Little House:  These Happy Golden Years Story Study Lapbook
Created by Heather L.

Chapter One

Pa’s Advice:  What did Pa tell Laura that she must be careful about?

Pa said that Laura must be careful to think first and speak afterward.  If she did this, she would not have any trouble.

Mrs. Brewster:  How did Mrs. Brewster treat Laura?  Why did Laura think she acted this way?

Mrs. Brewster was very cold and angry towards Laura.  Laura thought she just didn’t want to board her, the school teacher.

Chapter Two

1^st Day of School:  Describe Laura’s first day as a teacher.

Chapter Three

The First Week:  How did Laura feel about staying at the Brewster’s?  How did she make it through her first week?

Laura was miserable staying at the Brewster’s house because Mrs. Brewster did not make her feel welcome.  Laura tackled the week one day at a time.  She focused on doing a good job as a teacher and on keeping up with her studies.

Sleigh Bells:  Who surprised Laura?  Why was he there?  What did Laura say about riding in the cutter?

Almanzo surprised Laura by coming to take her home for the weekend.  Laura thought that riding in the cutter felt like flying.

Home Again:  How was the Ingalls’ home different from the Brewster’s home?  What did being away from home make Laura appreciate?

The Ingalls’ home was a home filled with love.  Ma set the tone for a peaceful home.  The Brewster’s home was filled with angst.  Mrs. Brewster set a tone of discord in her home.  Laura was very appreciative of the peaceful, loving home in which she was brought up.

Chapter Five

Stiff Upper Lip:  Pa had told Laura to keep a stiff upper lip when she was home.  What did he mean by this? How did Laura do this during her difficult week?

Pa meant that she must keep going even when times were tough.  Laura got through the horrible week one day, one moment at a time.  She did her best in a very difficult situation.

Chapter Six

Clarence:  How did Laura take care of the problem with Ruby and Tommy?  How did she handle the problem with Clarence?  How did he respond?  What made him work harder in school?

Laura had Ruby and Tommy take turns writing their spelling lessons on the board.  Then, it didn’t matter that they only had one spelling book to share.  Laura didn’t pay any mind to Clarence, and she didn’t expect much from him.  In turn, Clarence began to learn his lessons better.  Clarence declared that if Laura could study at night, so could he.

Chapter Seven

Almanzo:  What did Laura tell Almanzo?  Why did she tell him this?  Did Laura think that Almanzo would take her home on the weekends anymore?  Did he?

Laura told Almanzo that she was only riding with him so she could go home on the weekends, and that once she was done teaching, she would not go riding with him anymore.  Laura didn’t want Almanzo to think that he was her beau when he wasn’t.  Laura thought Almanzo would stop coming for her, but he didn’t.

The Knife:  What happened the evening that school was cancelled?  Why did Mrs. Brewster decide to listen to Mr. Brewster?  How did this incident make Laura feel?

Laura woke up to a scream.  She saw Mrs. Brewster standing with a knife in her hand.  Mr. Brewster reasoned with Mrs. Brewster that he had her and Johnny to support and all he had was the claim.  She put the knife away and went to bed.  Laura was terrified to go to sleep after that incident.

Chapter Eight

Bitter Cold:  Why did Almanzo have to keep stopping the horses on the trip home?  What did he keep asking Laura questions?  Why had he decided to come get Laura even though it was bitterly cold?

Almanzo had to keep stopping the horses to thaw the ice off their noses.  He kept asking Laura questions to keep her from falling asleep.  He had decided to come to get Laura as she was homesick and miserable at the Brewster’s.  Plus, Cap had basically dared him to go.

Chapter Nine

The Superintendent:  How did the children respond to the superintendent’s presence?  What did he say to Laura?

The children did their best to make Laura look good in front of the superintendent.  He told Laura “whatever else you do, keep your feet warm.”

Chapter Ten

The Last Day:  What did Laura give her students on her last day?  What did they give her?

Laura gave each student one of her name cards that had been personalized on the back.  Martha gave her an apple.  Ruby gave her a cake.  The boys each gave her a pencil.

