Thematic Lists

Explores such topics as reasons for reasons for Westward expansion, mapping the West, the roles of women and various cultural groups, and more Builds skills in reading, writing, critical thinking, researching, problem solving, mapping, and graphing Includes background information, teaching suggestions, answers, and a glossary are included

From "Oh, Susanna" to "Buffalo Gals," children will sing and learn about the legendary Wild West. The enclosed CD features 26 songs-old favorites and originals-and the book offers more than 300 activities that teach children about cowboys, cowgirls, the rodeo, and life on the prairie. Every song has: Literacy Links to teach comprehension skills, letter knowledge, and phonemic awareness; Curriculum Connections to integrate the content of the song with curriculum areas such as math, art, sand and water play, science, outdoor play, field trips, and discovery; a "Did You Know?" section with fun and interesting facts related to the song *a vocabulary list to enhance children's language skills; theme connections; home activities to extend the learning; related children's books

Created by teachers, for teachers, the research-based curriculum maps in this book present a comprehensive, coherent sequence of thematic units for teaching the skills outlined in the CCSS for English language arts in Grades K-5. The maps address every standard in the CCSS, yet are flexible and adaptable to accommodate diverse teaching styles. Each grade is broken down into six units that include focus standards, suggested works, sample activities and assessments, lesson plans, and more Teachers can use the maps to plan their year and craft their own more detailed lesson plans Any teacher, school, or district that chooses to follow the Common Core maps can be confident that they are adhering to the standards.
Includes a unit on The Wild West

The learning centers in this book can either be permanent year-long centers or set up and removed according to the season or children's interests and needs. Through play, young children learn to communicate, interact, and expand their cognitive thinking horizons. The Giant Encyclopedia of Learning Center Activities provides the resources to make play meaningful and educational for young children. This book offers over 600 activities and 47 learning centers, including familiar, permanent centers, such as Art or Blocks, and new and exciting centers, such as Farm, Space, Safari, Shoe Store, and Ice Cream Shop. Opportunities in each center for children to work at their own developmental level. Materials lists for each activity, step-by-step instructions, and related books, songs, and poems. Fresh new ideas from teachers who have used these activities in their own classrooms!
Includes section on Pioneers

Gather your students and jump back in time to experience what life was like back then. During each day of immersion, students rotate through 14-18 stations of math and vocabulary activities, games, crafts, costumes, and food. Explore legends, songs, maps, and historical events along the way to understand specific times and places in history. Elementary teachers, librarians, youth leaders, and home schoolers will appreciate this complete and creative resource that covers four major areas of the elementary curriculum: Ancient cultures, Native American culture, Colonial America, Pioneers. Grade level 4-6.

Make U.S. history fun for students with this extensive collection of engaging activities. You'll find activity after activity arranged by U.S. themes and eras: Native Americans, American Colonies, American Revolution, Historical Documents, Formation of a New Government, Westward Expansion, Civil War and Reconstruction, Industrialization, World War II, Great Depression, Nation Symbols. Use Find Someone Who to have students pair with many partners to answer questions about the Revolution. Use Think-Write-RoundRobin to have students share with teammates their writing about the dangers of the Pony Express. Play Showdown in teams to respond to questions about the Constitution. Move beyond the textbook and dive deep into U.S. history with these interactive activities, all based on engaging Kagan Structures. Loaded with reproducibles.

Allow students to step back in time to experience the thoughts, feelings, dilemmas, and actions of people from history. For each history topic, Miller suggests two titles-one for use with the entire class and one for use with small reading groups. Summaries of the books, author information, activities, and topics for discussion are supplemented with vocabulary lists and ideas for research topics and further reading. This integrated approach makes history meaningful to students and helps them retain historical details and facts.
Includes a chapter entitled "Pioneer Life and Westward Expansion"

With more than 80 activities in each book, these valuable resources will enrich your curriculum. For each activity, literature links promote reading, while Internet links encourage the best use of technology. Individual and team projects for K-5 classrooms, connected to NCTE standards.
Includes an activity on pioneers

Did you know that the Lone Ranger was likely inspired by a black cowboy? Or that some of the most famous sharpshooters in the West were women? Or how a Native American rodeo star could ride even a buffalo? These are no tall tales! In fact, historians estimate that 1 in 4 cowboys were actually Black, Latino, or Native American-or even women! So saddle up for a tour of the Wild West with some of history's most unsung heroes and discover how the great Western story is really everyone's story.

Saddle up and get ready for a ride back into the wild and wooly past of the American West. The west was at its wildest from 1865 to 1895, when territories west of the Mississippi River remained untamed and lawless. Famous for cowboys, American Indians, lawmen, gunslingers, pioneers, and prospectors, this period in US history captures the imagination of all kids and now is brought vividly to life.

Capturing the unique character and history of the West, this activity book provides a number of memorable journeys, including joining Lewis and Clark on an expedition, journeying into the woods with fur traders, or riding a wagon train to the Oregon. Young explorers will experience the excitement of the West with activities such as sewing a sunbonnet, panning for gold, cooking flapjacks, singing cowboy songs, and more. Helpful illustrations that detail and explain the steps of each project are also included.

See life through the eyes of a pioneer in this fascinating look at the rise of the American West, and peel back the double-page see-through acetates to discover the workings of a California gold mine, the daily routine on a busy cattle ranch, life in an upstart frontier town, and the interior and exterior of the iron horse -- the first steam locomotive.

Takes readers on a journey back in time in order to experience life in the American West in the 1800s, describing clothing, accommodations, foods, local customs, transportation, a few notable personalities, and more.

A collection of twelve original plays dramatizing songs, folklore, historical events, and larger-than-life characters of the Wild West.

Surveys the settling of the American West, using excerpts from contemporary sources to highlight the original Native American inhabitants, the arrival of fur traders, the Gold Rush, Mormon migrations, the growth of cattle-ranching, and more

Lewis and Clark opened the doors for westward expansion when they set out in 1804 to discover what lay beyond the Mississippi. By the middle of the century, mass migration to the west had begun. In the 1880s, many people moved west to seek their fortunes. Find out what happened along the way, and learn about other industries that were born as a result of westward expansion and the Gold Rush.

Exploring American history and finding diversity at its roots! This graphic novel by James Otis Smith celebrates the extraordinary true tales of three black heroes who took control of their destinies and stood up for their communities in the Old West. Born into slavery in Tennessee, Mary Fields became famous as "Stagecoach Mary," a cigar-chomping, card playing coach driver who never missed a delivery. Bass Reeves, the first black Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi, was one of the wiliest lawmen in the territories, bringing thousands of outlaws to justice with his smarts. Bob Lemmons lived to be 99 years old and was so good with horses that the wild mustangs on the plains of Texas took him for one of their own.

In 1848, gold was discovered in California, attracting over 300,000 people from all over the world, some who struck it rich and many more who didn't. Hear the stories about the gold-seeking "forty-niners!" With black-and white illustrations and sixteen pages of photos, a nugget from history is brought to life!

