Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.homeschoolshare.com

Farmer Boy Unit

Sound the flute!
Now it's mute!
Birds delight,
Day and night,
Nightingale,
In the dale,
Lark in sky, -
Merrily,
Merrily, merrily to welcome in the year.

Little boy,
Full of joy;
Little girl,
Sweet and small;
Cock does crow,
So do you;
Merry voice,
Infant noise;
Merrily, merrily to welcome in the year.

Little lamb,
Here I am;
Come and lick
My white neck;
Let me pull
Your soft wool;
Let me kiss
Your soft face;
Merrily, merrily we welcome in the year.

Potato (Solanum) –

Potatoes grow by underground root systems called tubers. You can plant them by using seed potatoes that are basically the runts culled out of the crop. Or, you can use regular potatoes, cutting them up making sure there is an “eye”, or sprout, in each piece. Potatoes like cool moist weather, and Colorado potato beetles like potatoes.

The edible part of the potato is the bulging tuber. The leaves, stems, and berries are poisonous.

Freshly dug potatoes contain 78% water, 18% starch, 2.2% protein, 1% ash, and .1% fat. The potato is a valuable energy food, and is also important for the manufacture of adhesives and alcohol. Complete Plant Notebook Page and/or Potato Lapbook Components.

Carrots (Daucus Carota sativis)–

Carrots are hardy biennials that are grown as annuals. They have fern-like leaves, and a fleshy taproot, which is the part we eat. The roots can grow up to 10” long and range in shades of orange.

To grow carrots, seeds are planted early in the season when it is still cool. From planting to harvest takes 55 to 80 days. Carrots are high in nutrients, especially vitamin A.

Wheat –

Wheat is a tall, annual cereal grass reaching 4’ in height. Winter wheat is sown in the fall to be harvested in the summer, and spring wheat is sown in early spring and harvested in late summer.

Wheat is often called the staff of life because it is the most widely grown and consumed grain in the world. The wheat berries, which are removed from the tall stalks, are used in many different forms. The most popular use is to grind up the berries for flour, which is used in breads, pastas, and baked goods. Wheat berries can also be boiled or steamed as is to make what is called bulgur. Wheat also goes through other processes to make couscous, wheat germ, wheat bran, flaked wheat, and farina (cream of wheat). Wheat is very nutritious, containing high levels of calcium, protein, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin.

Wheat is discovered in many things:  Twizzlers (yup-the candy!), particle board for different things (ie shelves, etc.), paper, adhesives (postage stamps), packing peanuts, plastic bags, charcoal, golf tees, make up, hair conditioner, laundry detergent, whip topping, and creamer (ie for coffee).

Things to do for this unit: Have some Twizzlers.

Here is a Free Booklet to download that explains how wheat is sown –from seed to bread!  It also has a diagram of a stalk of wheat.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Harrow (n.) an agricultural implement with spike-like teeth or upright disks for breaking up plowed land

Team (n.) to or more draft animals harnessed together

Draft animal--an animal used to pull or haul a load)

Furrow (n.) a narrow groove made in the ground, especially by a plow

Comprehension Questions –

1. What job was Almanzo now old enough to do?
2. List all the crops that the family planted that spring.
3. Narrate how the family worked together to plant potatoes.

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Almanzo was a little soldier in this great battle.  From dawn to dark he worked, from dark to dawn he slept, then he was up again and working.

Chapter 12: “Tin-Peddler”

Social Studies

Occupations (Tin Peddler) -

A tin-peddler was someone who traveled around the country with a cart full of tin goods such as pails and baking pans. The tin-peddler made these items by hand during the winter. The items were purchased or traded.  This was a necessary occupation since farms were often many miles from town and store bought goods were limited. Although not seen much now, in years past people made a living selling items such as vacuums and encyclopedias door to door.

Questions:

1) What were the benefits of trading goods versus purchasing?

2) Can you think of any occupations today that might be similar to a tin-peddler? 

(Some answers might include home-sold products like Avon)

3) What are the pros and cons of being a tin-peddler?

Activity:  Set up your own store with play money and kitchen items. Students are given list of items they have and items they need.  Participate by both buying and trading.

Table Manners -

When the tin-peddler has supper with the family, the story reports "Almanzo could not speak while the grown-up were talking, of course. But he could listen."

Compare Almanzo's supper time with dinner at your house.

Science

Tin –

The Tin Peddler brought lots of tin pans for the Wilder family to purchase. Tin is a metallic element that is ranked 27^th in abundance among the elements of earth’s crust. The atomic number for tin is 50, the atomic weight is 118.7, and the symbol is Sn. There aren’t any workable deposits of tin in the United States. It has been imported into this country from England, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Bolivia, Nigeria, and Thailand. Tin was very useful for utensils and cookware. It was easy to form and manipulate. Tin was also used to cover sturdier metals such as iron or steel. The sheets of metal were dipped into molten tin, and then they were cleaned and worked. Today, tin is used for hundreds of different industrial purposes, and is mixed with other elements such as copper to make bronze, and lead to make solder.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Peddler (n.) a person who carries small articles from place to place to sell

Colander ( n. ) a container with a holes in the bottom for draining foods

Scrolls (n.) ornaments having a spiral form

Curry combed (v.) to comb with a metal comb, usually for horse 

Comprehension Questions –

1. How does Mother pay for the items she wants from the tin-peddler?
2. Why is Almanzo proud of her?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Mother was a good, shrewd trader.  She had bested Mr. Brown.  But he was satisfied, too, because he got plenty of good rags for his tinware.

Math

Bartering –

Mother bargained for tin ware with rags. When people do not have money, they will trade something of value they don’t need for something of value that they do need. When our country was young, there was not a lot of money to be had and bartering was quite common. You can barter with actual products or you can barter with labor. Encourage your child to try his hand at bartering for the next thing he desires.

Chapter 13: “The Strange Dog”

Social Studies

Occupations (horse-buyer, horse trainer) - 

Several times throughout the year buyers come from New York to buy goods or animals from the Wilder Family. Father spends a lot of time breaking and training the colts and is then able to receive a good price for them from the buyer. Because the colts were so valuable, Almanzo is told not to work with the colts unless Father is present.

Questions:

1) What does it mean to "break" a horse?

2) What steps do you need to take to become a horse trainer today?

Science

Stray animals –

A hungry, stray dog came to visit the Wilders. Stray animals are those that do not have homes. People should be very cautious around stray animals. You can’t tell for sure if the animal is just temporarily lost, or if it has always been wild. Stray animals are usually hungry and scared, which can make them dangerous. They may carry diseases. Warn your children not to approach a stray animal. You may want to visit an animal shelter while sharing this book to see how some strays are taken care of and relocated to homes.  

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Bread sponge (n.) a wet batter flour, water, yeast in it, often refers to sourdough, the sponge is made the night before and allowed to ferment, the next day the rest of the ingredients are added and the bread is baked

Bureau (n.) a chest of drawers, often having a mirror on top

Comprehension Questions –

1. How did Almanzo help get the colts ready for the horse-buyer to see them?
2. How can you tell Mother is nervous about having all that money in the house overnight?  Where did she hide it?
3. Who is Providence?  How did He protect them?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Mother said she would always believe that Providence had sent the strange dog to watch over them. “Maybe the Lord was merciful to us because we were merciful to him.”

Chapter 14: “Sheep Shearing”

Science –

Sheep Shearing -

One source of clothing for the family was sheep. But it was a long process from sheep to garment.  When the weather turned warm, the sheep had to be washed before having their fleece cut off. The fleece bundles were then stored until they were taken into town to be combed or carded on a machine. Roots and barks were gathered and boiled to make dye. Mother dipped long pieces of wool into the hot dye then hung them on the clothesline. In the winter Mother used a loom to weave the yarn into cloth.  The last step was cutting and sewing the garment.

Make a minit book telling the steps from sheep to garment.

Read-a-longs:  From Sheep to Sweater by Robin Nelson, Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep--A Yarn About Wool by Teri Sloat

Science

Sheep –

Kingdom – Animal

Phylum – Chordata (having backbones)

Class – Mammal (live birth, warm blooded, fur, milk for young)

Order – Artiodactyla (even-toed, hoofed animals)

Sub-Order – Ruminant (cud chewing)

Family – Bovidae

Genus – Ovis (Sheep)

Species – O. aries (domestic sheep)
 

Almanzo watched and helped as the sheep were getting sheared. Sheep go by many names depending on the gender and age:

Lamb– young sheep

Ewe – female sheep

Ram – male sheep

Group - flock

Sheep have been domesticated throughout history. Sheep were not native to the United States, but like cattle were in fact brought here from Europe by Christopher Columbus.

Like cattle, sheep are ruminants, meaning they chew their cud. They have a huge four-chambered stomach. When they eat, the food passes down the esophagus to the rumen where it is broken down and formed into small balls of cud. As it desires, the sheep will return the cud back to its mouth, where it will be chewed up some more to further break up the fibers. It will then reswallow the food, where it will go through the rumen, on to the reticulum, then to the omasum, and finally to the abomasums, the true stomach. In the abomasums, enzymes are secreted and normal digestion takes place.

God designed the teeth of sheep the same as cattle. They are grazing herbivores, so they have no need for sharp upper canines like a carnivore has. Instead, they have teeth designed for grinding. Their bottom front incisors and canines bite against a horny pad in the upper jaw. The back molars are broad and high crowned, with enamel ridges for grinding. Sheep eat grass and hay.

Sheep are raised for their wool, for their skin, which is made into fine leather, for meat, and some varieties are raised for milk. Complete Animal Notebook Page.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Shearing (v.) to remove fleece or wool by cutting or clipping

Fleece (n.) the coat of wool that covers a sheep or similar animal

Comprehension Questions –

1. List the job of each person during the sheep washing.  List the job of each person during the sheep shearing.
2. How did Almanzo play a joke on the men?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

John and Royal looked so funny that he couldn’t stop laughing. Father roared with laughter. “The joke’s on you, John!”  Father shouted.  “He laughs best who laughs last!”