Chapter Eleven

Sleigh Riding:  Why didn’t any of Laura’s friends come visit her when she returned home?  Who stopped by to take her sleigh riding?

Everyone was out sleigh riding as couples.  Almanzo stopped by to take Laura sleigh riding.

Chapter Twelve

Back to School:  How did Laura do her first day back to school as a student?  What part of the day was she most concerned with?  How did she do?

Laura found that she was still at the head of her class.  She was most concerned with her composition about ambition.  She received a 100%.

Dress Making:  Why did Laura want to continue working?  Where did she end up working and what would she be doing?

Laura wanted to continue earning money to help with Mary’s expenses.  She ended up sewing for the new dressmaker in town.

Chapter Thirteen

Black Hills:  Retell Uncle Tom’s story of his trip to the Black Hills

Chapter Fourteen

Manchester:  Why did Laura go to Manchester?  How long did she stay?  Why did she end up going home?

Mrs. McKee wanted Laura to come and stay on the claim with herself and her daughter Mattie.  She would not stay on the claim without Laura.  Laura would receive a dollar a week.  She stayed through April and May.  She ended up going home when she heard that Mary was coming home.  Mrs. McKee decided that she was comfortable enough to stay with Mattie at the claim without anyone else.

Chapter Fifteen

Gifts from Mary:  What gifts did Mary bring for her family?

Ma received a lamp mat.  Laura and Carrie received bracelets.  Grace received a little doll’s chair.  Pa received a silk scarf.

Laughter:  Why did Laura think it was worth all the sacrifice to send Mary to college?

Laura thought all the sacrifice was worth it to see Mary so confident and happy again.

Chapter Sixteen

Future Plans:  What had Mary planned to do when she grew up?  What had happened?  What did Mary say that Laura might end up doing?  What was Laura’s response?

Mary had planned on becoming a teacher, but Laura was the one that became the teacher.   Mary said that since she planned on writing a book, Laura might be the one that did that as well.  Laura thought the idea was quite funny.

4^th of July:  How did the Ingalls decide to celebrate the 4^th of July while Mary was there?

They decided that they would stay home.  Ma and the girls would cook supper, and Pa would go to town to purchase candy and firecrackers.

Chapter Seventeen

The Colts:  Why hadn’t Almanzo come calling?  Why did Cap stop by instead of Almanzo?  Why was Laura willing to ride behind the colts?

Almanzo and Cap were busy trying to break the new colts.  Cap stopped by to ask, on Almanzo’s behalf, if Laura would like to go sleighing.  Almanzo had his hands full with the colts.  Laura rode with Almanzo because she thought that he could handle the colts.

Chapter Eighteen

The Perry School:  How did Laura do on her teacher’s exam?  How much would she be paid for working at the Perry school?  How many pupils did she have?

Laura received a second grade certificate.  She would be paid $25 a month.  She only had 3 pupils.

Laura’s Pay:  How did Laura decide she would use her pay from the Perry School?

Laura with some help from Pa would purchase an organ for Mary to play while she was home.

Chapter Nineteen

Brown Poplin:  Describe Laura’s new dress and poke bonnet.

Sunday Ride:  Who came to take Laura for a buggy ride?  What did he say about Laura?  When would they go for another Sunday ride?

Almanzo came to take Laura for a buggy ride.  He said that she was independent.  Almanzo would come by next Sunday.

Chapter Twenty

Buggy Rides:  Compare the buggy ride with Nellie to the buggy ride with Ida.

Chapter Twenty-One

Barnum and Skip:  Why had Almanzo sold the other pair of colts?  Why did he get the new colts so inexpensively?  Why was Laura willing to go behind the untamed colts?

Almanzo had received a very good offer for the colts.  He was able to purchase the new colts inexpensively because they were runaways.  Laura trusted Almanzo and enjoyed the rides.

Laura at the Reins:  How did Barnum act differently with Laura driving?