Growing up in the wild gold-mining town of Bodie, California, in the 1880s, Angeline Reddy has seen it all -- saloons, brawls, and a whole lot of desperation. When her father, Bodie's greatest lawyer, is declared murdered, Angie knows deep in her heart that he isn't dead and decides it is up to her to solve the mystery of what happened to him. But when her mother takes ill and a mysterious ghost appears, putting together the puzzle pieces seems impossible. Not to mention, a gang of vigilantes, the 601, is raging out of control, running folks out of town, and nobody seems safe. Will Angie, with the help of her friends Ellie and Ling Loi, and the mysterious and tragically handsome Antoine, be able to uncover the secret of her father's disappearance?

In 1852, during the height of the California Gold Rush, ten-year-old Wong makes the dangerous trip to America to live with his uncle, exchanging the famine and war of his native country for brutal bullies and grueling labor in America, Wong joins his uncle and countless others in the effort to strike it rich on the great "Golden Mountain." Unfortunately, he, and most of the rest of the dreamers, soon discover that there's no such thing as a Golden Mountain, only dirt, mud, and occasionally tiny flecks of gold dust--flecks that are to be turned over to the owners of the mines, in return for barely livable wages. However, someone as clever and resourceful as Wong will have to find other ingenious ways of making money if they're going to make it in America. But can they overcome the bitter, racist white Americans to find success?

Wild West chaos and creative problem solving are the force behind a well-loved American institution.What's a California miner to do when gold dust sifts right out of his holey pockets? With such a raggedy wardrobe, he may as well be mining in the vanilla (that is, his birthday suit)! Good thing Levi Strauss is out west, ready with his needle and a head full of bright ideas. With some quick thinking, quicker stitching, and handy arithmetic, Levi keeps all the gold rushers clothed--and becomes a modern American hero. A Wild West tall tale, Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea celebrates creativity, innovation, and the ubiquitous item that fills the closets of grateful jeans wearers worldwide.

Erika Nagys and her family have come to California from Hungary in search of gold. When they cannot pay the rent, Erika must go and work for their nasty landlord, the rancher Hart Latham. Erika forms a special bond with an injured filly named Arany, which she nurses back to health. When Arany escapes from the corral, Erika finds the horse -- and gold -- in Blackwater Creek. But will newfound riches solve her family's problems?

Explores the history of the California gold rush of 1849 and its affects then and today.

Here for the first time in a book for young readers is the story of the African American forty-niners who went west to seek fortunes and freedom in the California Gold Rush. Among the thousands drawn west by the California Gold Rush were many African Americans. Some were free men and women in search of opportunity; others were slaves brought from the slave states of the South. Some found freedom and wealth in the gold fields and growing cities of California, but all faced the deeply entrenched prejudices of the era. To tell this story Hurry Freedom! focuses on the life of Mifflin Gibbs, who arrived in San Francisco in 1850 and established a successful boot and shoe business. But Gibbs's story is more than one of business and personal success: With other African American San Franciscans, he led a campaign to obtain equal legal and civil rights for Blacks in California.

After her family moves to California where her father goes to work in the gold fields, Amanda decides to make her own fortune baking pies and she encourages others to provide the necessary services--from a general store to a school--that enables her town to prosper

Newly orphaned, young Annyrose escapes from the villainous O.O. Mary and falls under the protection of a proud and fearless Mexican bandit, regarded as the Robin Hood of the California Gold Rush. Annyrose wants only to search for her older brother who had run off to the gold diggings, but she finds herself galloping beside the celebrated outlaw in his own quest. He is hunting down the last of a band of "Yankee" riffraff who wronged him, an event that turned the innocent young Mexican into an avenging terror of the roads. With his characteristic story twists and turns and surprises, Newbery Award winner Sid Fleischman lights up a dark corner in this Gold Rush drama set against a firestorm of bigotry ignited by the lust for riches. As for this legendary bandit, dashing about on his silken black horse and breathing fire, he actually lived.

In 1849 a twelve-year-old girl who calls herself Lucy is distraught when her mother moves the family from Massachusetts to a small California mining town. There Lucy helps run a boarding house and looks for comfort in books while trying to find a way to return "home."

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend -- who might want to be something more. She also has a secret. Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it. When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California -- where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey

When a spontaneous time leap sends Nickolas Flux back to the California Gold Rush, what's a teenage history buff to do? Join the scramble to strike it rich, of course! From meeting John Sutter to panning for gold, Nick must survive one of the most pivotal events of American Westward Expansion.

The color and excitement of the Gold Rush is captured in the “Mining Methods” poster, “The Miners Ten Commandments,” the “Bill of Fare” menu of the day, and even more in the photo of empty ships moored in San Francisco harbor. Where did the sailors go? Plenty to think and talk about here. The Broadsheets describe the discovery, and the travel by land and sea to reach the gold country, while the 11 hands-on documents give students the feeling of being a “Forty-Niner” right there in gold territory.

This book is designed to foster independent study, research, writing, and oral presentation skills for students in grades two and three. The lessons, which integrate several content areas, can be used for enrichment or extension in the classroom or as a homework assignment. The forty lessons, four for each of ten months, September through June, are connected to a famous person or event associated with that month. An index indicates the content areas and skills taught in each lesson.
Includes a lesson related to the California Gold Rush

This book is designed to foster independent study, research, writing, and oral presentation skills in students in grades four through six. The lessons, which integrate several content areas, can be used for enrichment or extension in the classroom or as a homework assignment. The forty lessons, four for each of ten months, September through June, are connected to a famous person or event associated with that month. An index indicates the content areas and skills taught in each lesson.
Includes a lesson related to the California Gold Rush

A brief introduction to the day-to-day life of cowboys in the American West

In this rousing account of the first true cowboys, Newbery Medalist Russell Freedman brings to life the days when the vaqueros rounded up cattle, brought down steers, and tamed wild broncos. In the service of wealthy Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century, Mexican ranch hands began herding cattle, often riding barefoot. They soon developed and perfected the skills for this dangerous work and became expert horsemen. Hundred of years later the vaqueros shared their expertise with the inexperienced cowboys of the American West, who adopted their techniques and their distinctive clothing, tools, and even lingo. Yet today it is the cowboy whom we remember, while the vaquero has all but disappeared from history. The vaqueros are at last given their due in this dramatic narrative, lushly illustrated with beautiful period paintings and drawings.

Yee-haw! Fresh air, open prairie, and a galloping horse-what more could a girl want? Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, families headed west to build ranches and start new lives in the cattle business. Their daughters were raised on the range with an independent spirit and horses in their blood. Now modern-day cowgirls can come face-to-face with the revolutionary cowgirl style of yesteryear through first-person recollections and over 40 detail-rich, engaging photographs. The book is aimed at girls who love horses and who are hungry for heroines.

The 1840s ushered in the beginning of the largest migration in US history. People in crowded Eastern cities and Missouri River towns were feeling the pull of the Western frontier. It was the dawn of a new era of expansion, and over the next few decades, the making of a new kind of pioneer. It was the birth of the cowgirl! Welcome to the world of nimble equestriennes, hawkeyed sharpshooters, sly outlaws, eloquent legislators, expert wranglers and talented performers who made eyes pop and jaws drop with their skills, savvy and bravery. In this fascinating account of an ever-evolving American icon, Holly George-Warren invites readers to saddle up with a host of these trailblazers who helped settle the West and define the cowgirl spirit.

How do you tame the roughest, toughest pack of cowboys to ever ride the open range?