Chapter 15: “Cold Snap”

Social Studies

Relationships –

Farmer Boy illustrates a close relationship between a father and his children.  Almanzo looks up to his father, learns from him, and enjoys working with him. We see in this chapter and others the importance of working together as a family. How does it benefit everyone if they work together? It gets the job done more quickly, it is more pleasant to work along with others, and it gives you unity as a family to say “Job well done!”

Wool Carding Machine –

Mother no longer carded her wool by hand since there was a new carding machine in town. There were all kinds of new machines that would change the ways for homemakers. New machines to card and spin the wool, new machines to weave the fabric and to sew, were all becoming available. Read about the Spinning Jenny, the Mule, and Elias Howe’s new sewing machine in The Story of Inventions. Choose one of the inventors you read about and complete Inventor Trading Card.

Science

Making Soap –

Mother made soft-soap. Up until the early 1900’s, making soap in United States households was a task left to women who usually made soap once a year. Combining lye, animal fats and/or vegetable oils, and water in a process known as saponification makes soaps. There are many methods of making soap, including a cold press method (using low temperatures), and the boiling or kettle method, which was used by Mrs. Wilder. First, to obtain the lye, she poured water through ashes she had saved from the winter’s fires, collecting the lye as it dripped through a hole in the bottom of the barrel. Today, lye is manufactured commercially and can be purchased at grocery and hardware stores.  Next, she added the meat fats she had been saving. The fats have been rendered, which means that the fat was melted in water, and separated to remove any impurities. The kinds of fats used will change the texture and density of the soap. After the fat and lye are brought to the correct temperatures, they are poured into molds and are cured.  The mixture can be poured in a large mold, such as a tub, where it will later be cut into bars, or it could be poured into individual molds. This is called basic soap. Later on, after it is cured, the soap can be grated and remelted with additives such as fragrances or colors.

For a project this week, make your own soap bars. As lye can be dangerous around young children, start out with a store bought basic soap such as Ivory.

Oatmeal Soap – Grind up 12oz of basic soap. Put ¾ cup of oatmeal in blender and whir until flakes are 1/5 their original size. Melt together in a saucepan the grated soap and 9oz of water. Add oatmeal and stir until it is fairly thick. Lightly scent with cinnamon or almond fragrance, if desired. Pour into molds and let set. Makes an old-fashioned skin cleanser that sooths irritated skin.

Wheat Germ and Honey Soap – Grind up 12oz of basic soap. Melt soap with 9oz of water in saucepan. Add ¾ cup wheat germ, ¼ cup honey, and 2 teaspoons wheat-germ oil. Stir until fairly thick. Pour into molds and let set. Makes a skin softening, mildly abrasive soap.

Aloe Soap - Grind up 12oz of basic soap. Add enough water to ¾ cup of aloe vera gel to make 9oz. Stir mixture into soap and heat till completely melted. Add a bit of green dye if desired. Pour into molds and let set. Makes a soothing soap good for sunburn.

Language Arts

Foreshadowing-

An author will use a device called foreshadowing to give a hint of what is to come later in the story.  Read the first paragraph of Chapter 15.  What do you think is going to happen to the trees and crops?  Now read the chapter and compare what you though would happen with what did happen.

Vocabulary –

Card (v.) to use an instrument or machine to comb fibers of wool, cotton, etc

Lye (n.) a white, powerful  substance used in making soap

Caldron ( n.) a large pot

Comprehension Questions –

1. How did Mother dye the wool?
2. What other crops did they now plant?
3. Why didn’t Almanzo hurry while he hoed the carrots?
4. Explain why the family had to get up in the middle of the night and what they were doing.
5. Although they lost a quarter of an acre of corn, what is Father’s attitude?

Copywork/Dictation –

Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

The field seemed enormous.  There were thousands and thousands of hills of corn.  Almanzo began to be hungry. But he couldn’t stop to complain. He must hurry, hurry, hurry, to save the corn.

Chapter 16: “Independence Day”

Social Studies

Declaration of Independence –

Before America was a country, the colonies were under the authority of England. As England became more and more oppressive, and refused to give the colonists the representation that was due them, the People decided to confront England and declare separation from an unjust government. While throughout history no independence has ever been won by pen alone, a document called the Declaration of Independence was the beginning point of America becoming a free and independent country. It is important for our children today to learn from where our country came, and how to prevent the same oppressions from occurring again. Read the Declaration of Independence with your child.

The first paragraph identifies the need to dissolve certain political relationships and to assume powers which God entitles man:

            When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitles them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The document then elaborates on self-evident truths, including the equality of all men, our Creator given rights, and the purpose of the government:

            We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness, Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

It continues on, outlining specifically the injuries against the colonists, including unjust court systems, bad laws, taxes without consent, unjust deportation of people for trial, and a general plundering of the rights of individuals. Take note that the colonists were not rebelling against England, but rather it was England that rebelled against God’s Law, forcing the young colonies to defend themselves against such tyranny:

            He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

            He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

            He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

            He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

            He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

            He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

            He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

            He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

The next two paragraphs discuss how the colonists repeatedly petitioned England, and from time to time warned them, but only received repeated injury. It points out how England was deaf to the voice of justice:

            In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

            Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

In conclusion, the colonies appeal to God, the Supreme Judge of the world, and declare their right to be free and independent states:

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Followed by the Signers of the Unanimous Declaration:

—     John Hancock

—     New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

—     Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

—     Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

—     Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

—     New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

—     New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

—     Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

—     Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

—     Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

—     Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

—     North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

—     South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

—     Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Independence Day -

Independence Day in Almanzo's day meant wearing your Sunday best clothes and going into town.  There were flags, a band, speeches, cannons fired and a picnic.  We celebrate Independence Day on July fourth to remember the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776. While we did not officially become a nation at that time, the date signifies our intent to break away from the monarchy of England and start our own free country. President John Adams had said that the day ought ever to be celebrated, and the people agreed with him. Men, women, and children, young and old, all have anxiously awaited the celebrations of Independence Day for over two hundred twenty-five years.  What are some similarities and differences between Independence Day during Almanzo's time and today?

Yankee Doodle -

The song Yankee Doodle was originally sung by British troops to make fun of American soldiers before the American Revolution.  It's believed to have been written around 1755. Yankee was meant as a derogatory term and doodle meant fool.  As the Americans began to turn the tide of the war, they took over the song and began singing it as a way to push back at the British.  The song has become popular and it now a symbol of American pride.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Calico (n.) a plain woven cotton cloth with a pattern

Halter (n.) a rope or strap for leading or restraining horses and cattle

Parasol (n.) a light-weight sun umbrella

Fife (n.) a high-pitched flute

Lief (adv) gladly

Faint-hearted (adv.) lacking courage

Muzzle (n.) the open end of the barrel of a firearm

Comprehension Questions –

1. Compare and Contrast how they celebrated the 4^th of July with how your town celebrates it.
2. How did Almanzo get his half-dollar?  What did it represent?
3. According to Father, what made America?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

“That’s what’s in this half-dollar, Almanzo.  The work that raised half a bushel of potatoes is in it.”  Almanzo looked at the round piece of money that Father held up.  It looked small, compared with all that work.

Mood -

An author will use specific words or phrases to create a mood for a story.  Read the first paragraph on page 179, which starts with, “The music was…” How did that paragraph make you feel?

Compare that mood with the mood of the conversation that Almanzo has with his Father when Almanzo asks for a nickel starting on page 181, which starts with, “He waited till Father stopped talking….” And ends on page 184, “…it looked small, compared to all that work.”

Pick out words or phrases in the first example, which help to set that mood (gay, tootled, etc).  Then pick out words or phrases in the second example, which help to set that mood (scared, would you--would you, wished he could get away).

Arts/Crafts

Patriotic Songs and the US Flag –

Wee Sing America CD is recommended, but not required.

Play some patriotic songs and spend time learning the words, especially to our National Anthem.  http://www.scoutsongs.com/categories/patrioticsongs.html Add some instruments!  Do a parade around your yard!

Flag Care –

Read the rules for proper care and display of our flag.  You can find this information online, in an encyclopedia, or from any Veteran’s group. http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

For an extended study on the flag find out how many stars were on the flag at that time; this story took place in 1866. 

Chapter 17: “Summer Time”

Social Studies

Summer Traditions -  

In addition to regular farm chores, summer meant lots of weeding and hoeing. If the day's work was finished early Almanzo was able to go swimming.  On rainy days, there was lots of indoor work that could be done like fixing harnesses.  But sometimes Almanzo and Father went fishing in the rain then there was fried fish for dinner.  Another fun summer activity was berry picking.  The whole family joined in to pick blueberries and huckeberries.  The women of the family then spent several days making jellies and jams. What kind of summer traditions does your family have?

Science

Oats (Avena) –

Oats are a grass that are widely cultivated for their grain which is used to feed cattle and horses, as well as in the production of cereals for human consumption. The stems and leaves are used for hay, silage, and pasturage.

Oats are high in protein and vitamin B1. They are most noted as a breakfast food. The seeds are rolled, making “rolled oats”. These are sold as is, or processed further to make quick cooking instant oatmeal. Oats are also used for industrial purposes such as preservatives and solvents.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita) –

Pumpkins are tender annuals with vines as long as 20 feet and larger leaves. Both male and female flowers grow on the same vine. The female flowers will bear fruit that can weigh as much as 100 pounds.

Pumpkins need a very long growing season. The plants and fruits are sensitive to cold, so they should be planted outside after the soil has warmed up. From the time of planting, pumpkins take 95 to 120 days till harvest. They should be picked before the first frost or they will become soft.