Barnum seemed to know that Laura was driving and eased up on the bit; he didn’t pull as hard.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Singing School:  Describe the singing school.  Why did Laura and Almanzo need to leave early?  What happened when Laura got into the buggy after singing school?

Almanzo was concerned that Barnum would try to take off which would be dangerous in a crowd, so they needed to leave early.  Barnum took off as soon as Laura got in the buggy and Almanzo untied him.  She drove him in a circle from the prairie to the church until Almanzo was able to jump in.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Engagement:  How did Almanzo propose to Laura?  How did Laura respond?

Almanzo asked if Laura would like an engagement ring.  She said that it depended on who offered it.  He responded if it was him?  She said that it depended on the ring.  The next week, he placed a ring on her finger and asked her if she liked it.  She said that she would like to keep it.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Almanzo’s Trip:  Where was Almanzo going?

Almanzo was leaving for the winter.  He would be headed to Minnesota with Royal.

Winter at the Homestead:  Why did Pa decide they would stay on the homestead for the winter?  How did he prepare the house for the cold winter ahead?  How would the girls go to school?

Pa said that he could rent the house in town.  They had a lot of farm animals now, so it would be easier to care for them on the homestead.  He put siding on the house and papered inside.  Pa would take the girls to and from school in the winter.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Christmas Surprise:  Why did the Ingalls decide not to go into town for the Christmas celebration?  How did they celebrate at home?  Who was their surprise visitor?

The Ingalls decided that it would be too dangerous to head to town due to the snowstorm.  They popped popcorn and made popcorn balls.  Grace filled bags with candy.  Pa played the fiddle and they sang along.  Almanzo stopped by for a surprise visit.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Teacher Examination:  How did Laura do on her examination?  Where would she get to teach?  How did she get this position and why?

Laura received a second grade certificate.  She would teach in Florence’s school district.  Florence didn’t get her certificate, so she wanted Laura to have the teacher’s position.  She wanted to repay some of Laura’s kindness.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Last Day of School:  What did Laura’s teacher tell her on her last day of school?

Mr. Owen told Laura that he should have graduated her in the spring.  He hadn’t because of his pride.  He had wanted to graduate the whole class together and some weren’t ready to graduate even though she was.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ma’s Surprise:  What surprise did Pa have for Ma?  How would this make things easier for Ma?

Pa had purchased a sewing machine for Ma.  He knew that she would have a lot of sewing to do with Mary home and Laura getting married.  This would make things go much faster.

Mary’s Visit:  Why didn’t Laura get to spend much time with Mary at first?  What made Mary sad?

Laura was away teaching school when Mary arrived.  It saddened Mary that Laura was getting married.  She didn’t want her to leave home.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Cyclone:  Describe what damage had been done by the cyclone.

Chapter Thirty

Church:  What happened at church that caused Laura to silently laugh?

A little kitten was being chased by a dog.  The kitten hid under Laura’s dress.  She couldn’t help but laugh at what was taking place.

The Walk:  Describe what Laura and Mary talked about on their walk.

Chapter Thirty-One

Mary’s Departure:  What did Ma and Laura do to keep themselves busy when Mary left?

Ma and Laura worked on sewing Laura’s new clothes and linens.

Getting Married:  Explain why Almanzo wanted them to get married quickly.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Preparing for the Wedding:  How were Ma and Laura preparing for the wedding?  How was Almanzo preparing for the wedding?  What did Ma give Laura?  What did Pa give Laura?

Ma and Laura were quickly finishing up the sewing on her new dress.  Almanzo was working hard to finish up their new house.  Ma gave Laura the quilt that Laura had made when she was young, 2 feather pillows, and a checkered table cloth.  Pa gave Laura a calf.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Wedding Day:  Describe Almanzo and Laura’s wedding day.

Wilder House:  Describe Almanzo and Laura’s new house.

Additional Booklets

Vocabulary:  Define any words of which you do not know the meaning.

My Horse Story:  Write a story about what you would do if you owned horses.  Don’t forget to describe the horses you own.