In Kate Hoefler's realistic and poetic picture book debut about the wide open West, the myth of rowdy, rough-riding cowboys and cowgirls is remade. A timely and multifaceted portrayal reveals a lifestyle that is as diverse as it contrary to what we've come to expect.

Following increasingly chaotic attempts to give his dog a bath, Cowpoke Clyde discovers there is only one way to get Dawg into the tub

A look at the fascinating and true story of how Texas Longhorns were run from Texas to Kansas so they could be shipped to meet the new demand for beef in the eastern U.S. Filled with gritty details, excerpts from first-hand accounts, photos, and other visuals, this will be a great choice for readers interested in the real story behind this compelling and pivotal part of U.S. history.

Bob Lemmons is famous for his ability to track wild horses. He rides his horse, Warrior, picks up the trail of mustangs, then runs with them day and night until they accept his presence. Bob and Warrior must then challenge the stallion for leadership of the wild herd. A victorious Bob leads the mustangs across the wide plains and for one last spectacular run before guiding them into the corral. Bob's job is done, but he dreams of galloping with Warrior forever to where the sky and land meet. This splendid collaboration by an award-winning team captures the beauty and harshness of the frontier, a boundless arena for the struggle between freedom and survival. Based on accounts of Bob Lemmons, a former slave, Black Cowboy, Wild Horses has been rewritten as a picture book by Julius Lester from his story "The Man Who Was a Horse" in Long Journey Home, located in the Juvenile Literature collection, +PZ7.L434 Lon 1988

Describes, in text and illustrations, the duties, clothes, equipment, and day-to-day life of the cowboys who flourished in the west from the 1860's to the 1890's

Examines the contributions Black cowboys have made to this country and to the legacy of the West, focusing on the lives of Esteban, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, Jim Beckwourth, and George McJunkin

Explains how cattle ranching evolved from its historical Spanish roots to the cattle-boom era of the 1880s, when cattle drives, cow towns, cattle trails, and the open range played a pivotal role in forming the culture of the West

On the North American plains, wild mustangs have roamed for generations . . . shaping human history and struggling to survive it. For the Spanish, they were a tool of conquest. For Native Americans, they brought on a new way of life where horsemanship and horse-trading were central. And for the entire world, wild mustangs became a renowned wonder of the American West. There are still thousands of mustangs in the wild today, but they struggle to survive in an ever-changing landscape and their future is by no means guaranteed.

With the increased emphasis on incorporating STEM activities in children's curriculum at ever earlier ages, often neglected are opportunities to explore subjects outside the sciences, or simply to give children the time and space to use their imagination. 25 Projects for Global Explorers will spark their interest in history, geography, events, and landmarks around the world, and nourish their creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Designed for kids aged 5-10, and flexible enough to use in either storytimes or classroom settings, the projects here use representative picture books as tools for learning about different places and people; take kids' imaginations on journeys to a variety of U.S. landmarks, such as Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Lei Day Festival in Hawaii; introduce more than a dozen fascinating places, traditions, and cultures from across the world, including the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the Ziggurat of Ancient Mesopotamia in Iraq, and the San People, formerly known as the Bushmen of South Africa; and include hands-on activities for teaching children what makes each topic special, materials lists, programming tips, and additional resources. The projects inside this book will reinforce learning, encourage experimentation, and bolster children's appreciation for the world.
Includes an activity entitled "Vaqueros and American Cowboys"

In 1846, a group of emigrants bound for California face a choice: continue on their planned route or take a shortcut into the wilderness. Eighty-nine of them opt for the untested trail, a decision that plunges them into danger and desperation and, finally, the unthinkable. From extraordinary poet and novelist Allan Wolf comes a riveting retelling of the ill-fated journey of the Donner party across the Sierra Nevadas during the winter of 1846-1847. Brilliantly narrated by multiple voices, including world-weary, taunting, and all-knowing Hunger itself, this novel-in-verse examines a notorious chapter in history from various perspectives, among them caravan leaders George Donner and James Reed, Donner's scholarly wife, two Miwok Indian guides, the Reed children, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and even a pair of oxen. Comprehensive back matter includes an author's note, select character biographies, statistics, a time line of events, and more. Unprecedented in its detail and sweep, this haunting epic raises stirring questions about moral ambiguity, hope and resilience, and hunger of all kinds.

The journey west by wagon train promises to be long and arduous for nineteen-year-old Mary Ann Graves and her parents and eight siblings. Yet she is hopeful about their new life in California: freedom from the demands of family, maybe some romance, better opportunities for all. But when winter comes early to the Sierra Nevada and their group gets a late start, the Graves family, traveling alongside the Donner and Reed parties, must endure one of the most harrowing and storied journeys in American history. Amid the pain of loss and the constant threat of death from starvation or cold, Mary Ann's is a narrative, told beautifully in verse, of a girl learning what it means to be part of a family, to make sacrifices for those we love, and above all to persevere.

On April 14, 1846, the Donner Party set out from Springfield, Illinois, in search of a better life in the largely unsettled California territory. The trip started well but eventually questionable choices and infighting delayed pioneers' attempt to cross the Sierra Nevada until winter. As the impassable snows closed in and their supplies dwindled to nothing, the group faced an almost hopeless struggle for survival that would push some toward the final taboo of cannibalism. Nearly half the members of the Donner Party were children. This account, filled with selections from the survivors' letters and diaries, focuses on the children's experiences, making it uniquely compelling and accessible to young readers. Index, bibliography, chronology, group rosters, suggestions for further research.

In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships and many of them died. But some survived, including eight-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is her story, as told by Dolly, the wooden doll she kept hidden in her dress.

The Donner Party expedition is one of the most notorious stories in all of American history. It's also a fascinating snapshot of the westward expansion of the United States, and the families and individuals who sacrificed so much to build new lives in a largely unknown landscape. From the preparation for the journey to each disastrous leg of the trip, this book shows the specific bad decisions that led to the party's predicament in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The graphic novel focuses on the struggles of the Reed family to tell the true story of the catastrophic journey.

Before MP3 players, DVDs, and video games, before even TV and radio, American children entertained themselves by reading. Often what they read were popular magazines aimed at the whole family; a weekly newspaper such as The Youth's Companion or a monthly magazine like St. Nicholas were about all a turn-of-the-century family could afford. But what these publications afforded was invaluable, and it is this education in imagination and American life that Adventures in the West revisits. Adventures in the West brings together twenty-six stories from The Youth's Companion and St. Nicholas to offer a unique perspective on the values of the time. The stories also reveal the common myths, attitudes, and prejudices of life on the western frontier, reflected in the lessons these publications imparted to a young audience. To enhance the reader's understanding, the editors have added historical and cultural background for each story. Some of the best writers of the time, including L. Frank Baum, Hamlin Garland, and Mary Austin, write of a West that mirrors American history and the values the authors sought to promote. Filled with the exploits of cowpunchers, pioneers, courageous Indians, and plucky animals, these riveting stories also embody the beliefs and experiences of an era and tell more than one story of their day.

Follow the heartaches, hardships, joys, and victories of life on the Emigrant Trail with the young unsung heroes of Stories of Young Pioneers: In Their Own Words. Violet Kimball has collected memoirs, letters, and journal entries of emigrants who were ages six to nineteen when they made the overland journey . Young historians ages ten to fifteen will find Stories of Young Pioneers not only entertaining reading but also a thorough and well-researched tool to learn more about life on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails.

