Historical Fiction: Little House on the Prairie

Little House on the Prairie is a story by Laura Ingalls Wilder about when families began settling on the prairie. In particular, the story centers around the Ingall family as they move from their home in the woods to the empty prairie. Back then, families moved to settle the west were Indians live and begin building homes and eventually towns.
 While this story does reflect a historical time period, it is a fictional story because none of the events that occurred in the story to the Ingall family did not occur. While the language is slightly advanced for 2nd graders and even 3rd graders, it does expose these students to more advanced language and can boost their language skill by seeing the language modeled  correctly for them.
 The first time I experienced this book was actually this spring and I fell in love with it. However, I will admit that I did not read the entire book. The teacher I was interning with was reading the book to her students and I would sometimes read to them as well. Thus I did not read the entire book but did experience the entire book. I enjoyed the imagery that Wilder provided through her literary skills, it make the scenes from this chapter book leap from the pages.
 Other books written by Wilder include:
  • The Little House in  the Big Woods
  • The Long Winter
  • Little Town on the Prairie
  • Farmer Boy
  • The First Four Years
  • By the Shores of Silver Lake
  • On the Way Home
Discussion Questions:
1. Why does Pa carefully make a fire on the open plains? Use details from the story to support you claims.
2. Since the Ingalls have to leave their entire family behind, think about how you would feel if you had to do so and explain why you would feel that way.

Motivational Activities:
  • Write a letter to your family back home as if you had just moved out to the prairie. Include new things you have experienced, scenery, and other details of prairie life you might have experienced.
  • Imagine you were moving to the prairie and could only take ten items with you, make a list of those ten items and explain why you chose them. 
References:
Wilder, L. I., & MacLachlan, P. (2017). Little house on the prairie. New York, NY: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins.

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