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Tennessee Frontier

Lesson Plan 3 – 5

Daily Life on the

f o r g r a d e st e a c h e r ’ s

An Educational Outreach Program of the

Tennessee State Museum

t e n n e s s e e ’ s t r a v e L i n g t r e a s u r e s

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p a g e 1a n e d u c a t i o n a l o u t r e a c h p r o g r a m o f t h e t e n n e s s e e s t a t e m u s e u m

G o a l

to acquire an understanding that people have basic needs that were difficult to meet on

the frontier.

C o N T E N T

in this trunk, students will experience frontier life in tennessee. they will identify the

plants and animals which provide cotton, wool, linen, and leather; they will examine

items from the frontier and learn their uses; they will articulate how their lives today are

different from the lives of tennesseans on the frontier and identify which features are

similar to their lives today.

o B J E C T I V E S •students will identify plants and animals that provide cotton, wool, linen, and leather

•students will describe how clothing was provided for families on the frontier

•students will identify similarities and differences in living then and now

•students will compare and contrast frontier culture with modern culture (games,

music, artifacts, and clothing)

I N T r o d u C T I o N

american life and culture have developed through time. in several ways, life on the ten-

nessee frontier (1750-1800) was very different than the way we live today and yet some

features were amazingly similar.

life on the frontier was tough. people were responsible for providing food, shelter, and

clothing for their families without access to cities and stores. frontier culture such as

food, art, and music were based on the resources that were available and the skills of

people. like today, people did not want to just survive. they wanted all the comforts

they could afford.

settlers hunted, grew, and gathered items necessary for them to live. most hours were

spent on activities concerned with survival. providing enough food and preventing

malnutrition was a never ending task. families also devoted many hours to cleaning,

spinning, dying, and weaving cloth. clothing provided protection from the elements;

communication (self expression, group identity); and conformed to codes of modesty.

children worked alongside their parents and engaged in fun games whenever time

allowed. gathering together to play music, sing songs, or participate in games bonded

families and communities and helped shape american culture.

T E N N E S S E E ’ S T r a V E l I N G T r E a S u r E S

IntroductionDaily Life on the Tennessee Frontier

Bl aCk Wa l Nu T HuSkS

S a S S a f r a S roo T

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t e n n e s s e e ’ s m o d e r n c i v i l r i g h t s m o v e m e n tp a g e 2

Ball of YarnBook: Farmer Brown ShearsBoy’s Knee BreechesBoy’s Workshirtcotton Ballscotton cardsdye game color samples (7)dye game images (7)flaxgirl’s aprongirl’s Bonnetgirl’s shortgowngirl’s skirt

moccasinsmuskrat skinpicture of a hacklepicture of people living on the frontierpicture of a sheep Before and after shearingpicture of a spinning Wheelpicture of a Weaving loomrabbit skinraw cottonsquirrel skintowWool

6” Wooden spoons12” Wooden spoontable top Quoits (ring toss)cup and Wooden Ballcorn husk dollWooden topfrontier music cdBells“the Bones”Washboard and stickgirl’s shortgown

picture of a contestoga Wagongirl’s drawstring skirtgirl’s aprongirl’s BonnetBoy’s Work shirtBoy’s Knee Breechesmoccasinsslate Board and chalkchamber potWooden Bowldish scrubber

Book: Swamp Angel

T H r E E H I S T o r y l E S S o N S T r E a S u r E T r u N k I N V E N T o r y

P a G E 3

frontier fashionsin this lesson, students will be introduced to the natural resources used to make clothing on the frontier and gain an understanding of the process used by frontier families to turn raw materials into clothing.

1l e s s o n

P a G E 7

Tennessee Then, Tennessee Nowin this lesson, students will experience games, clothing, musi-cal instruments, and various household items that were part of frontier daily life and create a museum of “then and now” to illustrate the similarities and differences between life on the tennessee frontier and life during modern times.

2l e s s o n

P a G E 1 0

Tennessee’s Tall Talesin this lesson, students will learn that storytelling was a popular form of entertainment on the frontier and that tall tales were one of the most common types of stories. stu-dents will read the tall tale swamp angel, compare frontier storytelling with modern day storytelling, and create their own tennessee tall tale.

3l e s s o n

Treasure Trunk




on the tennessee frontier, people obtained clothing differently

than we do today. many people had to make their own clothing

using natural resources. fur, wool, flax, and cotton were all

materials used to make clothing.

G o a l S

to provide students with an understanding of how families

on the frontier were able to provide basic clothing for them-

selves without the help of stores or factories

o B J E C T I V E S

•students will be able to describe and define a frontier

•students will be able to state how frontier people acquired their clothing

•students will be able to identify clothing material from plants or animals

•students will be able to recognize various plants and items used to dye clothing

•students will be able to state how clothing is made now and compare it to

frontier times.

•students will be able to appreciate how difficult it was to obtain essential items, like

clothing, on the tennessee frontier.

a S S E S S M E N T

have students write a journal entry about how clothes are made today. What material

would they use if they were going to make their own clothing? Where would they get

their material? What color would they dye their clothing? What materials would they

use to dye it?

G E T T I N G r E a d y T o l E a r N

What is a frontier? (a wilderness at the edge of a settled area) to help students form a mental picture of what the tennessee frontier

looked like more than 200 years ago, read the section on “What is a frontier?” located behind lesson 1 tab.

have students pair up and look at a classmate’s clothing tag in the neck of his/her shirt. ask them to write down what materials were

used in making the shirt. have students share the information with the class. help students define the materials. (a guide about mate-

rials used in modern clothing is included behind the lesson 1 tab.)

after discussing how modern clothes are made, explain to students that they will learn how people on the frontier made clothing from

natural materials. clothing was spun, woven, dyed, and sewn in the home with the participation of family members.