Explores the lives of the children of settlers on the American frontier, looking especially at schooling, chores, home life, food, and recreation

An eye-opening guide to 100 career options in 19th-century America. If you could live in 19th-century America, what job would you want? Sheriff? Prospector? Westbound settlers created many such opportunities, but the country's economy also involved "careers" no one would ever choose, like slavery. Explore this unique job guide and witness the sweeping changes of the 1800s through the eyes of the workers who helped shape it. You'll discover frontier jobs like cartographer (don't mistake a buffalo herd for a forest, as one unlucky mapmaker did) and wartime jobs (doughboys, for example). Some occupations lost out to new technology (glassblowers couldn't compete with 1,800 bottles-per-hour machines). Others were created because of it (elevator drivers). Social reformers, meanwhile, sought to change the world itself. Featuring a timeline of the 1800s and upbeat illustrations, this fascinating guide is sure to employ readers' senses of history and humor.

During the early days of settling the "Wild West," there were many Jewish families who became fearless pioneers seeking to create new communities in the desolate terrain. In this story, a young boy and his family move to the desert Southwest where they are the only Jewish family in their small town. Despite keeping busy with chores, adapting to their new home among strangers proves challenging. Every Shabbat, Mama complains that there is "too much soup, not enough family." The young boy has an idea to help relieve Mama's homesickness and invites their new neighbors for Shabbat dinner. By honoring the Jewish value of inviting guests into their home for a meal, the family creates a sense of community in their new town. August House Publishers offer free lesson plans for The Sundown Kid.

Did you know that the United States once gave people 160 acres of land for free? The only catch was that they had to be able to live there. This was not easy on the prairie. Young readers will be fascinated by the many different struggles that the homesteaders faced on America's prairies.

In 1879, thirteen-year-old Everett Turner leaves a life of struggle on his family's farm and runs away to St. Louis, where he works in a livery stable before heading to the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas

Spotlighting an overlooked chapter in American history, Going Home to Nicodemus tells the true story of an all-Black town founded in Kansas more than a century ago by former slaves. In the aftermath of the Civil War, many freed slaves found themselves without homes or a way to make a living. Their struggles to found a town in the barren plains of the American West is a gripping narrative of determination, perseverance-and success. For today, Nicodemus, Kansas, is the oldest all-Black town west of the Mississippi, and each year the ties that bind the townspeople are renewed and the bravery of the first settlers remembered. Interspersed with quotes from past and present residents, this is the moving story of people who refused to give up.

From an informative text by expert Lillian Schlissel, young readers can learn all about the amazing contributions that African Americans made to the settling of the Old West, and see vintage photographs of black Americans both at work and at home.

Realizing that his future lies in owning land, not just being free, a young man raised as a slave becomes a buffalo soldier--a member of an all-black cavalry regiment formed to protect white settlers from Indians, bandits, and outlaws, and that later fought in the Spanish American War. Includes historical note

This book traces how African American women challenged white bigotry, labored to create new lives and ultimately helped to transform sparse frontier settlements into thriving western] states. It reveals how these pioneers brought culture and stability to the early communities from Ohio, Kansas and Texas to Oklahoma, Nevada and California. This is that perfect find: a book that entertains and enlightens.

Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father's shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America's heartland, in 1880. Hanna's adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople's almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers. Includes an afterword from the author. This moving historical novel is from Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, whose beloved middle grade books include A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water.

Describes what life was like for young people moving to and living on the western frontier

When Not-Nice Nellie and her bandits hit the town of Buckaroo, Jemima begins to wish her gentle Pa hasn't been made Sheriff. But, at least Pa Jinglebob is the fastest knitter in the West!

Journal entries, song lyrics, and letters help tell the story of the women pioneers who journeyed to the American West in the nineteenth century, in an illustrated historical chronicle that also looks at the lives of Native American women.

If it is abandoned by all or most of its inhabitants, a settlement becomes a ghost town. The buildings and dirt streets may remain, but the character and soul of the place change entirely. And so it was with mining camps, lumber camps, and cowboy towns scattered across America, particularly in the West: places with names like Gregory's Diggings, Deadwood, Bodie, Calico, Goldfield, and Tombstone, some of the over 30,000 deserted towns in the United States. Why did people come to these isolated places? Why did they leave? As Raymond Bial's narrative explores the history of our ghost towns, his well-composed photographs silently tell their stories: of bustling, muddy streets, of large mercantile stores, and, ultimately, of short-lived dreams of gold, fertile land, or simply a good place to call home.

In this book, discover how pioneers made new lives in America's new lands in the West. See how they built their houses and made furniture, clothes, and soap. Visit a pioneer school, a general store, and a work party. Learn how the pioneers found and cooked their food. Then use a recipe to cook a pioneer treat-corn bread!

Sal sure can sing. But she can also catch a fish with her bare hands, ride a wild bronco, and drive a stagecoach. And she's nobody's fool. When Sal makes her first stagecoach journey alone to deliver the mail for her sick pa, her ma is nervous. But the wild frontier is no match for Sal, and neither is Poetic Pete, the wiliest stagecoach robber in the West.

Discover daily life in pioneer America during the 1850s by following a family that emigrates from Sweden to Minnesota. Lavishly illustrated spreads feature historical photos, cutaway scenes and fascinating facts. Color illustrations throughout.

Dozens of fun, hands-on projects and activities from the days of the American pioneers Join twelve-year-old Sam Butler and his nine-year-old sister, Liz, on the American frontier in 1843. Discover the hard work, fun, and adventure of their daily lives, and along the way learn how to play games, make toys and crafts, and perform everyday activities just like Liz and Sam. You can make your own homemade soda pop and cook up a batch of johnnycakes. Use clay to create your own pottery and design a string of African trade beads, or learn the Native American art of sandpainting. You can even make your own holiday decorations out of dough or pinecones--if you're not too busy playing tangram, a Chinese puzzle game, or a beanbag target game. Pioneer Days is filled with interesting bits of historical information and fun facts about growing up in days gone by. Discover how different--and how similar--life was for American kids in history.

In this rollicking queer western adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Melanie Gillman (Stonewall Award Honor Book As the Crow Flies) puts readers in the saddle alongside Flor and Grace, a Latinx outlaw and a trans runaway, as they team up to thwart a Confederate plot in the New Mexico Territory. When Flor--also known as the notorious Ghost Hawk--robs the stagecoach that Grace has used to escape her Georgia home, the first thing on her mind is ransom. But when the two get to talking about Flor's plan to crash a Confederate gala and steal some crucial documents, Grace convinces Flor to let her join the heist.

