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THE PIONEER IN YOU

*tEACHER NOTES*
 
 

INTRODUCTION

                Pioneers like to explore new things and new places.  We like learning about them because their stories are adventurous and sometimes even dangerous.  This makes them exciting.  Does it make a difference if the pioneer lived long ago or is a new pioneer?  What are some of the similarities and differences in transportation, shelter, clothing, and environmental obstacles between the two time periods?  By doing this activity, you will have a chance to share your ideas on pioneers from the past or from today.  You might also get a chance to become a pioneer on the new frontier-- MARS!
 
 

THE TASK

           Last night before Justin went to bed, he finished reading Wagon Wheels. His sister, Sally, meanwhile, was reading Star Wars.  When Justin woke up, he told Sally about the dream he'd had.  In Justin's dream, he was on the Oregon Trail.  It seemed so real, and so long ago!  It had been exciting!  Sally said that she remembered her dream from last night also.  She had dreamed that she was traveling in space!  On the way to school, Justin and Sally had a debate about who's dream was more exciting and adventurous.  Would you rather ride the western frontier or the space frontier?  What kind of pioneer are you?

            In this activity, you will decide who's dream is most like yours.  Then you will work with a partner to gather information needed to compare aspects of pioneering long ago to what it's like today.  You will probably want to think about what it might be like in the future.  Next, you will create an object that represents your prefered time period, and you will try to persuade the class that being a pioneer during your favorite time period was the most exciting.
 
 

RESOURCES

           To help you complete this task, you will need to print two copies of the comparison worksheet.  Use it to help you organize the information you get as you read Justin and Sally's descriptions of their dreams.  Within their stories, there are links to internet sites that may be useful to you in gathering even more information.  After you have completed the worksheet, you should begin to collect (from the classroom and from home) some art/building materials which will be used in creating your object.
 
 

THE PROCESS

1.     Get a yellow "sticky" and write your name on it.
2.     Decide if you would rather be a pioneer from long ago or more recent times, and write "long ago" or "more recent" on your sticky.
3.     Put your sticky in the correct column of the classroom chart.
4.     Find a classmate whose choice matches yours to be your partner.
5.     Print out two copies of the comparison worksheet, and have your pencil ready.
6.     Work with your partner through the reading of Justin's and Sally's dreams, adding information to your worksheet as you go.
7.     When  your worksheet is complete, ask your partner if he/she has changed his/her mind about the best time period to be a pioneer.
8.     Once you have agreed to a time period, begin the construction of your object that you will use to represent that time period.
9.      Prepare an oral presentation for the class which will persuade us that the best time period to be a pioneer is the one you chose.

EVALUATION

            Guidelines for evaluation of your work:  Ask yourself:
 
 

• Did I work well with my partner?
• Did I complete and turn in my comparison worksheet?
• Did my team make an appropriate representation for the creative object?
• Did I listen and speak well during the oral presentations?

Look at the rubrics for the tasks.
 
 

CONCLUSION

         Now that you have completed this activity, you can probablythink of some names of some other pioneering people and their special adventures.  You might want to read more about some of them that are considered famous, or find out about others that were not so famous.  You might want to read about some people who are considered the pioneers of today.  Being a pioneer does not mean that you lived long ago.  I hope that you have learned that people have looked for and keep looking for new places and things to explore.  The earth is always changing, and people change with it.  What we do, where we live, how we live, these things change.  Are you ready to become a pioneer of the future?  It will have challenges too, but can you imagine the adventure?  You can begin right now by sending your name to Mars!
 
 

Let me know what you think!