Pumpkins are used for decorations, livestock feed, seeds, pies, breads, and puddings.

Cedar (Juniperus) –

The species of cedar found most often in New York is the Eastern Red cedar. It has evergreen, opposite leaves with whitish lines on the under surface. They have a bluish berry-like fruit that is covered with a white powder. Each fruit contains 1-2 seeds. They are small to medium sized, reaching up to 50’ tall and 1 – 2 feet in diameter. The wood is used for fence posts and cedar chests. Complete Tree Notebook Page if desired.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Placidly (adv.) calmly

Churn (v) to stir to make into butter

Comprehension Questions –

1. How does Almanzo spend his summer?
2. Why is Almanzo trying to grow up faster?
3. How do Father and Almanzo spend a rainy day?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Father said, “Let me catch you fooling with that colt again and I’ll tan your jacket.  That’s too good a colt to be spoiled.  I won’t have you teaching it tricks that I’ll have to train out of it.”

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Blueberry Pudding (page 49), Huckleberry Pie (page 52) or Butter (page 166).

Chapter 18: “Keeping House”

Science

Pigs –

Kingdom – Animal

Phylum – Chordata (having backbones)

Class – Mammal (live birth, warm blooded, fur, milk for young)

Order – Artiodactyla (even toed)

Family – Suidae (four toed, simple stomach, includes warthogs, pygmy hog, bushpig, pigs)

Genus – Sus (pig)

Species – Sus domestica (domestic pig)

Almanzo had a pig. Swine go by many names depending on the gender and age:

Hog, Pig, and Swine are all used interchangeably

Piglet – baby swine

Pig and/or Shoats– young swine

Boar – adult male

Sow – adult female

Swine are cloven-hoofed animals with heavy round bodies and short legs. They have thick skin that is covered with coarse bristles. They have long, flexible snouts.

Swine were first domesticated in China c. 2900 B.C. They have been known throughout history as an economical source of meat (called pork), lard (the fat removed from the meat), hide (which is made into a soft leather called pigskin), and paint brushes (made with the hair bristles).  In the Bible, swine were considered to be an unclean food. This may be in part due to the numerous diseases pigs carry that can be passed to man.

Swine are omnivores, meaning they will eat both meat and plants. A good feed consists of a balanced ration of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals. If left to roam, swine will forage for roots, insects, worms, plants, and nuts.  Complete Animal Notebook Page.  

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Scuffling  (v) to fight in a rough manner

Whitewash (v) to whiten with whitewash--a substance made with lime and water , used on walls, roofs

Dawdle (v) to waste time by being idle

Comprehension Questions –

1. How long were Mother and Father going to be gone on their vacation?
2. What rules did they give the children just before they left?  Did the children obey those rules?  Which rules did they break?
3. What did the children decide to do first?
4. Narrate what happened to Lucy.
5. What did Mother never know?  Why?  What do you think about that?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

He asked, “Eliza Jane, did you patch the parlor wallpaper for me?”  “Yes,” she said.  Almanzo had never known how much he like Eliza Jane.  They never, never told about he black splotch on the parlor wall, and Mother never knew.

Using a Thesaurus –

A Thesaurus is a book of synonyms.  The words are arranged in alphabetical order, just like a dictionary.  Take your Chapter 18 Vocabulary words and look them up in a Thesaurus.  Which of those words could the author have chosen to use instead?  Did you find a word you liked better?  Which one?  Take some time to look up some other vocabulary words from previous chapters.

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Pulled Candy (page 190),  Pound Cake (page 204), or Ice Cream (page 209).

Chapter 19: “Early Harvest”

Social Studies

Occupations (Butter Maker and Butter Buyer)  -

Mother, along with some help from the children, spent hours making butter. There were no farms in the city. A person called a Butter-buyer would go out to the farms in the country, and buy butter to take back to the city to sell. The butter-buyer tested the butter, stored in large tubs, with a long implement designed to take a sample of the butter.  All the butter in Mother's tubs was golden and firm without one streak.  Unlike with the tin-peddler, Mother didn't bargain with the butter-buyer, saying, "My butter speaks for itself."  A Butter-buyer would need to be educated about what makes quality butter, and about the going prices of such butter. This butter-buyer knew quality butter when he saw it, and paid Mrs. Wilder top dollar for hers. As with Father's hard work with the colts, Mother receives a very high price for her butter thanks to her hard work.  The butter would be shipped to New York City.  Almanzo thought people would comment on how good it was and who made it.

Where does your butter come from? Look at a butter box and see where it is made. Is it a town close to you? Are there any butter factories in your town? Try to trace the route of the butter, from farm to store to table.

Science

Butter –

Early settlers generally had plenty of milk, cream, butter and eggs; so much of their meals included these products. If you did the lesson on milk in chapter 2, you may remember that butterfat rose to the top of raw milk and was scraped off for making butter. In early days, butter was put in a churn, which was churned and churned to mix the butterfat and separate the cream from the whey. The butter was then pressed to remove the excess liquids, and had a bit of salt added for flavor.

It may be fun to make some butter this week. Put 2 cups heavy cream in a jar with a lid. Blend the cream by shaking it until the cream separates from the whey. Pour off the liquid and discard. Rinse with cold water until water runs clear, and then drain it all off. Put the butter in a bowl and press to remove excess liquid. Refrigerate for a day or two to age it. Add a little salt to enhance flavor if desired.

Preserving Food –

During the 1800’s, there was no refrigeration to keep foods fresh. People needed to harvest and slaughter their foods in the right seasons and find a way to preserve the foods throughout the year. Foods were pickled, canned, bottled, brined, smoked, dehydrated, fermented, and root-cellared to save and have food for the future. If they didn’t learn to use these various methods of food preservation, they would have starved through the long months when foods were not available.

Canning and Bottling– Many food items can be canned. Canning involves bringing foods packed in jars to high temperatures for an allotted period of time to kill all biological activity and to create a vacuum to keep oxygen from spoiling the food. This method is good for things like jams, preserves, and some vegetables. The downsides to using this method are: a.) It requires special equipment, b.) It requires lots of preparation time, c.) It takes up a lot of storage space, d.) You lose 60 – 80% of the nutritional value of the food.

Pickling – Pickling is a method of preserving whole, sliced, or chopped meats, fruits or vegetables by cooking them and covering them with vinegar. Vinegar is highly acidic, and inhibits bacteria growth. Pickled foods do not need as much processing time as other canning due to the high acidity of the vinegar. The downsides to this method are the same as with canning. Pickled foods include cucumbers, beets, peppers, beans, and watermelon rinds.

Brine – Some foods are put in a brine to be preserved. This is often done with meats. Brine is a super salty solution, the salt acting as the preservative. The downsides to brining foods are excessive salt in the diet, in addition to the other downfalls of canning.

Fermenting – Some foods are fermented to preserve them. Fermentation is the gradual decomposition of fruits or vegetables as enzymes, yeast, and bacteria convert the food into a different form. Remember the apple cores that were saved? They will be fermented and changed to apple cider, and then vinegar. Cabbage is fermented and changed to sauerkraut. Long ago, people would ferment crocks or barrels of sauerkraut in their dug out basements, where the temperatures stay around 60 degrees, for up to four weeks. The smell was horrendous, and everyone around knew that sauerkraut was fermenting.  The downsides to fermenting were a.) The smell, b.) The long time it took.

Dehydration – Dehydration is the process of removing water from foods. Dehydration is the oldest method of preserving foods. Early settlers would hang foods in a well-ventilated area to dry. They would use this method to preserve meats, fish, fruits, and vegetables.  Dehydrating foods remove up to 90% of the moisture, and without water, foods won’t grow bacteria. Dehydrated foods have a longer storage life, cost less to prepare, and take up less storage space than any other preservation method. With low heat and gentle airflow, dehydrated foods retain up to 97% of their nutrients, making them the most healthful of all preservation methods. The downsides were a.) Rodent and/or insect infestation if not properly stored after drying.

Smoking – Foods such as meat and fish were dried more quickly over a fire. Eventually, smokehouses were used for the sole purpose of smoking meats. Molds could not survive very well on dry, smoked food, so smoked fish and meats could last a family long through winter. Downsides are a.) Method could not be used satisfactorily with fruits and vegetables, b.) Curing agents used today are suspect.

Root-cellaring – Early settlers would have cellars dug, sometimes under their houses and sometimes in any hillside they could find. The temperature below ground level stays consistently cool, and is good for storing root crops such as potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips, as well as for keeping tree fruits. Before refrigeration, practically every home had a root cellar. 

While teaching this lesson, have on hand a variety of preserved foods to try. Some possibilities are pickles, sauerkraut, raisins, beef jerky, etc.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Scythes (n.) a tool having a long, curved blade fastened at an angle to a handle, for cutting grass, grain, etc

Grindstone (n.) a rotating solid stone wheel used for sharpening

Whetted (v.) sharpened by rubbing or grinding

Whetstone (n.) a stone used for sharpening tools

Swathes (n.) pieces or strips cut by scythe, grass or grain cut and thrown together

Sheaves ( n.) a bundle of cut stalks tied around the middle

Shocks (n.) a group of sheaves of grain placed on end and supporting one another in the field

Comprehension Questions –

1. Which crops were now ready to be harvested?
2. Who helped with the harvest and how?
3. Why did Mother go to town on a weekday in the middle of the afternoon during the harvest?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Father always maintained that a man would do more work in his twelve hours, if he a rest and all the egg-nog he could drink, morning and afternoon.

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Dried Apples (page 128), Apple Core Vinegar (page 131), Dried Apples (page 128), or Eggnog (page 184).