Features two 60 minute performances by Roger Welsch in which he sings folk songs and tells stories about pioneers and outlaws and their roles in the settling of the Great Plains

Provides a never-before-seen perspective on one-room schools in the Upper Midwest. This visually stunning film features a unique country school designed by Frank Lloyd Wright along with dozens of more traditional structures of brick, stone, or wood - in all stages of restoration or decay - in picturesque rural areas of Iowa, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. Shot in the midst of all four seasons, Country School features interviews with a who's who of one-room school scholars, including authors Bill Samuelson, Jerry Apps, Dorothy Schwieder, Mark Dewalt, Vera Hurst, Frank Yoder, and Bill Sherman, as well as former country school teachers and students

Read about the fascinating life of Bass Reeves, who escaped slavery to become the first African American Deputy US Marshal west of the Mississippi. Sitting tall in the saddle, with a wide-brimmed black hat and twin Colt pistols on his belt, Bass Reeves seemed bigger than life. Outlaws feared him. Law-abiding citizens respected him. As a peace officer, he was cunning and fearless. When a lawbreaker heard Bass Reeves had his warrant, he knew it was the end of the trail, because Bass always got his man, dead or alive. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn't like the notion of a Black lawman. Born into slavery in 1838, Bass had a hard and violent life, but he also had a strong sense of right and wrong that others admired. When Judge Isaac Parker tried to bring law and order to the lawless Indian Territories, he chose Bass to be a Deputy US Marshal. Bass would quickly prove a smart choice. For three decades, Bass was the most feared and respected lawman in the territories. He made more than 3,000 arrests, and though he was a crack shot and a quick draw, he only killed fourteen men in the line of duty. The story of Bass Reeves is the story of a remarkable African American and a remarkable hero of the Old West.

Everyone knows the name Buffalo Bill, but few these days know what he did or, in some cases, didn't do. Was he a Pony Express rider? Did he serve Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn? Did he scalp countless Native Americans, or did he defend their rights? This, the first significant biography of Buffalo Bill Cody for younger readers in many years, explains it all. With copious archival illustrations and a handsome design, Presenting Buffalo Bill makes the great showman come alive for new generations. Extensive back matter, bibliography, and source notes complete the package.

Nineteenth-century America and the world of Samuel L. Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, come to life as children journey back in time with this history- and literature-laden activity book. The comprehensive biographical information explores Mark Twain as a multi-talented man of his times, from his childhood in the rough-and-tumble West of Missouri to his many careers--steamboat pilot, printer, miner, inventor, world traveler, businessman, lecturer, newspaper reporter, and most important, author--and how these experiences influenced his writing. Twain-inspired activities include making printer's type, building a model paddlewheel boat, unmasking a hoax, inventing new words, cooking cornpone, planning a newspaper, observing people, and writing maxims. An extensive resource section offers information on Twain's classics, such as Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , as well as a listing of recommended web sites to explore.

"Mark Twain was born fully grown, with a cheap cigar clamped between his teeth." So begins Sid Fleischman's ramble-scramble biography of the great American author and wit, who started life in a Missouri village as a barefoot boy named Samuel Clemens. Abandoning a career as a young steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River, Sam took a bumpy stagecoach to the Far West. In the gold and silver fields, he expected to get rich quick. Instead, he got poor fast, digging in the wrong places. His stint as a sagebrush newspaperman led to a duel with pistols. Had he not survived, the world would never have heard of Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn--or red-headed Mark Twain. Samuel Clemens adopted his pen name in a hotel room in San Francisco and promptly made a jumping frog (and himself) famous. His celebrated novels followed at a leisurely pace; his quips at jet speed. "Don't let schooling interfere with your education," he wrote. Here, in high style, is the story of a wisecracking adventurer who came of age in the untamed West; an ink-stained rebel who surprised himself by becoming the most famous American of his time.

George Catlin is one of America's best-known painters, famous for his iconic portraits of Native Americans. He spent much of his life in the wilderness, sketching and painting as he traveled. A solo trek across 500 miles of uncharted prairie, an expedition to the Andes, harrowing encounters with grizzly bears and panthers, and tours of the royal palaces of Europe were among his many adventures. In an era when territorial expansion resulted in the near annihilation of many indigenous cultures, George Catlin dedicated himself to meeting and writing about the native peoples of the western hemisphere. With his "Indian Gallery" of paintings and artifacts, he toured the United States and Europe, stirring up controversy and creating a sensation. Award-winning author Susanna Reich combines excerpts from Catlin's letters and notes with vivid depictions of his far-flung travels. Generously illustrated with archival prints and photos and Catlin's own magnificent paintings, here is a rollicking, accessible biography that weaves meticulously researched history into a fascinating frontier and jungle adventure story.

This picture-book biography tells the story of Cathy Williams, who in 1866 disguised herself as a man in order to join the U.S. Army as a Buffalo soldier and earn good pay. No one found out, until she grew tired of army life and revealed her identity. Young readers will be fascinated by the story of this daring and courageous woman.

Told in a unique first-person creative nonfiction narrative, "Women Writers of the West" profiles five women driven to write and succeed at a time when ambition in women was viewed as a flaw, not an asset--Helen Hunt Jackson, Jessie Benton Fremont, Louise Clappe, Mary Hallock Foote, Gertrude Bonnin.

Legendary gunfighters come to life in this vivid look at eight of the most ornery guys and gals of the wild West. Here are the true stories of Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Belle Starr, Doc Holliday, Black Bart, and Joaquin Murietta--often a far cry from the glamorous tales they told about themselves to the newspapers. Andrew Glass separates fact from fiction, and gives readers an overview of the rough and tumble days following the Civil War that produced these unlikely heroes. There's plenty of fun and mayhem in these larger-than-life characters, along with a good dose of the real history of an exciting period in the opening of the American West.

A collective biography of great figures in the history of the American frontier.

A biography of the freed slave who made her fortune in Colorado and used her money to bring other former slaves there to begin new lives

The men who opened the West were an astounding breed. They went for days without food, waited out howling blizzards in makeshift shelters, repeatedly capsized their canoes in treacherous rapids, and hung on for their very lives while dangling from cliffs. What inspired these intrepid trailblazers to go to such extremes? Whether it was due to grandiose dreams of glory, determination to map unknown lands, or insatiable curiosity, the knowledge they brought back changed the course of North American history. This absorbing group biography includes eleven noteworthy explorers: navigators Robert Gray, George Vancouver, and Alexander Mackenzie; mountain men John Colter, James Bridger, Jedediah Strong Smith, and Joseph Reddeford Walker; military men Zebulon Montgomery Pike and John C. Fremont; and master surveyors Stephen Harriman Long and John Wesley Powell. Their incredible stories cannot help but enthrall and inspire modern readers.

Using journal entries, letters home, and song lyrics, the women of the West speak for themselves in these tales of courage, enduring spirit, and adventure. Women such as Amelia Stewart Knight traveling on the Oregon Trail, homesteader Miriam Colt, entrepreneur Clara Brown, army wife Frances Grummond, actress Adah Isaacs Menken, naturalist Martha Maxwell, missionary Narcissa Whitman, and political activist Mary Lease are introduced to readers through their harrowing stories of journeying across the plains and mountains to unknown land. Recounting the impact pioneers had on those who were already living in the region as well as how they adapted to their new lives and the rugged, often dangerous landscape, this exploration also offers resources for further study and reveals how these influential women tamed the Wild West.

