Survivor: Pioneer Farm Life

Title: "Survivor: Pioneer Farm Life"

Topics: Pioneer Life; Settlement; Social History; Agriculture; Technological Change Suggested Grade Level: 3-8 Time Required: 45-75 minutes Description: Students explore how settlers lived 150 years ago on the frontier of Monroe County, WI. Through the use of an interactive game, students will follow the experiences of a typical pioneer family from the moment they arrive in Monroe County, to buying land, establishing a farm, expanding their farm, transitioning to dairy farming, and passing the farm to the next generation. Students will learn about the events and experiences that helped or hurt a pioneer family’s efforts for survival.

Goals:

• Personalize the settler experience for each student
• Broaden understanding of Monroe County’s agricultural heritage
• Identify the challenges faced by settlers determining their success
• Recognize the importance of cooperation among neighbors
• Appreciate the effect mechanization had upon farming and rural economies

A.4.4 Describe and give examples of ways in which people interact with the physical environment, including use of land, location of communities, methods of construction, and design of shelters

A.4.6 Identify and distinguish between predictable environmental changes, such as weather patterns and seasons, and unpredictable changes, such as floods and droughts, and describe the social and economic effects of these changes

A.4.7 Identify connections between the local community and other places in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world

B.4.1 Identify and examine various sources of information that are used for constructing an understanding of the past, such as artifacts, documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, paintings, architecture, oral presentations, graphs, and charts

B.4.4 Compare and contrast changes in contemporary life with life in the past by looking at social, economic, political, and cultural roles played by individuals and groups

B.4.8 Compare past and present technologies related to energy, transportation, and communications and describe the effects of technological change, either beneficial or harmful, on people and the environment

B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations

C.4.3 Explain how families, schools, and other groups develop, enforce, and change rules of behavior and explain how various behaviors promote or hinder cooperation

D.4.2 Identify situations requiring an allocation of limited economic resources and appraise the opportunity cost (for example, spending one’s allowance on a movie will mean less money saved for a new video game)

D.4.7 Describe how personal economic decisions, such as deciding what to buy, what to recycle, or how much to contribute to people in need, can affect the lives of people in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world

E.4.2 Explain the influence of factors such as family, neighborhood, personal interests, language, likes and dislikes, and accomplishments on individual identity and development

E.4.15 Describe instances of cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations, such as helping others in famines and disasters

Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subjects (K-5) Related to the Program
Grade 4

SL.4.1b Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

SL.4.1c Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.

SL.4.1d Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

SL.4.2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

SL.4.3 Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.

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