Continued next page

l E S S o N d u r a T I o N

2 SESSIoNSf o r G r a d E S

3 – 5

Frontier FashionsLesson 1

?Guiding QuestionsWhat types of clothes did

people wear on the frontier? how did they get them?

CurrICuluM S Ta Nda rdS

see page 12 for the state and national

curriculum standards for this lesson.

l E S SoN 1 rE SourCE S

the handouts and worksheets are

located as a pdf on the cd and as a hard

copy in the back of the book under the

lesson 1 tab.



lesson 1 continued

P r o C E d u r E S

1. show students the pictures of the frontier family and frontiersmen. cameras and

photographs were not invented yet and therefore original pictures do not exist.

however, from clothing samples, written descriptions, paintings, and drawings we

know how their clothing looked. frontier families did not have access to clothing

that was already made or sold in stores. they had to make their clothing using

materials like cotton, wool, flax, and animal skins. Written and oral descriptions

along with traditionally learned skills tell us how the process was done.

2. show students the raw materials (cotton, flax, wool, and animal skins) that were

used in making frontier clothing. Where do you think frontier families got cotton?

(grew it) flax? (grew it) Wool? (raised and sheared sheep) animal skins? (hunted)

Cotton

start by passing around the sample of raw cotton from the trunk. cotton was a very

popular item used by frontier families here in tennessee and it is still grown here today.

cotton is easy to grow and could be picked in the fall. all family members would par-

ticipate in picking the cotton from the plant. ask students to recall if the shirt they are

wearing is made of cotton.

Wool

read aloud Farmer Brown Shears His Sheep by teri sloat. show students the picture

of the sheep before and after shearing and then allow students to feel the wool by

passing it around. explain that frontier families had to shear/cut the wool from the

sheep. Would this hurt the sheep? (no - it’s like getting a haircut) Why do you think

sheep are sheared in the spring? (the sheep still had heavy coats from the winter)

now show students the picture of the sheared sheep. many clothing items worn today,

like sweaters, are made of wool.

flax

show students flax from the trunk. flax is a crop that looks a lot like hay. the fibers

used to make clothing are inside the stalk. after the flax was harvested, the stalks had

to be broken in order to remove the fibers. this was hard work. show students the

picture of the flax hackle. a hackle is a small board with nails that would break the flax

and leave a material called “tow.” allow students to touch the tow by passing it around.

it was popular to call someone with blond hair a “tow head” because the color of their

hair matched the color of harvested flax. tow is woven into material called linen. some

of our summer clothing and bedding is made of linen.

Frontier Fashions

S H E E P a f T E r S H E a r I N G

f r o N T I E r f a M I ly r E E N a C T M E N T



3. after harvesting and gathering the cotton, flax, and wool, frontier families washed

and cleaned it. all sticks, weeds, and seeds would need to be removed. this was a

job for children on the frontier. it was called “picking and teasing.” show students

the cotton cards that children used to straighten the cotton, flax, and wool fibers.

this tool is called a card. it was effective for removing debris and making the cotton

more pliable for spinning. show students how to comb out pieces of cotton using

the cards and a cotton ball.

4. next, women and children spun the fibers together to make thread or yarn. show

students how this is done using a cotton ball and then have the students try it.

•Holdthecottonballbetweenthethumbandforefingerofonehand.

•Grabanendofthecottonwiththeotherhandandgentlypullwhilerolling/spinning

the cotton mass between your thumb and forefinger.

•Studentscanwettheirfingerstomakethethreadprocessworkbetter.

•Oncethecottonisspunintoalongerstrand,youcantrytomakealonger,thinnerthreadbypullingandspinningfingerstogether

at one end and beginning the process again.

•Haveacontesttoseewhocanspinthelongestthread.

•Frontierfamiliescouldspincotton,tow,andflaxfibersintoyarnandthreadmorequicklyusingaspinningwheel.Showstudents

the picture of the spinning wheel and the picture of women carding, spinning, and sewing.

•Thefinishedproductofthisstepisaballofthreadoryarn.Showstudentstheballofyarn.

5. show the pictures of the frontier family and frontiersmen again. how did the settlers make their clothing colorful since cotton,

wool, and flax are white, gray, and tan? explain that the settlers used many natural items like plants, nuts and onions to make dyes.

6. now play the dYe game.

7. after they dyed the thread, settlers used a loom to create pieces of fabric that could be made into clothing. not many people on the

frontier owned a weaving loom, so families would trade (barter) or pay someone to weave it for them. sometimes the male settlers

built a loom for the women to use. show students the picture of a weaving loom.

8. show students the animal skins. many settlers on the frontier needed strong and sturdy clothing that could withstand cold

weather, rain, traveling, and hard work. animals were plentiful for hunting and trapping and their skins were durable. finding

animals to hunt and use for clothing was not difficult, but the process of turning the skin into clothing was. if a family moved to

the frontier, they used skins from animals local to that area. here in tennessee, families often used white tail deer, raccoons, and

buffalo to make clothing. deer were chosen because of the thin, durable skins they possessed. thin skins were easier to tan and

sew into clothing. since the male deer was a primary food-and-clothing source, the word “buckskin” became a common term used

to describe frontier clothing.