Chapter 20: “Late Harvest”

Social Studies

Preparedness –

The Wilder family is preparing for winter. What needs to be done to get ready for winter? Ample amounts of heating fuel such as chopped firewood should be obtained. Enough food should be put up by canning or dehydration to keep you through the winter. Does your family stock up on supplies before winter? Can or freeze food from the garden? Do you help with this?

Science

Apples –

Apples are a delicious, nutritious treat. They contain vitamins A and C, as well as potassium. They contain very little fat or sodium. There are many varieties of apples, differing in taste, firmness, and skin color. Apples were introduced in America, most likely from Holland, when settlers brought seeds with them. While sharing this book, try to get a few varieties of apples and have a taste test to see which your child prefers. Encourage your child to describe the color, shape, texture and taste.

An apple comes from an apple tree, which starts out as a tiny seed. If you cut open an apple, you will see the many seeds inside. Each of these seeds is a little package of plant life. A seed coat protects the inside embryo, which is the baby plant. There is storage of food inside the seed around the embryo. Some seeds have a very hard coat, and it helps to soak the seed before planting. Explain to your child how not all seeds will grow though. They need air, plenty of water, and the right temperature and amount of light to begin to grow, or germinate.

Trees all have three main features in common, the crown, the trunk, and the roots. The crown is the top of the tree where the branches and leaves are found. The trunk is the stem of the tree, helping food to travel from the roots to the crown. It is covered with bark for protection. The roots are underground and absorb the water and nutrients that feed the tree. The roots are also what hold the tree in place. Some trees, such as the apple tree, bear fruit. From the branches will grow tiny buds that will produce the fruit. Ask your child if he can think of any other fruits that grow on trees. Possibilities include peach, pear, cherry, plum, apricot, etc. The next time you go grocery shopping, walk through the produce aisle and identify all the fruits that grow on trees.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Poultice (n) a soft mass of herbs, etc spread on a cloth and applied to the body as medicine

Comprehension Questions –

1. Now which crops are ready to be harvested?
2. How does Almanzo get hurt?  What was done for his injury immediately?  Later?
3. What was now finished?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

They didn’t bruise one apple, for a bruised apple will rot, and one rotten apple will spoil a whole bin.

Chapter 21: “County Fair”

Social Studies

County Fair –

The Wilder family was going to a county fair. Every one dressed in their Sunday best and brought something to show at the fair.  Why do you think they looked at the county fair as such a special occasion? During the 1800’s people were very busy and they often lived far from each other. There was not a lot of time or ability to socialize with others. Every year they could look forward to this special occasion, meeting up with people they haven’t seen in a while, entering contests, and showing off their handiwork. What were some of the things the Wilders brought to the fair?  A box of pickles, jellies, and preserves, woolwork embroidery, and Almanzo’s milk fed pumpkin were among the items. What kind of games did they play at the fair? The game of “pea under the shell” was played. Almanzo was certain that he knew which shell the pea was under. 

It may be fun while sharing this chapter to put on your own county fair. Make up prize ribbons. Have children “train” real or stuffed animals to do tricks. Have a sack race, pie-eating contest, or show off your biggest zucchinis or pumpkins to win prizes.

Human Relationships - Being a Good Loser –

When the judge picked winners, Almanzo noticed that the people who got lesser prizes all congratulated the winner. This is called being a good sport. If Almanzo’s pumpkin had lost, he would have to be a good sport, or a good loser, too. If you are a good loser you realize that you can’t win all the time. A good loser also knows that losing doesn’t make you a bad person any more than winning makes you a good person. A good loser will lose graciously and will congratulate the person who won, making the winner feel as though they did well and deserved to win. The opposite of a good loser is a bad loser or a bad sport. Have you ever played a game with someone who got very upset about losing, sometimes even pouting, crying, or throwing a tantrum because they lost? That is what a bad loser does. They make a winner feel bad for winning, and will sometimes even lie or cheat to avoid losing. When you are playing a game or enter a contest, make sure to remember to be a good loser (or winner!) or people won’t want to play with you again.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Preserves-Fruit or a vegetable seasoned and kept in sugar or syrup

Embroidery- Work in gold, silver or silk thread, formed by the needle on cloth into various figures; needle-work.

Clustered “like flies”- A number of individuals or things collected or gathered into a close body; as a cluster of bees; a cluster of people.

Pleasantly “warm”- Pleasing; agreeable; to the mind or to the senses

Gaily- Joyfully; merrily.

Trodden “ground”- To step or walk on, To beat or press with the feet; as, to tread a path; to tread land

Thoroughbreds-a breed of horse: trained or skilled and bred from the best blood through a long line (ie purebred)

Quivered- To shake or tremble; to quake; to shudder; to shiver. This word expresses that tremulous motion of the body which proceeds from loss of heat or vigor. Thus persons quiver with fear or with cold.

Caldron- A large kettle or boiler, of copper, or other metal, furnished with a movable handle that can be hung on a chimney hook.

Crevice- A crack; a fissure; an opening; as a crevice in a wall.

Solemn- seriousness; sober; serious

Comprehension Questions –

1. What did each member of the family take to show at the fair?
2. What two pieces of advice did Father give Almanzo about betting?
3. Why do you think Almanzo thought maybe he’d cheated?  How did he decide he hadn’t?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

“You’re right son!”  Father said. Almanzo felt important and grown-up, talking horses with Father.

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Succotash (page 111), Vinegar Pie (page 197), or Custard Pie (page 198).

Chapter 22: “Fall of the Year”

Social Studies

Winterizing a House –

Winterizing a house and barn (getting it ready for the colder weather-cold air out-keeping the warm air in) was especially important for protecting the family and the livestock.  Royal and his Father tightened the barn’s wooden windows and secured boards that had become loose with nails.  They banked the walls with straw and laid stones on the straw to keep it in place despite strong winds. They fitted storm doors and window on the house too.

What do you do to winterize your house?  Do you put in storm doors or windows?  Do you put insulation seal around certain windows?  Check your furnace (some like to install carbon monoxide detectors-these detect harmful gases and alert the family so they are aware of the levels of gas and to correct the problem-usually the heater.)  Clean the furnace and replace the filter.  Check and clean your fireplace.  Stock your wood supplies and check fireplace tools.  Check your shovel for shoveling your driveway and if you have salt (to melt the ice) on sidewalk.  Do you use a “snake” to stop door drafts?

“Make a snake door draft.  http://www.abc.net.au/creaturefeatures/make/doorsnake.htm

Pig Slaughtering –

The Wilder family worked together all week to butcher and process the meats they raised on the farm. Every one in the family was expected to help.  Ask your child if he can recall the process they went through to slaughter and butcher a pig (see pages 279-284):

1)    Pig is slaughtered and boiled in a cauldron and then the hair is scraped off.

2)    It is hung by its hind legs to drain and all the insides are put into a tub.

3)    The girls take the insides (heart and liver) and snip off the fatback for lard.

4)    Meanwhile the beef was also slaughtered and the hide was removed in one piece for shoes later that year.

5)    Back to the pig:  Almanzo and Royal kept taking pieces of fat pork and packing it in barrels of salt.

6)    Other pieces were stored in the woodshed attic: spareribs, backbones, heart, livers tongue, and all the sausagemeat. It would freeze in the attic and stay frozen all winter.

7)    The entire next week was spent processing the pork: boiling pork fat for lard, making headcheese, mincemeat, sausagemeat, and finally making candles. 

How does this compare to modern day butchering techniques? (Note: not for the squeamish)

1. Animals are treated with care until the day they are slaughtered.

2. Before slaughter, the pig's legs are tied across its chest.  There is a second cord and it helps to pull its legs back to expose its throat.

3.  One puncture begins a mass flood of blood, and death comes after just a minute or two. 

4. To clean the hair off the pig, it is covered with hay, and started on fire.  This burning is repeated several times, scraping the hair off after each burn.

5.  The pig's eye is removed to help drain out its blood.  

6. After a few fires, the hooves are peeled off and thrown them on the ground.

7.  Its ears have been heated so much they're now cooked. Many like to eat this too. 

8.  A stiff brush scrubs away the burnt skin and hair. It's the only way to get it clean.

9.   They keep washing out its blood sometimes up to three times. 

10.  Now it is time to cut the pig for meat.  First to come off are the legs.  Next is the head because it requires the most boiling before making it into sausage.

11. They strain to crack open the skull.  Then the hide is slit and is taken off. 

12.  Once it's smoked, it forms a staple part of their year-round diet. The intestines are piled into a plastic lined basket. 

13.  Organs come out and go into the soup.

14. The spine comes off of an ever-shrinking pile of flesh.

15.  A pig’s bladder holds half a gallon of urine.  One end is tied off to keep the toxic contents inside. 

How does this differ from how we get our meat: burgers, bacon, sausage?  How do we get our candles? 

*get a candle making kit from Hobby Lobby/Michaels and make your own candles.

*If you have a meat grinder, make your own ground burgers or sausage patties, etc.
 

Science

Trees –

Almanzo gathered up beechnuts. On page 277 you’ll find a good description of the nuts: “Beechnuts are 3 cornered and shiny, brown, and small, but every shell is solidly full of nut.” If you didn’t complete a notebooking page for the beech tree in Chapter 1, do so now. Here is the information again. 

Beech (Fagus) – The beech species present in New York is the American Beech. Their deciduous leaves are simple and alternate, about 3”-4” long. They have a shiny, brown, prickly, triangular nut that is edible. They are large trees, growing up to 100’ high. The wood is used for railroad ties, paper pulp, boxes, furniture, and flooring.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Carcass - The body of an animal; usually dead.

Crackling-“brown and crumbling from lard”- the crisp residue left after the rendering of lard from fat or the frying or roasting of the skin (as of pork)

Headcheese-a jellied loaf or sausage made from edible parts of the head, feet, and sometimes the tongue and heart especially of a pig

Tallow-A sort of animal fat, particularly that which is obtained from animals of the sheep and ox kinds.   This substance grows chiefly about the kidneys and on the intestines. The fat of swine we never call tallow, but lard or suet.  Tallow is applied to various uses, but chiefly to the manufacture of candles.