Annie Oakley first picked up a gun at age eight and by age 22 was performing sharpshooting acts. She went on to travel the world and became America's first female superstar

Welcome to 1876 America, a place bursting with gunslingers, outlaws, and garou--better known as werewolves. And where there are garou, there're hunters: the one and only Calamity Jane, to be precise, along with her fellow stars of Wild Bill's Traveling Show, Annie Oakley and Frank "the Pistol Prince" Butler. After a garou hunt goes south and Jane finds a suspicious-like bite on her arm, she turns tail for Deadwood, where there's talk of a garou cure. But rumors can be deceiving--meaning the gang better hightail it after her before they're a day late and a Jane short. In this perfect next read for fans of A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, bestselling authors Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows, and Brodi Ashton bring their signature spark to the side-splittin', whopper-filled (but actually kind of factual?) tale of Calamity Jane.

Discusses the life and career of Solomon D. Butcher, an early frontier photographer whose work constitutes one of the most extensive photographic records of the settlement of the Great Plains

Little House in the Big Woods takes place in 1871 and introduces us to four-year-old Laura, who lives in a log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. She shares the cabin with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their lovable dog, Jack. Pioneer life isn't easy for the Ingalls family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But they make the best of every tough situation. They celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do their spring planting, bring in the harvest in the fall, and make their first trip into town. And every night, safe and warm in their little house, the sound of Pa's fiddle lulls Laura and her sisters into sleep.

Based on the real-life adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie is the third book in the award-winning Little House series, which has captivated generations of readers. This edition features the classic black-and-white artwork from Garth Williams. Laura Ingalls and her family are heading to Kansas! Leaving behind their home in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, they travel by covered wagon until they find the perfect spot to build a little house on the prairie. Laura and her sister Mary love exploring the rolling hills around their new home, but the family must soon get to work, farming and hunting and gathering food for themselves and for their livestock. Just when the Ingalls family starts to settle into their new home, they find themselves caught in the middle of a conflict. Will they have to move again? The nine books in the timeless Little House series tell the story of Laura's real childhood as an American pioneer and are cherished by readers of all generations. They offer a unique glimpse into life on the American frontier, and tell the heartwarming, unforgettable story of a loving family.

Many girls in elementary and middle school fall in love with the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. What they don't always realize is that Wilder's books are autobiographical. This narrative biography describes more of the details of the young Laura's real life as a young pioneer homesteading with her family on many adventurous journeys. This biography, complete with charming illustrations, points out the differences between the fictional series as well as the many similarities. It's a fascinating story of a much-celebrated writer.

A biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the "Little House" books, from her Wisconsin childhood until her death at the age of ninety

Five year old Laura Ingalls and her family, Pa, Ma, Mary and Baby Carrie, live in a snug log cabin in the woods of Wisconsin, a full days walk from the nearest town, Pepin. Laura leads a traditional farm life: spending time churning butter and making cheese and maple syrup. Laura goes to town for the first time, and plays with her sister. Each night, while the wind blows, and the wolves howl, the happy sound of Pa's fiddle, brought vividly to life on this recording, keeps the family safe and warm.

With more than 80 activities in each book, these valuable resources will enrich your curriculum. For each activity, literature links promote reading, while Internet links encourage the best use of technology. Individual and team projects for K-5 classrooms, connected to NCTE standards.
Includes an activity on Laura Ingalls Wilder

A guide to using the Laura Ingalls Wilder books

Young Moses and his family are barely scraping by. He helps his father in their fish stall selling each day's catch to passersby but times are hard in 1889 Baltimore. It's difficult to provide for a family of ten. But when they hear of free farmland out in Oklahoma, it sounds like the answer to their prayers. The family sells all they own and heads west to fulfill a lifelong dream. Their wagon journey, however, is plagued with troubles from ice storms and flooded rivers to diminishing supplies and sickness. Yet Moses and his family persevere. They arrive in time to take a place along the boundary line that marks the staging point for the Oklahoma Land Rush. But after making it this far, will even more bad luck prevent them from realizing their dream of owning their own piece of America? Evocative paintings and spellbinding storytelling bring the Oklahoma Land Rush to vivid life for young readers.

Despite the opposition of the owner of the Red Rock Runner railroad in 1893, the new settlers of Florence, Oklahoma, are determined to build a real town

In the late 1880s, signs went up all around America -- land was free in the Oklahoma territory. And it was free to everyone: Whites, Blacks, men and women alike. All one needed to stake a claim was hope and courage, strength and perseverance. Thousands of pioneers, many of them African-Americans newly freed from slavery, headed west to carve out a new life in the Oklahoma soil. Drawing upon her own family history, National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Thomas has crafted an unforgettable anthem to these brave and determined people from America's past. Richly illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award honoree Floyd Cooper, I Have Heard of a Land is a glorious tribute to the African-American pioneer spirit.

Gather up your class and lead them on the exciting Oklahoma Land Rush — the greatest land giveaway in history, which was decided by lotteries and actual races for homestead sites. Hands-on replicas of historical documents — the first English language alphabet for the Cherokees, which empowered them to read and write; an act of Congress to move Indian tribes; maps of the territory; an actual homestead application; and the handwritten, presidential order opening the Oklahoma Territory — chronicle the politics and economics of this era, and prove another instance of broken U.S. promises to the Indians and the hardships endured by the homesteaders.

Pick your own path, pioneer! Follow color paths on the page, make a decision, follow the trail, and turn the page to the corresponding tab to see if you make it! Ford rivers, hike mountains, and make the trek to Oregon City in this colorful, fully illustrated adventure! Depending on the path you pick, you could face wild animals, natural disasters, famine, sickness, unpredictable weather, or even death. With more than fifty story possibilities to follow, each decision counts. Make the right choices and blaze a trail out west! Do you have what it takes?

Go west, young pioneer--your journey begins here! In this first leg of your trek on the Oregon Trail, you need to find your way to Chimney Rock--but not without unpredictable challenges ahead. This is the first installment of four books that will take you all the way to Oregon Territory--if you make the right choices. In book one of this exciting choose-your-own-trail series, it's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time. But hurry--you'll need to make it through the rugged mountains before winter snow hits. Plus, there are wild animals, natural disasters, unpredictable weather, fast-flowing rivers, strangers, and sickness that will be sure to stand between you and your destination! Which path will get you safely across the prairie? With twenty-two possible endings, choose wrong and you'll never make it to Chimney Rock on time. Choose right and blaze a trail that gets you closer to Oregon City!

If you traveled west in a covered wagon--Would you ride in the wagon for the whole trip?--How would you cross rivers when there were no bridges?--Without road signs, how would you know where you were?This book tells you what it was like to be a pioneer and travel west to Oregon in the 1840s.

In 1853, Amelia Stewart Knight left Iowa with her husband and seven children to seek a new life in the untamed wilderness of the Oregon Territory. Her authentic diary offers a rare firsthand glimpse of the trip. Traveling by covered wagon, the family faces terrible weather, rough roads, and sickness with courage and determination. In spite of many hardships, the pioneers never lose hope. Michael McCurdy's colored scratchboard art brings the settlement of the West vividly to life, and young readers will be fascinated by this true account of a dangerous and exciting journey.

In her diary, thirteen-year-old Hattie chronicles her family's arduous 1847 journey from Missouri to Oregon on the Oregon Trail

In this book, discover what it was like to be a part of a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. Find out how children went to school on the trail. Visit a fort on the trail to learn how travelers traded with Native Americans. Discover how travelers found and prepared food. Then use a recipe to cook an Oregon Trail meal-bacon stew!