Continued next page

Ball of YarnBook: farmer Brown shearsBoy’s Knee BreechesBoy’s Workshirtcotton Ballscotton cardsdye game color samples (7)

dye game images (7)flaxgirl’s aprongirl’s Bonnetgirl’s shortgowngirl’s skirtmoccasins

muskrat skinpicture of a hacklepicture of people living on the frontierpicture of a sheep Before and after shearingpicture of a spinning Wheel

picture of a Weaving loomrabbit skinraw cottonsquirrel skintowWool

l E S S o N 1 T r u N k M a T E r I a l S

f roN T IErSMEN r E E N a C T M E N T



9. show students the moccasins from the trunk. cobblers are people who make

shoes. on the frontier, cobblers were rare, so new shoes were not readily avail-

able. moccasins became the common replacement. moccasins are a type of

shoe, made from deerskin that has been tanned. they were first worn by indians,

then later by long hunters, and frontier families, especially those without a lot of

money. moccasins were cheap and easy to make. however they did not last long.

one french traveler in illinois complained that his “indian shoes” only lasted one

day causing him to have to mend them every night. Besides being easily torn, the

deerskin would soak up water, making them not much better than going barefoot in

wet weather.

10. how many changes of clothing people do you think people on the frontier typically

had? (three - two sets of clothing for everyday and one set for sundays and special

occasions. people usually wore one set all week and then changed their clothes so

they could wash the dirty clothes.) give the students an opportunity to try on the

replica frontier clothing.

C o N C l u S I o N

review with students what they have learned. have a classroom discussion with the

following questions: Was making clothing a job for all family members on the frontier?

Was it a difficult job? What resources did the settlers use for thread? how did frontier

families dye their clothing?

W E a V I N G l o o M

S P I N N I N G W H E E l

lesson 1 continued

Frontier Fashions




children on the frontier spent much of their time doing chores and

watching after their siblings. even free time would often include

learning much needed skills like hunting or sewing. nonethe-

less, games were a popular form of entertainment when fami-

lies gathered together or when children had friends available.

music and stories brought families, friends, and communities

together and provided a platform of musical storytelling and

evening entertainment.

games that were played outside include hopscotch, leapfrog,

graces and blind man’s bluff. rainy weather forced children inside

to play games like button whizzers, chuck-farthing, wooden tops,

marbles and checkers. musical instruments varied from the impromptu like

the washboard to the more complex such as the dulcimer. in today’s lesson students will

learn about several different aspects of life on the frontier.

G o a l

to compare and contrast lifestyles on the tennessee frontier to modern times.

o B J E C T I V E S

•StudentswillexperienceportionsofTennesseefrontiercultureincludinggames,

music, and household items.

•Studentswillunderstandthatalthoughlifewasdifficult,therewerewaystohavefun

and entertainment.

•StudentswillstatethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenTennesseethenand

tennessee now.

a S S E S S M E N T

students will create a museum of “then and now.” have students decorate exhibit space

on one side of the classroom with things they bring from home (now). use items from the

trunk to create an exhibit about life on the frontier. have students create a book or draw-

ing about life on the frontier to add to the “then” exhibit. after the museum exhibits are up

and students have had a chance to look and compare, have students write an essay, letter,

or journal about the similarities and differences of life on the frontier compared to today.

Continued next page

Tennessee Then, Tennessee Now


2 SESSIoNSf o r G r a d E S

3 – 5

?Guiding Questionsdo you think any tools used on

the frontier might be similar to items used today?

Lesson 2








lesson 2 tab.



lesson 2 continued



Moving to the Tennessee frontier was a difficult task. Imagine how it would feel to leave

your friends, your family, the only town you have ever known and move some place you

have never heard of before. How would you feel?

Moving to the frontier meant you had to take everything required to start your life over

again. There would not be any stores to buy supplies or very few people, if anyone, to help

you if things broke or you forgot to bring something. How would you get these items to the

frontier?

(In a wagon) Show the picture of a Conestoga wagon. Many people used wagons like

these. Think about what you might take to the frontier. What could you get along the way or

once you were there?

P r o C E d u r E S – P a r T o N E

1. learning Stations: arrange stations 1 to 4 in different areas of the classroom

a. learning Station 1: Games - cup and Wooden Ball, corn husk doll, early

american playing cards,

table top game of Quoits (ring toss)

b. learning Station 2: Music - Washboard and stick, Bells, 6” spoons, “the

Bones,” frontier music cd

c. learning Station 3: Clothing - girl’s shortgown, girl’s apron, girl’s drawstring

skirt, girl’s Bonnet, Boy’s Work shirt,

Boy’s Knee Breeches, moccasins

d. learning Station 4: Life and Learning - chamber pot, slate Board and chalk,

Wooden Bowl and 12” spoon, dish scrubber

2. Groups: divide students into four groups. assign one group to each station and

allow students five to ten minutes to explore the items at their station and answer

the corresponding journal questions. each student should have an opportunity to

handle the individual artifacts.

3. Journal Questions: have students complete a journal entry sheet (Behind lesson 2

tab). students will write in their learning station journal and answer the questions

associated with each station. students will identify each item and determine how it

is similar and different from today.

4. rotate: after 5-10 minutes, ask the groups to rotate to the next learning center.

repeat process until each group has visited every learning center.

C o N E S T o G a W a G o N



P r o C E d u r E S – P a r T T W o

1. Exhibit Construction: students will bring “now” items from home and write labels for their items. have students assemble the

exhibits they designed the day before. alterations in the original design are fine as they put the exhibit together and attach their

labels.

2. Exhibit Interpretation: interpretation happens when visitors learn about the artifacts they are seeing. invite another class or grade

to come and tour your “museum of then and now.” (extension option: set up the exhibits for open house and invite parents

C o N C l u S I o N

have a classroom discussion with students about life then and now. ask your students these questions.

•What made life difficult then?

•do you think life is sometimes hard today? Why or why not?

•What did you like about life on the frontier?

•What did you not like about life on the frontier?

5. Museum labels: using the answers from their journal questions, have students make a museum label (Behind lesson 2 tab) that

describes each of the items located at the last learning center they visit. the labels will then be used in their exhibit of “then and

now.” museum labels should be designed to create interest in the object it is describing. Keep labels short and simple (only two

or three sentences). color, photographs, clip art and other designs can help draw attention to the important features of the object.

only put three or four really important points on a label.

