Ride the West with Living Books
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I didn’t see it coming.
Recently, I was reminded that some of the best learning “units” we’ve enjoyed were unplanned and unexpected. They were birthed by questions raised from learning a new word, being involved in an intriguing moment, or engaging in a fascinating event. One of our most recent learning tangents evolved after reading a few chapters of The Pony Express by Samuel Hopkins Adams (Random House, 1950) to my middle schooler. In the process, the elementary learner wondered what the excitement was about and she, too, was hooked. Before we knew it we were all riding the routes of the Pony Express (Mom included after realizing she didn’t know as much as she wished she did), racing through mountain passes, stopping at rest stations, and outwitting bandits.
I remembered we had a few more books about riders on our home library shelf—as well as books about the period of history. I invited my youngest to join me at the bookshelf to find other resources she might enjoy. She was intrigued by the cover of one in particular, Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express by Eleanor Coerr (HarperCollins,1995). Upon opening the book and fanning through the pages—seeing the larger font—she was even more excited. Large font. Easy, enjoyable reading. Unintimidating. We began reading and she immediately recognized some of the rider’s names and station stops from listening to me read to her sister. Learning about the Pony Express just got a bit more personal for her.
Three weeks later, looking back, the “unit” was more than I could have imagined, mostly because of the level of engagement. There was interest and they fully “owned” what they were learning, because they were interested. The more we read, the more involved my learners became. When they had questions, we did our best to find answers. This paved the way to practice research skills.
Language arts. Study skills. History.
I know my girls remember a large percentage of what they learned. That makes my heart smile. But, there was something else that grew along with their knowledge…a relationship. They had something in common, a mutual interest, something they could talk and wonder about. They shared what they learned; got excited together.
I could never have manufactured or orchestrated that aspect of the process.
Even after 26 years of homeschooling, I didn’t see a “unit” growing from this book.
But, it did!!
And, I am grateful.
Today, because of that deeper care for one another, they are outside reading in the fort. That’s another story for another day.
Related resources for riding and exploring the west:
Buffalo Bill, Augusta Stevenson (Childhood of Famous Americans)
Buffalo Bill: Wild West Showman, Mary R. Davidson (Discovery biography series, Garrard Publishers)
The California Gold Rush, May McNeer (Landmark series)
Annie Oakley: The Shooting Star, Charles P. Graves (Discovery biography series, Garrard Publishers)
Jim Bridger: Man of the Mountains, Willard and Celia Luce (Discovery biography series, Garrard Publishers)
Kit Carson: Pathfinder of the West, Nardi Reeder Campion (Discovery biography series, Garrard Publishers)
Daniel Boone: The Opening of the Wilderness, John Mason Brown (Landmark series)
Daniel Boone: Young Hunter, Augusta Stevenson (Childhood of Famous Americans)
The Story of Daniel Boone, William O’Steele (Signature series)
