Freedman, R. (1983). Children
of the Wild West. New York: Clarion Books.
Children of the Wild West is a social
science informational book that tells the story of settlers and their expansion
westwards in the United States. The
settlers were looking to claim free land in a place where they would have room
to grow and possibly strike it rich attempting to mine gold. Freeman discusses
the problems that arose for the travelers along the journey and also how they
settled down in the Wild West to make homes and a life for themselves. The book discusses elements of the time period
such as how photographs were taken, how homes were built, traveling in covered
wagons, and the importance of school and chores for children.
Through
devoting an entire chapter in the book to American Indians, Freeman does a nice
job in his work of avoiding stereotypes.
One way in which he validated the American Indian culture was by including
photographs of different tribes as well as the homes in which they lived
instead of simply classifying an entire culture under one stereotype. Freeman
also explained that the settlers were taking the land that the tribes had lived
and hunted for years without taking their needs or desires into consideration.
This type of writing provides the reader with a factual account of the
historical time, instead of simply explaining the westward movement and
benefits for the white settlers.
Numerous
structure elements can be seen throughout the story, with the most prevalent
being description. In each chapter Freeman
gives characteristics of the topic found in the title. For example the chapter
titled “Frontier School” describes the appearance of the school as well as what
the students were expected to learn. In the chapter titled “Games, Parties, and
Celebrations”, Freeman describes the Fourth of July celebrations that were
held.
The theme of this informational book would
be providing insight into the typical life of a child growing up during this
time period and their families. Some
supporting details of this theme would include the following quotes located
throughout the book:
·
“Since some children lived miles away from the
nearest school, they might not attend classes at all until they were half
grown”
·
“Little
girls played house with deerskin dolls, putting them to bed in toy tipis or
small willow lodges”
·
“Small
children were expected to feed the chickens, gather the eggs, weed the
vegetable garden, and pick wild nuts, berries, and fruits.”
This book is best suited for upper
elementary or middle school students. It would be a wonderful trade book to
utilize when discussing Westward Expansion and the Oregon Trail. It would also
be well suited for a discussion on Native American and settler interactions. Students
always like to see time periods explained from a child’s point of view because it
is much more relatable for them than a textbook explanation.
Kentucky Core
Content for Social Studies
·
SS-05-4.3.1 Students will explain patterns of
human settlement in the early development of the United States and explain how
these patterns were influenced by physical characteristics (e.g., climate,
landforms, and bodies of water). DOK 2
·
SS-05-5.1.1 Students will use a variety of
primary and secondary sources (e.g., artifacts, diaries, maps, and timelines)
to describe significant events in the history of the U.S. and interpret
different perspectives. DOK 3
·
SS-05-2.3.1 Students will describe various forms
of interactions (compromise, cooperation, conflict) that occurred between
diverse groups (e.g., Native Americans, European Explorers, English colonists,
British Parliament) in the history of the United States. DOK 2
Big Questions to Ask
·
Put yourself in the shows of the children discussed
in this book. Do you think you could survive the life style they lived? Why or
Why not?
·
Were the interactions between settlers and
Native Americans justified? Which side would you support?
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