6. Exhibit design: ask students to design an exhibit of “then and now.” have each group design a “then” exhibit using the artifacts

from their station and the exhibit labels. ask students to create a “now” section using modern items brought from home. (if neces-

sary, posters, magazine clippings, or printed pictures from the internet may be used instead of the actual items.)

6” Wooden spoons12” Wooden spoontable top Quoits (ring toss)cup and Wooden Ballcorn husk doll

Wooden topfrontier music cdBells“the Bones”Washboard and stickgirl’s shortgown

picture of a contestoga Wagongirl’s drawstring skirtgirl’s aprongirl’s BonnetBoy’s Work shirt

Boy’s Knee Breechesmoccasinsslate Board and chalkchamber potWooden Bowldish scrubber

l E S S o N 2 T r u N k M a T E r I a l S




spellbinding stories and heroes that captivate our attention are

an ordinary part of our everyday lives. simply turn on the news

and it is filled with authentic stories and heroic people often

fighting villains or against some form of injustice or perhaps

promoting justice and other selfless ideas. television, dvds

or cds, video games, and books are also customary ways that

stories are told in both fiction and reality.

tennessee storytelling originally began on the frontier as a

form of entertainment. tall tales had unique hero characters that

solved problems in an exaggerated manner, like paul Bunyan, who

created the grand canyon or Johnny appleseed, who planted seeds for

apple trees. each had their own series of exploits which became known far

and wide. one of our most popular tall tales in tennessee is Swamp Angel by anne isaacs.

today, students are going to learn about one special type of writing called tall tales. By the end of this lesson they will be able to create

their own tall tale story.

G o a l

to identify similarities and differences in storytelling from the tennessee frontier and

modern day.

o B J E C T I V E S

•Studentsknowsomeofthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenlifeonthe

tennessee frontier and life in tennessee today.

•Studentswillrecognizeavarietyofstorytellingformatsinthemodernworldand

contrast it with stories on the frontier.

•Studentswillinferthatalthoughlifewasmoredifficult,therewerewaystohavefun.

•Studentswillunderstandthattherearedifferenttypesofstorytellingandeach

form has different requirements.

•Studentswillrecognizethatalthoughlifewastoughonthefrontier,therewas

also time for fun and entertainment.

Tennessee’s Tall Tales


1 SESSIoNf o r G r a d E S

3 – 5

?Guiding Questionsdo you think any tools used on

the frontier might be similar to items used today?

Lesson 31. Book: Swamp Angel l E S S o N 3 T r u N k M a T E r I a l S








lesson 3 tab.



a S S E S S M E N T

have students select one part of frontier culture in tennessee and write a tall tale about it. Be sure to have them include cultural ele-

ments that influenced choices made by people on the tennessee frontier.


ask students if they have a favorite story included in any of the above formats. Who is their favorite character in the story and why?

What do their characters do? is it a true story or not? how do we know?

P r o C E d u r E S

1. explain to students the components of a tall tale and write them on the board. ask

students to keep these in mind as they

listen to Swamp Angel.

Tall Tale Components:

•Herocharacterisbiggerthanlife

•Herosolvesaprobleminanexaggeratedway

•Herocharacterhassuper-humanabilities

•Theplotisfunnyandcompletelyimpossible

altogether, this means that tall tales cannot be true stories. tall tales take normal

everyday things and exaggerate them until it is not possible for a character or event

to be real. let’s read a tall tale and see how it works.

2. read aloud, Swamp Angel by anne isaacs.

3. classroom discussion:

a) how do we know this is not a true story? have students give examples that show this story is not true or that the plot is impossible?

Sample: “Swamp Angel took a hold of that bear and tossed him so high he was still on the way up at nightfall.” (page 15)

b) What makes swamp angel a character bigger than life?

Sample: “The newborn was scarcely taller than her mother and could climb a tree without help.” (page 1)

c) What type of super human abilities does she have?

Sample: “To get a breath of air, she had to drink the whole lake dry. “ (page 20)

d) What kind of problems does she solve? (hint: there is more than one)

Sample: “She lifted those wagons like they were twigs in a puddle and set them on high ground.” (Page 4)

4. create a tall tale. students can write a tall tale of their own or as a class. have students fill out the “tall tale guide” (Behind lesson

3 tab) to help them focus on a character and brainstorm about other parts of the story before putting it together.

C o N C l u S I o N

have a classroom discussion on the role that storytelling played on the frontier. What role does storytelling play in our lives today? how

do we tell stories today? do you think that swamp angel will be a popular story one hundred years from now? Why?

“SWa MP a NGEl” By a NNIE IS a aC S



S T a T E S T a N d a r d S

TennesseeGrade 3Social Studies3.1.01 understand the diversity of human cultures.3.1.02a. describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.3.1.02b. compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and deal with their physical environment and social conditions.3.1.02 c. identify and explain the significance of selected individual writers, and artists and their stories, poems, statues, paintings, and other examples of cultural heritage from regions around the world.3.1.spi.1. recognize some of the major components of a culture (i.e., language, clothing, food, art, and music).3.1.spi.2. determine similarities and differences in the ways different cultural groups address basic human needs (i.e., food, water, cloth-ing, and shelter by interpreting pictures).3.1.tpi.13. explain how examples of art, music, and literature reflect the time and place during which they were created.3.1.03b. retell the heroic deeds of characters from folktales and legends.3.1.04b. explain the significance of selected individual writers and artists and their stories, poems, statues, paintings and other examples of cultural heritage from regions in tennessee and around the world.3.2.03 f. trace the development of a product from a natural resource to a finished product.3.2.spi.1. distinguish the difference between a natural resource and finished product.3.2.tpi.2. recognize people must work in order to provide goods and services in the community.3.3.02e. understand how technology allows people to adapt the environment to meet their needs.3.5.02 understand the place of historical events in the context of past, present, and future.3.5.02 a. describe the order of events by using designation of time periods such as ancient times and modern times.3.5.02 c. use vocabulary related to chronology, including past, pres-ent and future.3.5.tpi.3. perform daily activities without modern conveniences (e.g., mash potatoes manually, read by candle light, wash clothes by hand).3.5.tpi.6. identify people, events, areas and ideas that create a his-tory of a place.3.5.tpi.9. create a “then” and “now” class museum.3.5.tpi.13. use facts and concepts drawn from history along with

