Focus Questions:
• What federal act led the Ingalls family to Dakota Territory? What were the act’s conditions?
• Could the Wilders have avoided homesteading hardships if they had lived today? Explain your reasons.
• How did Frederick Evans make money from the discovery of gold in the Black Hills?
• What did the coming of the railroad mean for Evans? How did he adapt?
Imbedded Information In The Student Lesson:
; Surveyor’s House; bullwhacker; Hot Springs; Evans Plunge
Worksheet:
Classroom Activities:
Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books are largely autobiographical. Your students can try writing their own autobiographies using the following questions. Or you can make it an exercise in biography writing by having the students break into pairs and interview his/her partner. The following questions make a useful guide: (1) What is your full name? (2) Where were you born, and when? (3) What is your favorite food? (4) What is your favorite class in school? (5) Do you have any pets? (6) What is your favorite sport or hobby? Then have the students ask three questions of their own. With the information from the answers, have each student write a life story, or biography. These can be shared with the class if time allows.