Comprehension Questions –

1. What jobs does the family do in the fall?
2. What does Father call the first snow?  What does he have Royal do with it?
3. What did Almanzo help Mother make with the beef fat?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

A chill wind was blowing and the sunlight was hazy.  Squirrels frisked about, storing away nuts for the winter.  High in the sky the wild ducks were honking, hurrying south.  It was a wonderful day for playing Indian, all among the trees.

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Cracklings (page 147), or Mincemeat/Mince Pie (page 154).

Candle making –

There are kits you may purchase to do this project or you can just melt down a candle you already have and reuse the wax and make a dipped candle. http://www.pioneerthinking.com/dipped.html

Chapter 23: “Cobbler”

Social Studies

Occupation (Cobbler) -     

Many people believe that a shoemaker and a cobbler are the same. This is not correct. Shoemakers work only with new leather to make new shoes. Cobblers work with old leather to repair old shoes. They will sometimes tear apart an old shoe and re-cut the leather to make a totally different shoe, but they are still working with old material. The two were separate professions.

The official term for a shoemaker is cordwainer. It is based on the French word cordonnier, which came from the Spanish town of Cordoba. In the 12th century some of the finest leather in the world was made in Cordoba. This leather was called cordouan in French, which was anglicized as cordwain. Since a shoemaker made shoes only with new leather and leather from Cordoba, cordwain leather, was what they used, they adopted the name cordwainer to designate their profession.  They usually apprenticed to become shoemakers for 7 years. During that time they contracted, or made a binding agreement to train under a master in the art of shoemaking.  They would also demonstrate what they had learned at the end of the time appointed and then the product (in this case shoes) were judged by others who were considered masters in the field.  If they were approved they would journey and learn under another master and perfect their trade or they would journey as the Cobbler in Farmer Boy did.  The Cobbler in Farmer Boy was important in that he provided a necessary service, but he also brought the news from where he had been.  During the 1800s families lived far from each other and just as the County Fair was a time to reconnect so was the Cobbler’s visit a time to reconnect with the news at the time.

The Shoemakers tools:

Common tools like a hammer, knives, and last were used by a shoemaker. A last is a wooden foot-shaped form used to stretch and shape the leather. Most shoemakers had a collection of lasts in various common sizes.  Eventually, even the making of lasts became a specialty, as did other tasks in making shoes like making patterns.  Patterns were necessary for cutting the leather.  Others became cutters, also known as clickers, who cut the leather to the pattern shape. There were closers who sewed the upper part of the shoe together. After the closer finished the upper portion, the maker would attach the sole. Finally, the finishers would line the shoes and dye and polish the finished product. However, the Cobbler in Farmer Boy did all of this himself!  This required attention to detail, determination to begin and finish the job.  It also required him to be honorable to make a quality product that would stand the elements and life on a farm.  No wonder it took at least 7 years to learn this craft.

How the Cobbler made Almanzo’s boots: (p. 291-295)

1)    He chose a piece of maple with a fine, straight grain.

2)    He  measured, cut, and sawed it until it was ready.

3)    He then cut the pieces to make pegs.

4)    The Cobbler then measured Almanzo’s feet by tracing them on paper.

5)    He whittled two lasts just the shape of Almanzo’s feet.

6)    The next day he cut sole from the thick middle of the hide (from butchering earlier) and inner soles from the thinner leather near the edge.

7)    He waxed his thread and used a hog’s bristle to sew. (the wax made the seam waterproof).

8)    He laid the upper pieces of the sole in a vice (grip to hold something in place) and with his awl (tool to punch holes in leather) he punched holes and sewed the seam together.

9)    He added the inner sole and upper part of the boot together and used the awl again to bore more holes to sew the rest. He made a heel of thick leather and secured it with a long maple peg.

10) The boots were finished.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Whittled- To pare or cut off the surface of a thing with a small knife.

Lasts-“two wooden lasts”- A mold or form of the human foot, made of wood, on which shoes are formed.

Deportment-“lessons in deportment”- manner of acting in relation to the duties of life; behavior; demeanor ; conduct.

Comprehension Questions –

1. What had Royal done to his boots so they’d still fit him?  What did the girls do to their clothes so they’d seem new?
2. What is the Academy?  Who was going?  Who was not?
3. What did Father say the Cobbler could make for Almanzo this year?
4. With what chore did Father keep Almanzo busy while he waited for his boots to be finished?
5. How had each of the children changed while away at Academy?  What has Royal decided to become?
6. What new chore would Almanzo allowed to do with the bobsled?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

The cobbler told all the news, he praised Mother’s cooking, and he told jokes till Father roared and Mother wiped her eyes.

What Happens Later? –

Royal wants to be a shopkeeper.  The story of Almonzo and Royal continues. Read about his and Almanzo’s adventures as a shopkeeper and a homesteader in The Long Winter, also by Laura Ingalls Wilder.   They show up in Chapters 2, 7, 10, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29

Chapter 24: “The Little Bobsled”

Social Studies

Childs Play -
In the 1800s, parents depended upon their children to carry out necessary jobs and many children’s games and activities related to adult work.  Children were also expected to develop a sense of cooperation and fair play, share possessions with siblings and friends, help neighbors and friends who were sick so learning to play with others was important. (ie good sportsmanship, good attitude, honest)

Play in the 1800s was very different that it is today. They didn’t have television, video games or any thing electronic.  If it was especially cold, they often played games inside.  Common games were: Dominoes, TiddlyWinks, Pick up Sticks, and cards and other educational board games like Snakes and Ladders (our Chutes and Ladders).  Playing with baby dolls and marbles was also common. They had lots of physical play-especially outside.  We read in Farmer Boy that they worked and went to school, and they also had some time to play.  They played baseball too.  Not only did Almanzo make his bobsled, but he also used it to help pull lumber.  He probably also used it for sledding and of course if there is snow involved a snowball fight is eminent too.

Almanzo and his Father made his bobsled.  (p.299-301) They began by chopping down two similar oak trees that were crooked to make the runners.  This could be challenging as “no two trees are alike, not even a blade of grass.  Every thing is different from everything else, if you look at it.  They had two trees that were a little alike.”
 

Today how would you get a bobsled?  Most would purchase it from a store that they drove to.  In the 1800s this was not an option.  What other games and things do you do for fun?  Outside: chalk on sidewalk, bike riding, running relays, playing in sandbox, playing in a fort or sport (basketball, baseball, etc.)  What do you do for fun inside?  Play board games, with specific toys, etc.  Many of the games they played during Almanzo’s time taught him life skills (ie how to build something).  What are you learning as you play? (good sportsmanship, caring for one another, sharing, memory skills, etc.)
 

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Runners- (for bobsled) either of the long pieces on which a sled or sleigh slides

Hew- (hewed)-  to cut with an ax, for the purpose of making an even surface or side; as, to hew timber.

Auger- (bored a hole)- An instrument for boring large holes.  It consists of an iron blade, ending in a steel bit, with a handle placed at right angles with the blade.

Sapling (elm)-  A young tree.

Pliable- Easy to be bent; that readily yields to pressure without breaking; flexible.

Comprehension Questions –

1. Where did Father and Almanzo get the wood for the new bobsled?
2. How long did it take them to make the bobsled?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Snow was falling next morning when Almanzo rode with Father to the timber lot. Large feathery flakes made a veil over everything, and if you were alone and held your breath and listened, you could hear the soft, tiny sound of their falling.

Chapter 25: “Threshing”

Social Studies
 

Inventors (Threshing) -

Harvest time on the farm meant socializing and hard work.  Although Almanzo and his Father did this it was often coordinated between farms to thresh the wheat on each farm.

The amount of workers needed meant that neighbors often cooperated together to thresh small grains such as oat or wheat. When the threshing was done, the farm family knew what kind of yield their labor produced, and whether it would be a lean or prosperous year.

Until the early 1800's, wheat was grown and harvested very similar to the ancient Egyptian way of farming. Farmers harvested wheat by hand with a sickle. They tied the stalks into bundles to be threshed.  Livestock trampled the stalks or farmers beat the stalks to loosen the grain from the stalks. The grain was tossed into the air, and the chaff blew away. This left only the kernels behind. This process was called winnowing.

In 1834, Cyrus McCormick, an American inventor, patented a reaping machine. Two brothers from Maine also invented a threshing machine in 1834. The development of these machines allowed farmers to do the work that once took several days in only a few hours. Another advancement that helped in the production of wheat was the development of the steam engine in the 1880's and the internal combustion engine in the 1920's. Animals did not need to pull the farm equipment anymore. The use of machines allowed farmers to plant larger areas of wheat and harvest it in a shorter amount of time.

From the late 1800s into the 1930s, many American farm families worked together to thresh grain using a steam engine and a threshing machine. Threshing is the process of knocking the grain off the straw, and by the late 1880s implied separating the grain from the chaff.  A day of threshing grain often meant the women on the farm had to prepare a meal for more than a dozen men. In the field, it required a crew to load the wagons with grain, feed bundles into the threshing machine, stack the straw, and haul away the clean grain.  Before the threshing machine was invented and accepted among farmer, the separation of the grain from stalks and husks was done by hand with flails just like Almanzo and his Father did.

Almanzo wondered why Father did’t hire a machine to do the threshing because it was faster. (p307) His Father replied, “That’s a lazy man’s way to thresh…”  “Haste makes waste, but a lazy man’d rather get his work done fast than do it himself.”  His Father was concerned with quality and would rather take the time to do things correctly than just get them done. 