methods of historical inquiry to make informed decisions.3.6.tpi.3. understand that scientific discoveries and technology change the way of life for the world across time.3.6.tpi.6. determine how scientific and technological discoveries changed the way of life for the world across time (e.g., cotton gin, automobile, electricity, and communications)

Grade 44.1.01 understand the diversity of human cultures.4.1.01 b. explain how european settlers created a new culture.4.1.02 a. explore similarities and differences in how groups, societ-ies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns.4.1.02 b. compare how people from different cultures think about and handle their physical environments and social conditions.4.1.04 b. identify customs, celebrations, and traditions of various cultures groups in early tennessee.4.3.02 recognize the interaction between human and physical sys-tems around the world.4.5.02 understand the place of historical events in the context of past, present and future.4.5.spi.4. determine the hardships faced by early tennessee settlers in the late 1700s (i.e., security, isolated communities, lack of access to goods, natural geography).4.5.tpi.6. Write a journal entry describing the hardships of early american history.4.6.01b. Work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals.

Grade 55.0.03b. describe how language, stories, folktales, music, and artis-tic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.5.1.01 understand the diversity of human cultures.5.1.spi.1. recognize components of american culture (i.e., holidays, language, clothing, food, art, music, and religion).5.1.spi.2. interpret how culture changes over time as a consequence of industrialization, technology or cultural diffusion5.1.tpi.2. group and label american history artifacts to find common characteristics and to make generalizations about american cultural similarities and subcultures.5.1.tpi.7. give examples of folk tales, art, or music that represent a particular culture or time period.5.1.02 a. explain how art, music, and literature reflected the times during which they were created.5.3.02 recognize the interaction between human and physical sys-tems around the world.5.5.tpi.1. recognize continuity and change in the history of tennes-see, the united states, and the world.

State and National Curriculum Standards



Tennessee language arts StandardsGrade 30301.2.1 use established rules for polite conversation (e.g., take turns, ask questions) and attentive listening (e.g., do not interrupt, raise hands, face speaker).0301.2.2 demonstrate the ability to follow three-step oral directions.0301.2.3 respond to questions from teachers and other group mem-bers and pose follow up questions for clarity.0301.2.4 listen and respond to a variety of media (e.g., books, audio, videos).0301.2.10 participate in group discussions.0301.2.12 participate in creative and expressive responses to text (e.g., choral reading, discussion, dramatizations, oral presentations).0301.3.1 Write on a predetermined topic to a specified audience (e.g., self, peers, adults).0301.3.2 Write for a variety of purposes: to entertain, persuade, inform, demonstrate knowledge, answer questions, tell a story, or respond to literature.0301.3.7 Write poems, stories, and essays based upon thoughts, feelings, and experiences.0301.3.8 use all steps in the writing process: brainstorm and organize ideas, create a first draft, revise and proofread draft, share completed work.0301.5.6 indicate the sequence of events in text.0301.8.5 Build vocabulary by listening to literature and participating in discussions.0301.8.7 read and review various literary genres (e.g., short stories, fairy tales, folktales, poetry, plays, and nonfiction).0301.8.8 define and identify setting, characters (including main and minor characters), and plot (including sequence of events).

Grade 40401.2.2 use established rules for attentive listening (e.g., do not interrupt, ask questions, provide appropriate feedback).0401.2.3 understand and follow multi-step directions (e.g., follow directions for a game).0401.2.4 formulate and respond to questions from teachers and group members.0401.2.7 participate in creative responses to text (e.g., choral read-ing, discussion, dramatization, oral presentations).0401.2.8 express reactions, personal experiences, and opinions orally.0401.2.13 continue to develop group discussion skills and to work in teams.0401.3.1 determine an audience and a purpose for writing.0401.3.2 Write for a variety of purposes: to entertain, persuade, inform, demonstrate knowledge, answer questions, respond to lit-

erature, acquire knowledge (e.g., take notes, synthesize information).0401.3.4 Write poems, stories, and essays based upon personal reflections, observations, and experiences.0401.3.8 use all steps in the writing process: brainstorm and organize ideas, create a first draft, revise and proofread draft, share completed work.0401.3.15 incorporate vivid language into writing.0401.5.4 determine the problem in a story, discover its solution, and consider logical alternate solutions.0401.8.2 derive meaning while reading (e.g., express reactions and personal opinions to a selection, make inferences, draw conclusions based on evidence gained).0401.8.3 check for understanding after reading (e.g., identify the author’s purpose; locate information to support opinions, predic-tions, and conclusions).0401.8.4 Build vocabulary by listening to literature, participating in discussions, and reading self- selected and assigned texts.0401.8.7 read, view, and recognize various literary genres (e.g., poetry, novels, short stories, plays, historical fiction, nonfiction).0401.8.8 determine the problem in a story, discover its solution, and consider alternate solutions.0401.8.10 identify and describe main and minor characters, consid-ering the importance of their actions, motives, and appearances.0401.8.16 develop an awareness of literature as a reflection of its culture.spi 0401.8.1 recognize plot features of fairy tales, folk tales, fables, and myths.

