Plains Farmers and Sod Homes

Yesterday and today we started learning about how the early farmers of the Great Plains fought for survival. It was The Homestead Act that brought 1,000s of families to the Plains to seek their fortune. The prize???? Well if a family could successfully maintain a working farm for 3 years they would receive 160 acres of land abolsolutely free. Sounds kinda like an 1800's version of "Survior".

Indian Boarding Schools

Custer and Dawes... Two Very Different Approaches

The Indian Wars 1864-1890

Today in class we are looking at events between Native American tribes in the West and the U.S. Government. Starting with the Fort Laramie treat of 1861 and ending with the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, we are looking at some events during that time.

Through a series of broken treaties, violence on both sides, and overwhelming firepower and tactics on the part of U.S. soldiers, the Indian tribes of the West eventually submitted to the reservation system set up for them by the U.S. Government.

The Plains Indians and Buffalo Hunting

Today we are going to look at scenes from a true American classic film "Dances with Wolves" .

The Plains Indians and Wal-Mart!

Today we are looking at the Plains Indians of the United States. These tribes relied almost totally on the Wild Buffalo for their survival. In a way the Buffalo was like a giant "Wal-Mart" containing everything the Indians need to survive and also elements of the culture too! We examined the different styles of hunting and how they changes with the introduction of the horse from Spain. We also looked a2 two short video clips. One involved a recreated buffalo hunt using the "Jump"
method in which a tribe led small groups of buffalo off cliffs for their food. The other clip showed a man make a water carrier out of a real buffalo bladder! YUCK!

Cool Links:Coming Soon....

Railroad Building in the U.S. Late 1800's

Today we are looking at the development of the transcontinental railroad and other railroads that followed in the West.

Workshop Day

Media Connect

Segregation

Welcome Parents!!!

Welcome to Parent Night 2010-2010!!!

Today in class we began a discussion on why people traveled west after the Civil War. Students recalled the California Gold Rush 1849, The Pioneers, and Lewis and Clark 7th Grade social studies. We took the discussion further by adding other groups that wanted to go west after the Civil War.

A board game was played in small groups where students would get a change to see some of the upcoming topics we will cover in the next few weeks.