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/ngp_farm_threshing.html

Today threshing is done by machines.  It still requires hard work and many people, but it is much faster and efficient.  

Discuss the story of Joseph and his dreams (wheat)

Discuss the wheat and tare in the Bible: Link

Read about Cyrus McCormick in The Story of Inventions. Complete Inventor Trading Card.

Science

Inventing –

Father chose to thresh the wheat by hand instead of renting a threshing machine. Threshing was the act of removing the seed from the husks and sifting out the straw. Threshing machines were fairly new inventions at that time. They have come a long way in becoming more efficient. Inventors are always thinking and tinkering, trying to come up with the next invention. Many people didn’t understand or agree with a lot of new inventions, as people in general don’t like change. Inventors were often ostracized for thinking outside the norm. Discuss with your child how to think like an inventor. Inventors take the time to dream, relax and tinker. They take chances, overcome failures, and learn from their mistakes. A fun book to read about inventions is Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones. Encourage your child to come up with an invention of his own. To decide what kind of item he would like to invent, have your child ponder these questions: How will it work? Are there any others like it? Who needs your invention? What is your goal (make people’s lives easier, save lives, advance science, make money, etc)? What will it be named? How much will you sell it for? After going through the brainstorming process, let your child construct his invention and demonstrate how it works.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Mournful (sound)- Intended to express sorrow, or showing the appearance of grief, as a mournful bell; mournful music.

Undisturbed- Free from interruption; not hindered; as undisturbed with company or noise.  Not agitated; not stirred; not moved; as the surface of water undisturbed.

Placidly- Mildly; calmly; quietly; without disturbance.

Flail- to strike, to lay on, An instrument for thrashing or beating corn from the ear.

Riveted-Clinched; made fast.  a pin of iron or other metal with a head, driven through a piece of timber or metal, and the point bent or spread and beat down fast, to prevent its being drawn out; or a pin or bolt clinched at both ends.

Sheaves- To bring together; to collect (collect wheat)

Peck measure- The fourth part of a bushel; a dry measure of eight quarts; as a peck of wheat or oats.

Harrowed- An instrument of agriculture, formed of pieces of timber sometimes crossing each other, and set with iron teeth. It is drawn over plowed land to level it and break the clods, and to cover seed when sown.

Comprehension Questions –

1. Why didn’t Father hire a threshing machine?
2. How do you know they enjoyed and appreciated all the hard work?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

“Haste makes waste, but a lazy man’d rather get his work done fat than do it himself.”

Contrasts:

An author will use descriptive language to create contrasts between objects, people, or events to help the reader better understand the story and to create interest. An excellent example of Contrasts is found in the first three paragraphs of Chapter 25. Read the first paragraph aloud.  How did it make you feel? Now read the second and third paragraphs aloud.  How did those paragraphs make you feel in contrast to the first one? Try your hand at writing two contrasting paragraphs.

Chapter 26: “Christmas”

Social Studies

Character (Tattling) –
(p320-323) Frank was teasing Almanzo with Starlight (scaring him) Almanzo knew how to treat the animals and not spoil them. Royal caught them fighting (p.323). Almanzo tried to explain why they were fighting (because Frank was scaring Starlight).  “Don’t be a tattle-tale. Now you behave yourselves…”  

What is a tattletale? The word tattletale is a compound word that owes its roots to several languages. To tattle is to tell and is derived from the Flemish verb tatelen which means to stutter, and the Frisian term tateren which translates to “to tell tales or secrets.” Talo is a Germanic term related to the words talk and tell. When put together, as they were first in the 15th century, a tattletale is someone who betrays secrets or “tells on” others.

What is the motive? The motivation for becoming a tattletale may be in part to maintain order in a household, or school environment, but also to draw attention to one’s self.  Is it ever ok to tattle? (yes-if it is dangerous, destructive, or dishonest). Was this an appropriate time to tattle? 

Character (Willing and Cheerful) -
(p313) Almanzo helped in the kitchen. “He remembered the switch and tried to be willing and cheerful.”
What does it mean to be “willing?”  Websters 1828- To do with free will; without reluctance; cheerfully.  To do by ones own choice.  Almanzo willingly chose to obey with a good attitude and good heart.  He didn’t help reluctantly (With opposition of heart; unwillingly-a straining or striving against). For example he didn’t complain, argue or work slow.  Bible verses on being willing:

(bad example)  Exodus 10:27  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.   Talk about Pharaoh and how as he was not willing and he was demonstrating a hard heart.

Psalms 51:12  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.   Even though David sinned, he repented-asked God to forgive him and to help him obey with all his heart (not just actions, but obeying in his heart too.)

Mark 14:38  "Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 

What does it mean to be cheerful?  (Websters 1828) lively; animated; having good spirits; moderately joyful.  Almanzo didn’t just do what he was told, he was cheerful about it.  He made a decision to be a joy around as he obeyed.  Bible Verses on being cheerful:

Proverbs 15:13  A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.  (you can tell by your countenance whether you are having a good attitude.)

2Corinthians 9:6-7  Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.   Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (is this just talking about money or how you do every thing in life.)

Character (Disobedience and Consequences) –
Remember a few chapters back when Almanzo got the black spot on the wall?  He should have gotten the switch, but he didn’t.  The good thing is he understood that he disobeyed and that there are consequences for disobedience.  He understood that he deserved those consequences.  What is disobedience?   (Websters 1828) Neglect (to fail to do or omit by carelessness) or refusal to obey; violation of a command or prohibition; the omission of that which is commanded to be done, or the doing of that which is forbid; breach of duty prescribed by authority.  Basically not doing what you are told to do or asked to do willfully or because you forgot, etc.

What are consequences? (Websters 1828) That which follows from any act, cause, principle, or series of actions. Hence, an event or effect produced by some preceding act or cause.  Basically, cause and effect.  If you disobey, this will happen.  In Almanzo’s case, he knew that if he chose to disobey (cause) the effect would be the switch. 

Character (Respect for Elders) –
Almanzo was fed last because he was youngest. He didn’t complain even though he was uncomfortable. Children would stand to allow adults to sit. In previous chapters it has been mentioned that children don’t speak to adults unless spoken to. This was a demonstration of respect.  The younger generation understood that they were to be respectful to people who were authority figures.  Why the courtesy? Do children act this way today? Why or why not? 

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Dampers- a valve or sliding plate in a furnace to stop or lessen the quantity of air admitted, and thus to regulate the heat or extinguish the fire.

Muffler- (silk) A cover for the face; a part of female dress.

Garnet (earrings)- A mineral usually occurring in crystals more or less regular. The crystals have numerous sides, from twelve to sixty or even eighty four. Its prevailing color is red of various shades, but often brown, and sometimes green, yellow or black.

Cravats (“fold father’s cravats)- A neck-cloth; a piece of fine muslin or other cloth worn by men about the neck.

Whetstone-  A stone used for sharpening edged instruments by friction.

Comprehension Questions –

1. What comment does Mother make the day before Christmas that makes Almanzo’s insides quake?  Do you think Mother has found the patch? 
2. How early had the children gotten up on Christmas morning?  How did they find out?  What is the earliest you’ve gotten up on Christmas morning?
3. Explain what happened in the barn
4. List all the foods there were to eat for Christmas Dinner.  How does his list compare with your Christmas Dinner?
5. Almanzo and Frank have now had several run-ins.  What is your opinion of Frank?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

Almanzo showed his cousins Sat and Bright, and the little bobsled, and he let them scratch Lucy’s fat white back with corncobs.  He said they could look at Starlight if they’d be quiet and not scare him.

Arts/Crafts

Cooking and Baking and Such –

 We highly recommend that you locate a copy of The Little House Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. Make Fried Parsnips (page 110), Mashed Turnips (page 116), Roasted Pig (page 151), or Roasted Stuffed Goose (page 164).

Chapter 27: “Wood-Hauling”

Social Studies

Woodhauling -
In Almanzo’s time (1860), they used skids as levers/cant poles or loaded the wood by hand. They would load it in sleds or wagons, or if it were going long distances, it would be loaded in train cars.  Almanzo used his oxen to help get the logs from one place to another.

Today gathering wood (for an individual) the “traditional way” is by making a trip to the woods with a:

Chainsaw (a chainsaw is a portable mechanical, motorized saw),

Heavy splitting maul -A splitting maul (or mall) is a heavy, long-handled hammer used for splitting a piece of wood along its grain. One side of it is identical to a sledgehammer and the other side is an axe.

Sledgehammers-A long heavy hammer, often wielded with both hands, used for driving wedges and posts and for other heavy work.

Metal wedges-a triangular shaped tool used to separate two objects. Used in manual log splitting (2 way) or powered log splitters / firewood processors.

Hydraulic wood–splitters- Hand machine used to cut wood.  It uses liquid pressure and flow to cut the wood.  (Think speed cutting!)
Logs are transformed into rough-cut timber used to make pallets, railroad ties and other items (and of course fire wood).  The long, round logs have to be squared off and the first bite of the saw on each side removes the bark and a certain amount of wood.   The long, irregular shaped hunks, sometimes called slab wood, are cut into pieces of varying length and are hauled to the woodpile.  Slabs that have more bark than wood are chopped into mulch for homes and gardens or churned into sawdust that farmers use for bedding material for their animals.

The logging industry includes felling, or cutting down, the timber; cutting it into lengths; and transporting it, usually by truck, to the sawmill.  After the trees are felled and trimmed, the logs are skidded to landings where they can be put on trucks and hauled to the mill. Skidding involves raising one end of the log and dragging it across the ground. Early skidding relied on teams of horses, mules, or oxen. (just like Almanzo!)

Animal skidding still occurs in some developing countries and on small woodlots, but wheeled or tracked vehicles have mostly replaced animals. Cable skidders are vehicles that pull logs behind them with steel ropes placed, or choked, around each log. A grapple skidder saves time by scooping up a bunch, or hitch, of logs by means of hydraulic arms mounted on its back.