Grade 50501.2.4 formulate and respond to questions from teachers and group members.0501.2.7 participate in creative and expressive responses to text (e.g., choral reading, discussion, dramatization, oral presentations, and personal experiences).0501.3.1 determine an audience and purpose for writing.0501.3.2 Write for a variety of purposes: to entertain, persuade, in-form, describe, demonstrate knowledge, answer questions, respond to literature, acquire knowledge (e.g., clarify thinking, take notes, synthesize information, enhance communication).0501.3.4 Write poems, stories, and essays based upon personal reflections, observations, and experiences.0501.3.6 respond in writing to literature studied (e.g., critique, journal, group project).0501.3.7 create a well-developed story or passage summary, as well as personal reflections and imaginative writing samples.0502.3.16 use precise language, including vivid words and figurative language.



0501.5.1 distinguish between fact/opinion, between cause/effect, and between fantasy/reality.

Tennessee reading Standards Grade 33.1.01 develop oral language.3.1.01 d. respond to questions from teachers and other group mem-bers and pose follow-up questions for clarity.3.1.01 e. participate in creative responses to text (e.g., choral read-ing, discussion, dramatization, and oral presentations).3.1.02 develop listening skills.3.1.02 c. listen and respond to a variety of media (e.g., books, audio tapes, videos).3.1.03d. recognize different forms of text (e.g., poems, plays and stories).3.1.07 develop and extend reading vocabulary.3.1.07a. Build vocabulary by listening to literature and participating in discussion.3.1.13 experience various literary and media genres.3.1.13 a. read and view various literary (e.g., short stories, fairy tales, non-fiction texts, biographies, folktales, and poetry) and media (e.g., photographs, the arts, films, video) genres.3.1.13 d. define and identify the characters.3.1.13 g. identify types of stories (e.g., folktales, fables, fairy tales).

Grade 44.1.01 continue to develop oral language and listening skills.4.1.01 d. formulate and respond to questions from teachers and other group members.4.1.01 e. participate in creative responses to text (e.g., choral read-ing, discussion, dramatization, and oral presentations).4.1.02 c. recognize different forms of text (e.g., poems, plays, drama, letters, ads, biographies).4.1.06 expand reading vocabulary.4.1.06 a. Build vocabulary by listening to literature, participating in discussions, and reading self- selected and assigned texts.4.1.08 use active comprehension strategies to derive meaning while reading and to check for understanding after reading.4.1.08 b.3 check for understanding after reading by identifying the author’s purpose (e.g., to entertain, to inform, to explain).4.1.08b.9. check for understanding after reading by distinguishing between fact/opinion and reality/fantasy.4.1.12 experience various literary and media genres.4.1.12 a. read, view, and recognize various literary (e.g., poetry, novels, historical fiction, nonfiction) and media (e.g. photographs, the arts, films, video) genres.

4.1.12 d. identify and describe the main and minor characters, con-sidering the importance of their actions, motives, and appearances.

Grade 55.1.01 continue to develop oral language and listening skills.5.1.01 d. formulate and respond to questions from teachers and other group members.5.1.01 e. participate in creative responses to text (e.g., choral read-ing, discussion, dramatization, and oral presentations).5.1.02 c. recognize different forms of text (e.g., poems, plays, drama, letters, ads, journalism, historical fiction, biographies, auto-biographies).5.1.06 expand reading vocabulary.5.1.06 a. Build vocabulary by listening to literature, participating in discussions, and reading self- selected texts.5.1.08 use active comprehension strategies to derive meaning while reading and check for understanding after reading.5.1.08 b.3. check for understanding after reading by identifying the author’s purpose (e.g., to entertain, to inform, to explain, to per-suade).5.1.08 b.9. check for understanding after reading by distinguishing between fact/opinion and reality/fiction.5.1.12 experience various literary and media genres.5.1.12 c. identify the conflict of the plot.5.1.12 d. interpret a character’s feelings and identify his motives.5.1.12 e. trace changes in the main character and describe how this affects the plot.5.1.12 g. identify how culture, ethnic, and historical eras are repre-sented in print and non-print texts.

Tennessee General Music StandardsGrade 32.1 play simple rhythmic patterns alone and with others.2.2 play simple melodic patterns alone and with others.9.1 identify and discuss music in relation to history.9.2 identify and discuss music in relation to various cultures

Grade 42.1 demonstrate the ability to play simple harmonies.3.2 improvise a simple accompaniment.9.1 identify by genre or style aural examples of music from various cultures.

Grade 52.3 demonstrate skill in playing simple harmonies9.1 identify and discuss music from different historical periods.

State and National Curriculum Standards



N a T I o N a l S T a N d a r d S

National Social Sciences Standards Grades k-4nss-ush.K-4.1 living and WorKing together in families and communities, noW and long ago

understands family life now and in the past, and family life in vari-ous places long ago

nss-ush.K-4.2 the historY of students’ oWn state or region

understands the people, events, problems, and ideas that were significant in creating the history of their state

nss-ush.K-4.3 the historY of the united states: demo-cratic principles and values and the people from manY cultures Who contriButed to its cultural, economic, and political heritage

understands the folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the united states and how they helped to form a national heritage

Grades k-12nss-g.K-12.2 places and regions

understand how culture and experience influence people’s percep-tions of places and regions.

National language arts StandardsGrades k-12nl-eng.K-12.1 reading for perspective

students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the united states and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.

nl-eng.K-12.2 understanding the human eXperience students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

nl-eng.K-12.4 communication sKills students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

nl-eng.K-12.5 communication strategies students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

nl-eng.K-12.6 applYing KnoWledge

students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.

nl-eng.K-12.7 evaluating data students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. they gather, evalu-ate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.


