let’s learn about some of these diseases.
Watch this video to learn about some of the diseases spread to the Indians by settlers:
Discuss what you have learned.
What diseases have you heard of? Which ones have you never heard of?
Are these diseases still around today?
Older kids can choose a disease to research further and write a report about.
3. Importance of Sleep
In this section of the book the family had trouble sleeping. Do you remember why? Do you know why sleep is so important?
Discuss what you have learned.
Talk about a time when you didn’t get enough rest. How did you feel?
Some of these games may be fun to include with your Indian Party.
Week 10: Finishing Up
1. Vehicle Safety
At the end of the book the family was moving again. I’m sure they didn’t have seatbelts but Ma and Pa made sure the girls knew what they needed to do to stay safe while traveling. What safety rules should you follow when in a vehicle?
Discuss what you have learned.
Go over the safety rules for the vehicle.
Practice these rules every time you go somewhere.
2. Games/Outdoor Play
Riding in the wagon was probably pretty boring at times and I’m sure the girls needed something to keep them occupied. Have you ever played Rock, Paper, Scissors with your friends? If not you can learn how to play this game and many other skills at SkillTrekker.com. How about this modified version:
**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!
Here are our Lesson Plans For Geography and History
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter 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.
We also like to use this song during our ‘Morning Time’ to help the kids learn the 50 States.
Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2
1. State Study
Print out this map HERE or this one HERE. You can color in the states as you learn them and track Laura’s journeys.
**This post may contain affiliate links to some of the products and resources that we have used. These are provided at no extra charge to you and help to support our blog and family if a purchase is made through these links. -Thank you!
Here are our Lesson Plans For PE, Health & Safety
On weeks where there are several activities listed just choose a couple that interest you the most to work on.
Tip: If you want to go to a certain week/chapter or subject 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.
Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2
1. Stranger Danger
Practice what to do/say in different scenarios like:
Saying ‘Not my Mommy/Not my Daddy‘ if a stranger tries to grab you.
Kick, Fight, Bite, Make Noise if a stranger tries to grab you.
Have a secret family password for emergencies when you may need a ‘stranger’ to pick up your kids.
Discuss different ways a stranger may try to trick your child:
try to lure you into a vehicle saying that your parent is sick and they were sent to pick you up
they may say they have something to show you and ask you to come with them
try to find out if you are home alone
may ask to come inside your home to use the phone
may ask for help to find a lost pet
Discuss ways to stay safe:
NEVER wander off without telling an adult where you are going
NEVER talk to strangers
NEVER accept items from a stranger
NEVER go with a stranger
NEVER tell a stranger you are home alone (or post about it on social media)
NEVER open a door to a stranger
DO find a safe place and tell someone what is happening
DO walk away from a stranger
DO call your parents or 911 if you do not feel safe
Play ‘Steal the Cheese’. Divide into two groups and each group needs an equal amount of cheese (sticks, bean bags, balls, etc). Line up the ‘cheese’ on each side behind the players. The goal is to run and steal the other team’s cheese without getting caught. The first team to steal all the cheese or catch all of the other team’s players is the winner.
As many of you know I am an avid square dancer. I also love to dress up in my fancy square dance outfits but no outfit is complete without a couple of pieces of nice jewelry. I am constantly on the lookout for affordable trendy pieces to compliment my various outfits and I was excited when I was given the opportunity to try out this lovely bracelet by Judy Luxury, which is an online fashion store specializing in affordable fashion items for women.
I am in love with all things rose gold colored here lately and this bracelet is no exception. This beautiful Judy Luxury Designer Bracelet Rose Gold Color is made of titanium and its variety of patterns looks great with many different outfits that I have. This delicate bracelet has quickly become a favorite of mine and I look forward to wearing it with many different outfits on many different occasions in the upcoming year.
Judy Luxury also has a wide variety of handbags, wallets, belts, jewelry, and other products to keep you looking your best without breaking the bank. Be sure to check them out here to take a peek at the other beautiful pieces they have.
**Please note this post does contain affiliate links to which I may, possibly, earn a small commission from if you click on and purchase an item. For full disclosure click here.
Boy did I have a busy day! I had to get up early to run some errands but I could’ve laid in bed a bit longer. I’ve been super exhausted lately… not sure exactly why but maybe the holidays and houseful of kids have something to do with it.
Today we attended the NEFSARDA Fall Festival Carnival Dance at Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beaches. There was a wonderful turnout and lots of lively dancing. I’m still a bit dizzy from all the whirling and twirling we did! Continue reading “Square Dancing: Fall Festival Carnival Dance”→