Schooling –
Almanzo didn’t have to go to school because he was hauling wood.  There are many times when it was more important for Almanzo to help at home (hauling wood, threshing, harvesting) and not go to school. He was learning valuable lessons that he would use for the rest of his life as a farmer.

“He was learning to be a pretty good ox driver and wood hauler. “ They had hauled that years supply of wood and it was time for Almanzo to go to school. (p.342-343) Even though there were times that he did not go to school and this was an accepted practice, there were many times when it was necessary and expected for Almanzo to attend school. 

“But can you figure? A farmer must know more figuring than that, son. You’d better go to school” (p.343) “And he studied hard to learn the whole arithmetic, because the sooner he knew it all, the sooner he would not have to go to school any more.”     He saw the value and purpose in studying to learn for his future.  He had a good attitude and knew that the sooner he learned what he needed to he would move on to the next stage of his life.   Almanzo later shows his father that he can figure.   This was necessary for him to learn to sell, buy, and trade his stock, extra harvest, etc.

How could Almanzo learn the skills he needed, such as arithmetic, without going to school? Even though Almanzo was not at school, was he still learning? He could have learned these at school, but he would have experienced them being applied in his every day life like when he went to town with Father.  So not only is there a book learning, but also a practical (daily life ) learning.    What can you learn in your daily life?  (Measurements-cooking/baking/building things), gardening skills, automotive maintenance, etc) Do you have to go to a school building to learn?

In the 1800s there were not many options for school.  Every child that was of schooling age went to the same building.  They sat according to age-the youngest in front and the oldest in the back rows. Pierre and Louis don’t go to school. As foreigners, they were responsible for learning English on their own.  Without going to school how do you think they learned it?  (Using it and practicing it every day.  Practice makes progress!) 

Here are some different schooling options:

Public- they are the option for most people. Each student goes to the school closest to his home in the neighborhood.  Each class usually has one teacher for all the students and they study the same lessons or subjects at the same time.

Charter- Since the first charter school opened its doors in 1992, almost 500 of them have sprouted in all corners of the nation. This allows private groups to create a new breed of public school. For every student they attract, charter schools get the tax money the local district would have spent on that child. Charter schools are freed from most regulations if they pledge to meet satisfactory performance standards.

Christian- they help families who have become decided against a public education because of declining standards and/or the absence of Christian values in the classroom.  They are usually less expensive than private schools.

Homeschool-just what is says!  Studying school at home.  There are many different ways to do this at home, too.  With books and workbooks, sometimes no books, lapbooks, nature walks and such.  There are many options for students at home to learn just like Almanzo did.

There are also many ways of learning too.  There are three commonly recognized styles of learning: visual, auditory and tactile/kinesthetic.    People are usually a mix.  A visual learner learns best by seeing things.  (ie seeing the words, seeing the diagram, etc).  An auditory learner learns best by hearing.  Instead of seeing the text, they will remember it better if they hear it.  A tactile/kinesthetic learns information best by touching. This type of learner wants to experience it, not just see or hear about it. 

Take a learning style quiz by following the link in the above paragraph.

Language Arts

Vocabulary –

Patient-Having the quality of enduring evils without murmuring or fretfulness; sustaining afflictions of body or mind with fortitude, calmness or Christian submission to the divine will; as a patient person, or a person of patient temper.  Not easily provoked.   To compose one's self.

Gentle- Mild; meek; soft; bland; not rough, harsh or severe; as a gentle nature, temper or disposition; a gentle manner; a gentle address; a gentle voice.  Tame; peaceable; not wild, turbulent or refractory; as a gentle horse or beast.

Skids (for cant pole)- A chain used for fastening the wheel of a wagon, to prevent its turning when descending a steep hill.

Discouraged-Disheartened; deprived of courage or confidence; depressed in spirits; dejected; checked.

Balky- To leave untouched; to miss or omit.   To pile, as in a heap or ridge.  To plow, leaving balks.

Encouragingly- (spoke encouragingly) In a manner to give courage, or hope of success; to inspire with courage, spirit, or strength of mind. 

Cheerfully- Lively; animated; having good spirits; moderately joyful.  Full of life; gay; animated; mirthful; musical; as the cheerful birds.

Sensible- Having moral perception; capable of being affected by moral good or evil.

Comprehension Questions –

1. Describe Almanzo’s day while hauling logs.  Who helps with this chore? Was it the kind of day he’d expected?
2. Once they’d hauled enough wood for the year, where do Almanzo’s parents decide he needs to go?
3. Why did Almanzo study hard that winter?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

He was ten years old now, and he was driving his own oxen on his own sled, and going to the timber to haul wood.

Chapter 28: “Mr. Thompson’s Pocketbook”

Social Studies

Bank History –

Mr. Thompson didn’t trust banks. He carried his money around with him. Father didn’t look at this favorably, even calling him suspicious and stingy. Do you think Mr. Thompson is justified in his distrust of banks? Let’s look at a history of banks.

Banks are establishments that lend, exchange, hold, and/or transfer money. Many societies throughout history broke down because of dishonest banking systems. Gold was taken out of coins, and inferior metals were put in their place. Bankers shaved the edges of the gold coins, and used the shavings to melt down and make new coins, leaving the original weighing less than what it should. Bankers rigged their scales to represent dishonest numbers, or used faulty weights to counter the coins on the scale. The greed of bankers have destroyed many a nation.

Banks have been dated back to 2000bc Babylon, where they were a monopoly of the temples. There were banks in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome too. The dishonesty of the Roman bankers is what led in large part to the fall of Rome. Up until the 13^th century bankers were private individuals, monasteries, and churches, all of which were often corrupt. As time went on, wealthy European families opened banks to accept deposits, make loans, and coin money.

As more people came to the New World, colonists tried to set up a variety of banks. England, however, did not want to lose financial power and outlawed all the banks. After the Revolutionary War, private banks began to pop up in New York City and Boston. In an effort to stabilize the currency, the nation-wide banking institution in the country was formed in 1791, called the First Bank of the United States. It had eight branches. Still remembering how much control a nation-wide banking system could have over the people, having just lived under the yoke of the English bankers, the states moved to dissolve this bank and open privately owned banks instead. By 1816, there were 246 privately owned banks. The problem was, however, that these banks would issue notes without restriction (i.e. they would print more money then they had backing) that resulted in inflation (notes being worth less than their face value).

So in 1816, another nation-wide bank was started, the Second Bank of the United States. The bankers severely mismanaged the funds, and a huge economic crisis took place in 1819. People who had kept their money in the banks had lost most if not all of it. Maybe Mr. Wilder hadn’t heard about this.

Andrew Jackson saw the harm in having a centralized banking system, and refused to renew the Second Bank’s charter. Private, local banks again popped up, but they gave too much credit, allowed for too much inflation, and fraudulently made risky land investments, leading to an economic panic in 1837, and a depression from 1837 to 1843. Again people lost most if not all the money they had in banks. This was during Mr. Wilder’s childhood; maybe he wasn’t familiar with this bit of history.

 From 1847 to 1860, the number of banks increased from 715 to 1562. The systems of banking deposits and use of checks developed at this time. Fraud was widespread, with more than 5000 kinds of counterfeit bank notes in circulation. Maybe Mr. Thompson had reason to be suspicious.

The National Banking System was established, and by 1866 there were 1582 national banks and 297 local banks. A dual banking system did not work, leading to yet another economic crisis from 1873 to 1878, and another from 1883 to 1885, another from 1893 to 1895, and an economic panic in 1907.

While many people lost large amounts of money during these years, this was small potatoes compared to the economic collapse beginning with the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the temporary closing of all United States banks and a revamping of the Federal Reserve System. Only time will tell what the effects will be of too much credit, mismanaged funds, and risky land investments.

So, do you think Mr. Thompson is justified in his distrust of banks? Why do you think Mr. Wilder has so much faith in the banking system in spite of its history of failure?   Here are some quotes you may choose to use for copywork and/or dictation:

"Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes the laws." Mayer Amschel Rothschild

"History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling the money and its issuance." James Madison

"Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The Bankers own the earth. Take it away from them,
but leave them the power to create deposits, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take it away from them, and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of Bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create deposits." Sir Josiah Stamp, bank president in 1920’s and 2^nd richest man in Britain.

"In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation. ... This is the shabby secret of the welfare statists' tirades against gold. Deficit spending
is simply a scheme for the confiscation of wealth. Gold stands in the way of this insidious process. It stands as a protector of property rights. If one grasps this, one has no difficulty in understanding the
statists' antagonism toward the gold standard." Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve 1987-2006

Science

Trees –

In this chapter the ash (Fraxinus) tree was mentioned. The species found in New York are white ash and black ash. The leaves are deciduous, compound, and opposite. They have winged seeds that are shaped like canoe paddles. It is a large tree, growing up to 80 feet, with a long straight trunk. The wood from the ash tree was commonly used for tool handles, vehicle parts, baseball bats, and the curved parts in furniture. Research the ash tree further and complete notebook page.

Machines –

They used a new, fine machine for bailing hay. From the description, we know it is a combination of wheels and levers. These are called simple machines and they work together to make what is called a complex machine.

Wheel – Wheels help things to move, by rolling instead of dragging, making it easier and quicker to move. (We will learn more about wheels in the next chapter)

Axle – An axle is another simple machine. It is the shaft on which a wheel is mounted and on which it turns.

Gear – A gear is a type of wheel with teeth.

Lever – Levers help your muscles as if they were stronger. Levers can be short or long. They can be curved or straight. Sometimes two levers are used together, such as a pair of pliers, and other times they can be used by themselves, such as a long stick used to pry on something. The longer the lever, the more “leverage” you have.

