Topics: Pioneer Life; Settlement; Social History; Agriculture; Technological Change
Suggested Grade Level: 3-8
Required Time: 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 and the importance of teamwork amongst neighbors and family members.
Goals:
- Personalize the settler experience for each student
- Broaden understanding of Monroe County’s agricultural heritage and development of Wisconsin as a “Dairy State”
- Identify the challenges faced by settlers that impacted their success
- Recognize the importance of cooperation among neighbors
- Appreciate the affect mechanization had upon farming and rural economies
Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies related to the program:
- SS.BH1: Wisconsin Students will examine individual cognition, perception, behavior, and identity.
- SS.BH2: Wisconsin students will investigate and interpret interactions between individuals and groups.
- SS.BH4: Wisconsin students will examine the progression of specific forms of technology and their influence within various societies.
- SS.Econ1: Wisconsin students use economic reasoning to understand issues.
- SS.Econ2: Wisconsin students will analyze how decisions are made and interactions occur among individuals, households, and firms/businesses.
- SS.Econ3: Wisconsin students will analyze how an economy functions as a whole.
- SS.Econ4: Wisconsin students will evaluate government decisions and their impact on individuals, businesses, markets, and resources.
- SS.Geog1 Wisconsin students will use geographic tools and ways of thinking to analyze the world.
- SS.Geog2: Wisconsin students will analyze human movement and population patterns.
- SS.Geog3: Wisconsin students will examine the impacts of global interconnections and relationships.
- SS.Geog4: Wisconsin students will evaluate the relationship between identity and place.
- SS.Geog5: Wisconsin students will evaluate the relationship between humans and the environment.
- SS.Hist1: Wisconsin students will use historical evidence for determining cause and effect.
- SS.Hist2: Wisconsin students will analyze, recognize, and evaluate patterns of continuity and change over time and contextualization of historical events.
- SS.Hist3: Wisconsin students will connect past events, people, and ideas to the present; use different perspectives to draw conclusions; and suggest current implications.