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RESOURCES

L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. “What is a frontier” reading

2. Materials Used in Modern Clothing

3. Frontier Dyes Matching Game

Lesson 1 Frontier Fashions

tsm frontier tabs.indd 1 12/29/10 12:44 PM

Tennessee FrontierD a i ly l i F e o N T h e T e N N e S S e e ’ S T r a v e l i N g T r e a S u r e S

A n E du c AT i O n A l O u T r E A cH P rOGr Am O F T H E T E nn E S S E E S TAT E muS Eum • © 2 0 10

What is a frontier? page 1 of 1

everyone close your eyes. i want you to picture your bedroom, your house, the street in front of your house, places you and

your friends play, your school, where you go shopping with your family. this is the way your city or town looks today.

now we are going to turn it into a frontier by taking things away. Your bedroom and your house are gone. the light poles, the

streets, and fire hydrants are all gone. Your school is gone. the store where you go shopping is gone. no more Walmarts or

targets, no more mcdonalds or starbucks. no manmade items are visible. it’s all gone. What do you have left? (most often

someone will answer “nothing.”) But you do have something and it’s called a “frontier.” (almost as quickly someone will

answer “dirt.”) absolutely! What is on that dirt? (grass, plants, trees, rivers and lakes, wild animals, mountains, valleys, tall

grass prairies, plateaus, blue skies, and fresh air.) all of these things together make a frontier - a place where man may travel,

hunt, or even build a family cabin, but does not have a permanent setup like a town or a village yet.

today we are going to discover how people on the frontier made their own clothing. if you wanted to buy new clothes today,

where would you get them? using the students’ answers, ask… Was there a (target, Walmart, etc.) on the frontier? (no) so,

how did people get their clothes on the frontier? (they made them) this lesson is going to teach us how clothing was made

on the frontier.

Where do you think your clothing is made? (discuss with students that clothing today is made mostly in factories all over the

world in large quantities and shipped to their favorite stores. clothing can even be purchased on the internet.) do you think

clothing today is made with the same materials as the clothing on the frontier? (explain that clothing today can be created

using products that are manmade, but some of today’s clothing is still made from natural products such as cotton or wool)




Materials used for Modern Clothing page 1 of 1

Material animal/Insect/Plant/Syntheticpolyester syntheticcotton plant (cotton plant)spandex syntheticnylon syntheticlinen plant (flax)leather animal (variety)fur animal (variety)Wool animal (sheep)rayon syntheticviscose syntheticsilk insect (Worm)ramie plant (flowering plant)lyocell plant (Wood pulp)Burlap plant (Jute)tyvek synthetic




frontier dyes Matching Game page 1 of 1

dye Game Color Samples:

Yellow

Blue

green

purple

gray

Brown

Black

dye Game Images:

osage orange

red cabbage

cedar tree root

Blackberries

sassafras root

Black Walnut husks

lily of the valley

How To Play

•ask eight students to come to the front of the room and stand in a straight row, facing the class. they will be your helpers.

•give each of the eight students a picture of a plant used to make dye and instruct them to hold the picture in front of them,

so the others can see.

•choose a color sample and take note of which child is holding the corresponding picture (the answer is on the back of the

color sample).

•hold up the color sample and slowly walk behind the eight helpers, pausing briefly behind each of them. When the students

believe you are holding the color sample above the person whose plant makes the color, they should raise their hands.

•after you have held the color sample above all the helpers, stand behind the helper holding the correct picture.

•that helper will then take their seat and play the game with the rest of the students.

•repeat the process with the remaining color samples.

after The Game

ask students to think of how settlers made the color stay on the cotton, wool, and flax. explain that today we have many

chemicals that do this for us in factories; otherwise the color would fade away. on the frontier, families used some very

strange things to make dye stay on the clothing. they may have used nails and even urine. to students urine may seem

smelly and quite disgusting, but once it was boiled it did not smell. these chemicals were called mordants. anything that was

used to bind chemicals to cotton, wool, and linen were called mordants. linen was hard to dye so sometimes it was left in its

natural color.


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RESOURCES

Lesson 2L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. Frontier Games Journal

2. Frontier Music Journal

3. Frontier Clothing Journal

4. Life and Learning on the Frontier

5. Learning Stations Answer Key

6. Writing a Museum Label





frontier Games Journal page 1 of 1

directions: play with the frontier games in front of you. then answer the following questions about games on the frontier.

What is your favorite frontier game? Why?

do any of these games remind you of modern games? Which ones?

How are these games similar to the games you play today?

How are these games different from the games you play today?

name: date:




directions: listen and play with the frontier music in front of you. then answer the following questions about

music on the frontier.

list two musical instruments from the frontier.

1.

2.

list two musical instruments used in modern music.

1.

2.

How are the modern instruments different from the frontier instruments?

do you think frontier music and modern day music are more alike or different? Why?

Play the frontier music Cd. as a group, try to play the instruments along with the music.

name:

frontier Music Journal page 1 of 1

date:




directions: touch the materials and try on the frontier clothes in front of you. then answer the following questions about

clothing on the frontier.

How do you think people got clothes on the frontier?

Where do you get clothing today?

What are your clothes made out of?

What were frontier clothes made out of?

list ways the clothing on the frontier was different from the clothes you wear today.

1.

2.

3.

list ways clothing on the frontier is the same as your clothing today.

1.

2.

3.

name:

frontier Clothing Journal page 1 of 1

date:




directions: examine the artifacts from the frontier. these artifacts reveal aspects of life on the frontier. think about how a

child’s life on the frontier would be different than your life. then answer the following questions about life on the frontier.

Pick an artifact from the station in front of you. What is it?

Write the artifact name here:

How do you think it was used?

Would this item be used every day? Why?

Is there a similar item that you use in your everyday life? Explain.