If you have Knex or other building toy, have your child use these simple machines to build a complex machine.

Language Arts
 

Vocabulary –

Ash withe-A band consisting of a twig, or twigs twisted.

Stout-(“stout wooden box”)- Large; bulky, strong; firm.

Capstan-(baling hay)- A strong massy column of timber, formed like a truncated cone, and having its upper extremity pierced to receive bars or levers, for winding a rope round it, to raise great weights, or perform other extraordinary work, that requires a great power.

Purpose-“studying to some purpose”- Intention; design.  Purpose always includes the end in view.  To intend; to design; to resolve; to determine on some end or object to be accomplished.

Suspicious-Inclined to suspect; apt to imagine without proof.  To mistrust; to imagine or have a slight opinion that something exists, but without proof and often upon weak evidence or no evidence at all. We suspect not only from fear, jealousy or apprehension of evil.

Stingy-not generous or liberal : sparing in using, giving, or spending

Nimble-Light and quick in motion; moving with ease.

Interrupt-“waited because he couldn’t interrupt” -To stop or hinder by breaking in upon the course or progress of any thing; to break the current or motion of

Skinflint- a person extremely sparing of expense. (cheap)

Consequences-That which follows from any act, cause, principle, or series of actions. Hence, an event or effect produced by some preceding act or cause. The connection of cause and effect.

Comprehension Questions –

1. What new chore keeps Almanzo home from school?
2. What item did Almanzo find along the road?  How did they figure out to whom it belonged?
3. What task did Father let Almanzo do once they got to town?  How well did Almanzo do?
4. What happened when Almanzo gave it back to Mr. Thompson?  In the end how much money did Almanzo receive and what did he do with it?  How did he plan to spend that money?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

“Remember this son; as long as that money’s in the bank, it’s working for you.  Every dollar in the bank is making you four cents a year.  Any time you want to spend a nickel, you stop and think how much work it takes to earn a dollar.”

Chapter 29: “Farmer Boy”

Social Studies

Occupations (Wheelwright/Apprenticeship) –

Mr. Paddock asks Father about making Almanzo his wheelwright apprentice.   An Apprentice is a person who is bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of  time in return for instruction in a specific trade, business, or art.  In Almanzo’s case, if he apprenticed with Mr. Thompson he would learn the trade of a wheelmaker.  

When America was settled, craft workers coming to the New World brought with them the practice of master-apprentice relationships.  Most of the apprentices were 14 years of age or younger. By comparison, today most apprentices begin training between the ages of 18 and 24. The modern apprenticeship agreement is signed by the employer; by a representative of a joint management-labor apprenticeship committee, or both; and by the apprentice. If the apprentice is a minor, the parent or guardian also signs.  In Almanzo’s day, his Father was going to allow him to decide, but Mr. Thompson asked Father for permission.   Often the apprenticeship was passed down from father to son, and then to next generation, etc. Mr. Thompson had no sons and so was looking for a loyal boy to teach.  An example in history of this is Paul Revere.  His family comes from a long line of silver smiths.

Paul and his younger brother, Thomas, learned their craft from their father. In turn, two of Paul’s sons served apprenticeships in the family’s Boston shop. . As many as 500 of his pieces are known to exist.   A famous contemporary of Paul Revere — Benjamin Franklin — was indentured in 1718 at the age of 12 to his elder brother, James. Their father paid James 10 pounds to teach the printing art to Benjamin and to pay for Benjamin’s food, lodging, and other “necessaries.” The indenture provisions were especially generous for those days.  For Almanzo, there were pros and cons to being an apprentice for Mr. Thompson or learning his Father’s farming trade. What are some of the pros and cons?  The benefits worked both ways, the person teaching the trade had someone to eventually leave the business too (this is what Mr. Thompson planned to do for Almanzo) as well as provide them with a skill to earn a living and perhaps pass on to their future generations.  To the person who was learning the trade they benefited for the same reasons.  No matter what Almanzo chose, there would be social benefits to the community as a whole.  A thriving farm helped its neighbors and sold any surplus (ie Father selling extra grain) and farmers and community folk needed wheels for wagons and would need repairs too.

Here are some pros and cons-you decide which is a pro and which is a con:-

He would always have enough provision (ie not dependent on weather-drought, hard winters)-warm

He would make money.

He wouldn’t have to go to school (Almanzo thought this was a pro-is it?)

He would be dependent on others

He would have to respect all customers despite his opinion of them.

His life would be easier.

He would raise what he eats, wears.

He would be independent (work hard, but work as he pleased.)

Here is a game to play online.

Science

Trees –

This chapter mentions the oak and hickory trees. If you have not covered them in earlier chapters, do so now.

Oak (Quercus)– There are over 60 species of oak trees, including white, chestnut, scarlet, black, and pin.  They are found all over North America. Most varieties are deciduous with simple, alternate leaves. They all produce acorns, some of which are sweet to eat. The oaks are divided into two groups, white oaks and red oaks. The wood from the oak tree is used for flooring, furniture, railroad ties, barrels, and construction. They are also planted for shade trees.

Hickory (Carya) – The hickory trees found in New York include shagbark, shellbark, mockernut, pignut, and the bitternut. They are slow growing deciduous trees with compound alternate leaves.  The nuts are nearly round and split into four sections when ripe. The wood from the hickory is most often used for tool handles, and farmers highly value it for fuel and for smoking meat.

Wheels -

Almanzo had the opportunity to be a wheelwright, a person that makes wheels. Wheels were very important to the early settlers, as they are today. Wheels reduce resistance, changing dragging to rolling. It is much easier to roll a load on wheels than it is to drag it. A wheel is a simple machine that was invented thousands of years ago. Wooden and stone wheels are said to have originated in the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Greece, Egypt, and China in c.4000-3500 B.C. Wheels were used on the earliest carts and wheelbarrows, as well as for pulleys and potters wheels. By the medieval times, the wheel was expanded into use for spinning wheels, and water wheels. Wheel designs changed too, moving from solid, heavy wheels, to lighter spoked wheels. Your child may enjoy researching this topic on his own, and answering questions such as: Why does a wheel need spokes? What are wheels made out of? Do the spokes need to be a certain distance apart? Etc.  

If the weather is pleasant, do some experiments with wheels outdoors. If you have a wagon, demonstrate how it is easier to pull something on wheels than it is to push something on the ground. Do this experiment with your bicycle to see how much farther and faster you can travel with wheels: First, take two large steps on foot and measure the distance. Then, get on your bicycle, starting with one foot at the top, push your foot all the way down and then all the way up. Did you go farther taking two steps by foot, or two steps on your bicycle? This shows how much farther and faster we can go with the use of wheels.

Language Arts
 

Vocabulary –

Wheelwright-: a maker and repairer of wheels and wheeled vehicles

Apprentice-To bind to, or put under the care of a master, for the purpose of instruction in the knowledge of a or business.

Guiltily- In a manner to incur guilt, not innocently. “Almanzo ran guiltily to his milking.”

Truckling-Yielding promptly to the will of another.

Independent- Not dependent; not subject to the control of others.  Not holding or enjoying possessions at the will of another; not relying on others; not dependent.

Comprehension Questions –

1. What offer did Mr. Paddock make for Almanzo’s future?  What was Father’s reaction?  Almanzo’s?  Mother’s?
2. What decision did Almanzo make about his future but want to say?
3. What did Almanzo say he wanted when asked?
4. Why do you think Father gave Starlight to Almanzo?

Copywork/Dictation: Use this passage (or one of your choice) for copywork or dictation exercise.

“A farmer depends on himself, and the land and the weather. If you’re a farmer, you raise what you eat, you raise what you wear, and you keep warm with wood out of your own timber.  You work hard, but you work as you please, and no man can tell you to go or come.  You’ll be free and independent, son, on a farm.”

Figures of Speech –  

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.”   Similes allow the two ideas to remain distinct in spite of their similarities; For example, this simile is used to describe Mother when she was talking about Almanzo being apprenticed to Mr. Thompson: “she was ruffled like an angry hen.”

Mother did not all of a sudden become an angry hen-she is being described as one.  What does an angry hen look like (ruffled feathers!)
 

Chicken Sayings –

Here are some other  expressions of chicken or hen behavior that are common such as:

Putting all your eggs in one basket,

Being madder than a wet hen,

Fussing like an old hen,   (another simile)

Ruling the roost, and

Getting up with the chickens.

If you do get your feathers ruffled, people are likely to be walking on eggshells around you.

Hens were a common farm animal and farmers knew their behavior, so these common behavior descriptions were easy to understand among the community.

Character Development –

Throughout a story, the main character usually is growing and changing in someway.  Write an essay on how Almanzo developed in character.  Cite examples and cite ways in which his Father acknowledges Almanzo’s growth. Or complete Character Sketch about Almanzo.

What Happens After the Story

Almanzo did grow up to be a farmer. He also grew up to marry Laura Ingalls, the author of the book. It was 1885, and Laura was 18 and Almanzo was 28. In 1886 they had a daughter named Rose, and then two years later they had a son that died in infancy. When Rose was young they lived in Minnesota, and then they moved to Florida, and then to South Dakota. They finally settled at Rocky Ridge Farm in Mansfield, Missouri in 1894. Laura wrote books about her and Almanzo’s childhoods, as well as their lives together. They were:

Little House in the Big Woods (1932)

Farmer Boy (1933)

Little House on the Prairie (1935)

On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937)

By the Shores of Silver Lake (1939)

The Long Winter (1940)

Little Town on the Prairie (1941)

These Happy Golden Years (1943)

Almanzo was 86 when the last book was written. Laura died in 1957 at the age of 90.

Miscellaneous

Word Search

Laura Ingalls Wilder Biography

Artist Garth Williams Biography

The Wilder Homestead

Free Classroom Guide