Wagons Ho!

Materials

Maps of the Oregon and/or Santa Fe Trails

brown wrapping paper or grocery bags

colored pencils, markers, or crayons

stickers and magazines, optional

queen- or king-size flat sheet

silver pie tins

small sticks of wood

Instructions

1. This is a great activity for a unit on pioneer life. First, show the children a
map of the
trails that were
popularly used
in pioneer
days. If one
can't be found,
make your own
by drawing
mountains,
rivers,
American
Indian teepees,
cacti, and small
towns on
brown
wrapping paper
or butcher
paper.
2. Talk about what life was like living out of a Conestoga wagon for months
while being on these trails. Talk about the animals that were needed for these
long journeys (horses, mules, oxen, cattle).
3. Discuss the tribes of American Indians along these trails. Talk about how
people dressed, what they ate, the states they passed through, and the states
where they were heading (Oregon, Washington, and California).
4. Help the children make their own maps. Tear brown wrapping paper into a
square. It doesn't matter if the edges are jagged; this is the look you want.
5. Encourage them to draw mountains, lakes, teepees, and so on. If desired, let
them use stickers or pictures from magazines (Western-themed magazines are
great to use). Ask them to make red dots beside places that are important
such as towns, American Indian camps, state capitals, and so on.
6. To play wagon train, drape a large sheet over a long table and put two or
three chairs in the front of it for the seat (called a buckboard). Other children
may sit under the table as though they are riding in the back of the "wagon."
7. Encourage children to use their imagination! For example, they can pretend
to hold the horses' reins or oxen reins. They can also pretend to camp.
8. Sing pioneer songs such as "O Susanna," "Sweet Betsy from Pike," "Yankee
Doodle," "Old Dan Tucker," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," and so
on. Learn some square dances and teach them to the children. Make up
square dances and play lively music.