What if you could close your eyes and open them to find you were amongst hundreds of pioneers in 1843, packing up your covered wagon to travel the 2,000 miles of the Oregon Trail? Meet twins Liz and Lenny and their unique grandmother, who, with the help of her magic hat, can transport the twins to any time in history. In their first journey, the twins spend eight months crossing the country on foot and by covered wagon, braving the mountain ranges and river valleys, battling floods and droughts, and cooking slam-johns and sowbellies over buffalo chips. Diane Stanley's spirited, humorous, and historically accurate depiction of day-to-day life on the Oregon Trail is brought to life with Holly Berry's energetic illustrations. Overflowing with fun, informative details, and word balloons that capture each piece of dialogue, young readers will be transported into an exciting page in American history alongside the adventurous Time-Traveling Twins.

As teenagers Jenny and Nathan and their family trace the Oregon Trail, they encounter the ghosts of young pioneers who traveled that way from 1840 to 1860.

The slightly true narrative of how a brave pioneer father brought apples, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries (and children) across the plains.
Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can't bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too. But the trail is cruel. First there's a river to cross that's wider than Texas, then there are hailstones as big as plums, and then there's even a drought, sure to crisp the cherries. Luckily Delicious (the nonedible apple of Daddy's eye) won't let anything stop her father's darling saps from tasting the sweet Oregon soil. A hilarious tall tale that's loosely based on the life of a real fruiting pioneer.

Hallie isn't afraid of anything--that is, anything but storms, which she braves along with her grandmother, huddled beneath a special quilt. When her family decides to join a wagon train and go west, leaving her grandmother--and everything Hallie has ever known--behind, Hallie knows she will have to be braver than she's ever been before. Then one day on the trail she witnesses the wildest, most glorious storm imaginable. How can she be afraid of anything after that? Lyrical text from an exceptional writer is paired with gorgeous, jewel-like paintings in this evocative story of westward expansion.

With the increased emphasis on incorporating STEM activities in children's curriculum at ever earlier ages, often neglected are opportunities to explore subjects outside the sciences, or simply to give children the time and space to use their imagination. 25 Projects for Global Explorers will spark their interest in history, geography, events, and landmarks around the world, and nourish their creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. Designed for kids aged 5-10, and flexible enough to use in either storytimes or classroom settings, the projects here use representative picture books as tools for learning about different places and people; take kids' imaginations on journeys to a variety of U.S. landmarks, such as Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska, Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Lei Day Festival in Hawaii; introduce more than a dozen fascinating places, traditions, and cultures from across the world, including the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the Ziggurat of Ancient Mesopotamia in Iraq, and the San People, formerly known as the Bushmen of South Africa; and include hands-on activities for teaching children what makes each topic special, materials lists, programming tips, and additional resources. The projects inside this book will reinforce learning, encourage experimentation, and bolster children's appreciation for the world.
Includes an activity entitled "Oregon Trail"

Four half-hour programs tell the story of the Oregon Trail

Challenges the myths and relives the actual experience of the western migration

Travel the original Oregon Trail with this Jackdaw. The hands-on documents make this historic trip come alive. Students will follow the maps, climb aboard a covered wagon, read writings of fellow travelers, study early photos of famous photographers, and experience daily life on the trail. Above all, students will learn why individuals and families, their ancestors, from the relatively comfortable East endured the trip to the Wild West.

When her father dies suddenly, 15-year-old Lexie McDonald is left an orphanin the Wyoming territory. Her brother, Callum, is on the run, accused of a crime he didn't commit, and plans are in place to send Lexie to live with an aunt in New York City. Rather than be separated from her beloved horse Cougar, Lexie disguises herself as a boy and sets out along the dangerous Pony Express trail to find Callum and clear his name.

Twelve-year-old Colton, son of a black mother and a white father, takes a job with the Pony Express in 1860 after his father abandons the family on their California-bound wagon train, and risks his life to deliver an important letter that may affect the growing conflict between the North and South

Discusses the eighteen month history, officially beginning April 3, 1860, of the mail delivery between Saint Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California, known as the Pony Express.

In 1860 the only Pony Express job 13-year-old Will Cody could land was the "sweat and water run," taking care of the tired and thirsty ponies. But one chilly November morning, Will has his big chance. The news of the U.S. presidential election has been entrusted to the pony boys, and from the looks of it, only Will would be able to get the mail through. But should he risk his own safety and the wrath of his boss, the Terrible Slade, and ride himself?

Relates the history of the Pony Express from when it began to carry messages across the American West in April 1860 until the telegraph replaced it in October 1861.

The story of the Pony Express, for primary grades

Twelve-year-old Mary and her Cherokee family are forced out of their home in Georgia by U.S. soldiers in May 1838. From the beginning of the forced move, Mary and her family are separated from her father. Facing horrors such as internment, violence, disease, and harsh weather, Mary perseveres and helps keep her family and friends together until they can reach the new Cherokee nation in Indian Territory. Featuring nonfiction support material, a glossary, and reader response questions, this Girls Survive story explores the tragedy of forced removals following the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

A Choctaw boy tells the story of his tribe's removal from its Mississippi homeland, and how its exodus to the American West led him to become a ghost -- one able to help those left behind.

Ten-year-old Isaac, now a ghost, continues with his people as they walk the Choctaw Trail of Tears headed to Indian Territory in what will one day become Oklahoma. There have been surprises aplenty on their trek, but now Isaac and his three Choctaw comrades learn they can time travel. The foursome heads back in time to Washington, D.C., to bear witness for Choctaw Chief Pushmataha who has come to the nation's capital at the invitation of Andrew Jackson.

Priscilla is only four years old when her mother is sold to another master. All Priscilla has to remember her mother by are the hollyhocks she planted by the cow pond. At age ten, Priscilla is sold to a Cherokee family and continues her life as a slave. She keeps hope for a better life alive by planting hollyhocks wherever she goes. At last, her forced march along the Trail of Tears brings a chance encounter that leads to her freedom. Includes an author's note with more details about this fascinating true story as well as instructions for making hollyhock dolls.

Describes the Federal government's seizure of Cherokee lands in Georgia and the forced migration of the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma along the route that came to be known as the Trail of Tears

Set against the backdrop of a growing nation that was still determining the power of states’ rights and the system of checks and balances in its national government, this Jackdaw reveals the injustice the Cherokee faced under the U.S. government in the late 1700s and early 1800s, and their removal from the East in 1938. Evocative primary sources, including excerpts from treaties and legal decisions, political cartoons, a denouncement of the government’s mistreatment of the Cherokee, and a page of the Cherokee nation newspaper, contribute to a fuller understanding of the legal, political and social aspects of the events leading up to the forced thousand-mile march that ultimately killed thousands of Cherokee.

Experience the race of rails to link the country--and meet the men behind this incredible feat--in a riveting story about the building of the transcontinental railroad, brought to life with archival photos. In the 1850s, gold fever swept the West, but people had to walk, sail, or ride horses for months on end to seek their fortune. The question of faster, safer transportation was posed by national leaders. But with 1,800 miles of seemingly impenetrable mountains, searing deserts, and endless plains between the Missouri River and San Francisco, could a transcontinental railroad be built? It seemed impossible. Eventually, two railroad companies, the Central Pacific, which laid the tracks eastward, and the Union Pacific, which moved west, began the job. In one great race between iron men with iron wills, tens of thousands of workers blasted the longest tunnels that had ever been constructed, built the highest bridges that had ever been created, and finally linked the nation by two bands of steel, changing America forever.

