Presenting the Players
My son portrayed Davy Crockett, which he had planned for almost a year.
At last year’s homeschool bookfair my son wanted the gun and powder horn available for purchase a historical reenactor’s booth so he could build a Davy Crockett persona.
So I bought them for his birthday.
As Narcissa Whitman, my daughter protrayed this lady who traveled from New York to Oregon with her husband in 1836. After settling in the Oregon Territory she ministered to the American Indians.
I didn’t represent a particular person in history this time due to our upcoming move to Virginia, so I focused on directing the action!
Pioneer Dinner
We began by calling everyone to dinner, just like a good pioneer cook would.
I put my son in charge of this, since I knew he’d be hankerin’ to make a bit of noise!
He banged on a pan with a spoon and yelled, “Come and get it!”
The menu included rabbit (chicken) stew (to represent a meal cooked on the trail), sourdough bread (to represent the infamous bread from San Francisco ever since the Gold Rush days), apple cider, and peach pie (to represent a homey dessert once the pioneers got settled).
Musical Entertainments 1826-1850
My daughter read the history of My Country ‘Tis of Thee, which my son played on the fife.
Then my son read the history of The First Noel, which my daughter played on the piano.
Then my daughter read the history of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, which my son played on the piano.
Similarities American and Texan Independence Power Point
Then the kids explained the similarities of American and Texan Independence via power point.
Comparison of the American and Texan Revolutions Part I as explained by my son in this Youtube video.
Comparison of American and Texan Revolutions Part II as explained by my daughter in this Youtube video.
Comparison of American and Texan Revolutions Part III as explained by my daughter in this Youtube video.
After a Q&A my kids performed their character interpretations.
Presenting the Story of Narcissa Whitman
My daughter’s presentation of the pioneer, Narcissa Whitman, who ministered to the Indians in the Oregon Territory can be viewed at my Youtube channel.
Presenting the Story of Davy Crockett
Take 1 at my Youtube Channel of my son’s Davy Crockett story.
Take 2 because I fell into the giggle corner while videotaping, my son was so hilarious as Davy Crockett!
Take 3 because my camera batteries ran down from all the video-taping.
Like my son said in his speech, Davy had no intention to fight in the Alamo.
He was fed up with politics due to the Indian Removal Act and decided to come to Texas to explore and eventually settle with his family.
When Davy arrived, there wasn’t much he could do to avoid the fight for independence.
As it was, Santa Anna was on the march across Texas and all the settlers rightly feared for their lives.
Santa Anna threatened “no quarter” which threatens no survivers.
The Runaway Scrape occurred, where all the settlers fled east as quickly as they could.
Extreme turmoil demanded demanding choosing for or against independence.
While the dictator Santa Anna ruled, day to day life meant life or death.
It was a lot of fun for everyone to learn something new about our legendary “hometown” hero from Tennessee.
Bonaparte?
Interestingly, my mom asked about the Compromise of 1850.
My daughter emphasized with big eyes “that Mirabeau B. Lamar lived up to his name.
Then her eyes got even bigger, and she exclaimed, “Bonaparte!”
Everyone started laughing.
Poetry Recitation
Then my daughter gave a recitation on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s’ The Village Blacksmith. Longfellow quickly became her favorite poet due to his lovely rhythm and rhyme.
Homeschool Museum
Finally the kids shared the crafts they made.
My daughter started a patchwork quilt that is hand-pieced and hand-quilted. In typical pioneer style It is still a work in progress…
Together they made an assortment of cornhusk dolls.
My son made a cornhusk angel as well as a cornhusk soldier outside a woven tent. He also created a yarn soldier with a musket. Additionally he made a whirligig.
Here are the books that were used for this unit including history, dialectic literature, rhetoric literature, and rhetoric government, alongside some of the movies we watched.
To see more photos, check my Flickr set here.