Take another look at the artifacts in your station. These items were used in everyday life over 200 years ago.

Name some similar items that you use in your everyday life.

do you think everyday life would have been easier or harder on the frontier? Why?

name:

life and learning on the frontier Journal page 1 of 1

date:




learning Stations answer key page 1 of 1

Station 1: Games

Items included: cup and Wooden Ball, corn husk doll, early american playing cards, table

top game of Quoits (ring toss)

Similar: children from the past and present enjoy games. games played depended on the weather and how many friends

were available. today, children still play card games, and dolls continue to be popular toys.

different: games on the frontier were made in the home and were simple, non-electronic. modern games are bought in a

store, are more complex, and sometimes are electronic. modern playing cards have numbers on them, but early playing

cards did not.

Station 2: Music

Items included: frontier music cd, Washboard and stick, 6” Wooden spoons, Bells, “the Bones”

same: music was intended as entertainment and self-expression. traditional frontier instruments such as the banjo and

fiddle are regularly used today in music.

different: today most music comes from giant companies that carefully record and sell songs. during the frontier period

the only places to listen to music were local community buildings, family households, and/or churches. people sang at

home, while travelling down a road, or when doing chores.

Station 3: Clothing

Items included: girl’s shortgown, girl’s apron, girl’s drawstring skirt, girl’s Bonnet, Boy’s Work shirt, Boy’s Knee

Breeches, moccasins

Similar: clothes today are made with cotton, wool, flax, and animal skin (leather and fur) like they were on the frontier.

clothing now, just like clothing from the past, is dyed in a variety of colors and is used as self-expression.

different: frontier clothes were made by hand. it took longer to make an outfit on the frontier. today you can buy pre-

made clothes at stores. people today have many more clothes.

Station 4: life and learning

Items included: slate Board and chalk, chamber pot, Wooden Bowl and 12” spoon, dish scrubber

a) Slate boards and chalk

Similar: children had to go to school to learn as much as they could.

different: on the frontier education was very simple and basic. today,

students use books, notebooks, and computers. most frontier students only completed an elementary level of educa-

tion and then they were expected to go to work or become an apprentice. if you were an apprentice you would learn your

work skills on the job.

Continued next page




b) Chamber Pot

Similar: people used toilets on the frontier.

different: most people went outside to use the bathroom. they would dig a hole in the ground, put a piece of wood over

the hole, and then build a little shed around it, called an outhouse. people could not always go outside when it was dark,

cold or when there wild animals nearby, so most families kept a chamber pot under the bed. Kids were the ones who had

to dump and clean the portable toilets. We have running water and flushing toilets today. nobody has to dump them by

hand. mom is usually the one who cleans the toilet instead of the kids. Who thinks it should go back to being children

cleaning?

c) Wooden Bowl and Spoon

Similar: families ate meals together and food was served on plates and in bowls. people used eating utensils to eat

their food. mothers cooked for their families.

different: most of our dishes are not made from wood. We sometimes use paper plates and cups. restaurants didn’t

really exist except perhaps in a tavern or someplace similar where you wouldn’t usually find women or children. cooking

took a long time and was often an all day event. cooking then was over a fire and today we have electric or gas stoves

and ovens and microwaves. We also have the option of buying food already prepared from a restaurant or in our local

grocery stores. even when parents choose to cook, the time it takes is much shorter.

d) dish Scrubber

Similar: dishes needed to be scrubbed and cleaned after they were used.

different: cleaning dishes today is much easier. We have kitchen sinks with running water, sponges and scrub brushes,

liquid dish soap, and dishwashers.

learning Stations answer key page 2 of 2




Writing a Museum label page 1 of 1

museum labels help visitors learn about the artifacts that are on display. they answer important questions that the visitor

might have about the artifact. use the answers to these questions to write a museum label about your favorite artifact in

the trunk.

•Whatisthisartifactcalled?

•Whatisthisartifactmadeoutof?

•Howwasthisartifactusedonthefrontier?

•Whowouldhaveusedthisartifact?Besuretousecompletesentencesonyourlabel.

cut paper here and mount label on exhibit

artifact name:


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RESOURCES

Tennessee’s Tall TalesLesson 3L E S S O N p L a N R E S O U R C E S

1. Tennessee Tall Tale Guide

2. Tennessee Tall Tales




Tennessee Tall Tale Guide page 1 of 2

1. your Hero

a) What is your character’s name?

B) Where does he/she live in tennessee?

c) What special skills or superhuman abilities does your character have? Write at least two.

1.

2.

3.

2. The Problem or Conflict

a) a problem is something that is wrong or that is broken and needs to be fixed. think about your character and what prob-

lems they might encounter. Write some idea(s) for a problem here. You may use one or two or all of them. right now you just

want to write down possible ideas.

1.

2.

3.

4.

B) exaggerate the problems you have listed above. for example, if you wrote that a river might flood the street in front of your

house, to exaggerate it, you could say a river as wide as the ocean was going to flood the whole state of tennessee.

try exaggerating your list of problems.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Continued next page

name: date:




Tennessee Tall Tale Guide page 2 of 2

3. resolution

a) finally, your problem has to be solved. think about different ways that your character could solve the problems listed

above. remember it doesn’t have to be realistic because our story is not true. if we were resolving the river flooding the entire

state of tennessee you could have your character punch a hole in the ground so deep that the river formed a huge lake, or

your character could drink all the water as it flows into tennessee and spit it all the way back to the atlantic ocean. anything

is possible. try creating some solutions for your characters problems.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

using this worksheet as a guide, write your own tennessee tall tale on a clean sheet of paper.

name: date:


Tall Tale Component

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

hero

character

solve problem

in an exaggerated manner

super human

abilities

plot is funny

and impossible

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Tennessee Tall Talespage 1 of 1


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