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America's brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to ocean. Come hear the hiss of the steam, feel the heat of the engine, watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails, come cross the young country!

Can the railroad that is uniting America bridge the gap between two boys from different backgrounds? Shortly after the Civil War, Malachy laces on his father's boots and travels to the American West to work on the transcontinental railroad that will unite the country. In addition to the challenge of the physically grueling work, Malachy also has to adjust to working with Chinese men and boys, whom he views with suspicion and contempt. Despite everything, Malachy gets by with his love for his fierce new dog, Brina, and Blind Thomas, the most hardworking and loyal railroad horse around. But after a Chinese boy is blamed for stealing a bag of coins, Malachy begins to reconsider his prejudices--because Malachy is the real thief, and his conscience is uneasy. He begins to notice the many ways in which the Chinese workers are mistreated. And when real danger threatens, Malachy needs to find the courage to step up and do what's right.

This book explains how to use proportions to solve problems while examining the obstacles that were overcome to complete the first transcontinental railroad.

In the beginning of the nineteenth century, America was waiting to be explored, and several thousand adventurous people accepted the challenge. As they stretched the rails in every direction, the railroad moguls of the nineteenth century changed the face of America forever. This book provides a fast-paced and exciting look at many aspects of the building of the transcontinental railroad.

When Shek and little Wong journey to America in 1865, they have work! Along with hundreds of other Chinese, the brothers are going to help build a great railroad across the West. But as days grow into months, Shek and Wong endure more than they could have imagined--bleeding hands, blasting dynamite, and treacherous avalanches. For very little pay. Are they being treated this way because of their almond-shaped eyes--because they are coolies? Inspired by actual events in the history of the American railroad, Cooliesa reveals the harsh truth about life for thousands of Chinese laborers, while it celebrates the love and loyalty between two brothers who were determined not only to survive, but to succeed.

In 1867, 15-year-old Sean experiences both hardships and rewards when he joins his father in working on the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.

A realistic account that includes stories of the corruption, greed, exploitation, sacrifice, & heroism that went into the building of the first transcontinental railroad.

In 1867, while staying with her father in a small California mining town, ten-year-old Winnie meets a Chinese boy close to her age and discovers the role of his people in completing the transcontinental railroad.

Includes teacher's guide

Throughout the 1800s millions of people pushed into the western United States. They went for gold, opportunities, and a chance for a better life. But as settlers moved in, American Indians were often pushed out. Hear the words they spoke. Read the words they read. And see the differing points of view about westward expansion through the eyes of the people who lived it.

Heading West traces the vivid saga of Native American and pioneer men, women, and children from the colonial beginnings of the westward expansion to the last of the homesteaders in late 20th century Alaska. In many respects, life in the backwoods and on the prairie was similar to modern life--children attended school and had daily chores, parents worked hard to provide for their families, and communities gathered for church and social events. But unlike today, pioneers lived against a backdrop of isolation, harsh weather, disease, and even plagues of locust. And for Native Americans, the westward expansion of settlers posed the most direct threat to their centuriesold cultures. But pioneer life was not all hardship. Settlers were able to build lives and communities, and experience a freedom brought on by new possibilities. Author Pat McCarthy has woven dozens of firsthand accounts from journals and autobiographies of the era to form a rich and detailed story. Readers will find more than 20 activities to help them better understand their pioneering ancestors. Children will churn butter, dip candles, track animals, play Blind Man's Bluff, create a homestead diorama, and more. And before they finish, readers won't have just headed west, but back in time as well.

Describes the choices and decisions the pioneers faced as they traveled to the American West and built settlements there. Includes activities.

Using primary source documents such as congressional papers, newspaper articles, letters, advertisements, and photographs, this book traces the movements of homesteaders into unsettled territories. It then looks at the development of those territories into states. With lively language and engaging images, this book provides powerful insight into the way the homesteaders lived and worked.

Among the tens of thousands of pioneers who left home in covered wagons in the 1800s, headed for the West in hopes of fertile land, gold, or escape from religious or racial persecution, some forty thousand were children. Though the hardships and dangers of the trail were many, these children also witnessed the great and wild beauty of the untouched West and became an integral part of U.S. history. In this unique approach to the history of the wagon trail and western expansion, here are the moving stories of these young pioneers, told in their own words through letters home, diaries, and memoirs. Ginger Wadsworth's clear and well-organized presentation is comprehensive, accessible, and richly illustrated with detailed maps and more than ninety archival photos and prints of life on the trail. Endnotes, bibliography, index.

Presents information about the different eras of western expansion, with projects for children to do relating to each era.

Pioneers to the West will follow the rural experiences of children traveling across America in search of land, gold, farms, and religious freedoms.

Tells the story of those who sought a new life in the West, using text and paintings from artists such as Benjamin Franklin Reinhart, George Caleb Bingham, George Catlin, and Winslow Homer.

Between the Civil War and World War I, America was busy building its heartland. Uncle Sam made it possible, the railroad made it practical. This is the story of those years, told with figures and facts; music and poetry; and a little prairie philosophy

A retelling, set in the Old West, of the traditional story about two elves who help a poor shoemaker, or in this case a bootmaker, and his wife

"Giddyup, giddyup as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!" The Gingerbread Cowboy can run from the rancher, he can dash past the javelinas, and he can giddyup right by the cattle grazing on the mesa. But what happens when he meets a coyote sleeping in the sun? Janet Squires and Holly Berry retell this classic tale with a Wild Western flair, filled with rodeo-romping fun.

Set in Texas, a retelling of the fairy tale in which a clever cat wins for his master a fortune and a wealthy and talented bride

A Southwestern version of "Little Red Riding Hood" in which Little Red rides her pony Buck to Grandma's ranch with a jar of cactus jelly in the saddlebag

Bubba, a cheerful soul, leads a miserable life. His wicked step-daddy and two nasty step-brothers, Dwayne and Milton, are at him all day long. When he's not doing their chores, he's cleaning the stables, roping the steers or branding the cattle. When will it ever be Bubba's turn to shine? Miz Lurleen, the purtiest (and richest!) rancher in Texas, is tired of ten-dollar Stetsons on 2-cent heads. She aims to find herself a real man, and a hoe-down ball is just the way to do it. With the help of a fairy godcow and the loss of a cowboy boot, Bubba and Miz Lurleen find each other--and true love--in this funny, fractured role-reversed Texas Cinderella.

Once upon a time, in a land you only think you know, lived a little girl and her mother . . . or the woman she thought was her mother. Every day, when the little girl played in her pretty garden, she grew more curious about what lay on the other side of the garden wall . . . a rather enormous garden wall. And every year, as she grew older, things seemed weirder and weirder, until the day she finally climbed to the top of the wall and looked over into the mines and desert beyond. Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale teams up with husband Dean Hale and brilliant artist Nathan Hale (no relation) to bring readers a swashbuckling and hilarious twist on the classic story as you've never seen it before. Watch as Rapunzel and her amazing hair team up with Jack (of beanstalk fame) to gallop around the wild and western landscape, changing lives, righting wrongs, and bringing joy to every soul they encounter.