The Prairie Primer: Literature Based Unit Studies Utilizing the "Little House" Series [Paperback]

Margie Gray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

A literature-based unit study utilizing the Little House series developed for students in Grades 3-6. It incorporates many topics, including 18th-century American history, science, health, nutrition,

Product Details

• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: Cadron Creek Christian Curriculum; 2nd edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965251136
• ISBN-13: 978-0965251136
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #212,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to use, save time, go deeper, May 16, 2009

By 

Jennifer Bogart "@ Quiverfullfamily.com" (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Prairie Primer: Literature Based Unit Studies Utilizing the "Little House" Series (Paperback)

Laura Ingall Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series is amongst the most often recommended read-alouds in homeschooling circles. In fact, the complete nine-book series provided our family's earliest chapter book read-aloud experiences. Since that time we've re-read favourite books from the series - particularly Farmer Boy - but we've never sought to mine the historical treasures to be found in these beloved fictional autobiographies.

The next time we read through the Little House series we'll have Margie Gray's excellent unit study The Prairie Primer in hand. Gray provides an in-depth study of the series that can be completed in one or two years alongside the novels and other recommended supplementary resources. Incorporating history, language arts, science, domestic arts, Bible, character development and fine art, this guide for students in grades three through six can easily be adjusted to involve older and younger students for an educational experience the entire family can enjoy.

Clearly organized for easy use, Gray makes the lesson planning process simple for busy mothers. If you've tried planning your own unit studies from scratch you'll appreciate the effort that goes into choosing appropriate resources, developing activities and conducting research. Gray's provision of a general overview to each book (including relevant historical and background information), weekly planning guides that are invaluable in gathering knowledge and material in advance, and the clearly laid out daily lesson plans with scheduled readings, comprehension questions and a plethora enrichment activities are the keys to a simple unit study.

While the presentation and organization pull everything together for homeschooling parents, the content is excellent as well. Reading through the Primer provided an additional level of depth and understanding as Gray tied together Ingall's life with historical events, revealed the actual chronological order of the events of the books, and shared additional background information from Ingall's life. Reproducible worksheets and forms are also included for suggested learning activities which correlate with the portion of text studied that day.

The daily activities provide far more options than a typical homeschooling family will be able to accomplish in a single day. Many times lengthy assignments are suggested, involving research, report writing, and presentation - a project requiring more than a single day's effort. Picking and choosing from the available activities will result in your children learning through a variety of modalities (visual, hands-on, tactile, auditory etc.) while working in a number of subject areas each day.

Of particular interest to Christian parents is the integration of applicable Bible passages and scripture memorization suggestions that are tied into the study of the text, enlivening the selected passages. I still recommend a systematic Bible study in your home apart from thePrimer, as the verses examined are topically included, serving more as character lessons than deep study. This focus upon character and illustration allows for profitable use of the material by Christian families of a wide variety of denominational bents Major doctrinal issues are generally left unexamined while the author maintains a conservative, Christian worldview throughout.

As a homeschooling mother herself, Gray has pulled together as many features to simplify life for the teacher as possible. One such inclusion is an extensive appendix of suggested suppliers for the many recommended resources Gray shares throughout the Primer. Last revised in 2000, some of the suppliers are no longer in business (where am I going to find dry owl pellets for dissection now?), and parents will need to do some extra scouting to find replacement suppliers.

Whether you are interested in using The Prairie Primer to tackle several major subjects for the year, or simply want to use it in conjunction with your family's read through and take advantage of the background information and some light activities, Gray has penned an invaluable resource. The ease of use paired with Ingalls much beloved series guarantees a delightful educational experience for both you and your children.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Prairie Primer: A Literature Based Study Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" Books, July 10, 2009

By 

K. Alphs (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Prairie Primer: Literature Based Unit Studies Utilizing the "Little House" Series (Paperback)

"The Prairie Primer" is a unit study written to cover the westward movement/pioneer era using Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" book series as the spine. Topics covered in this unit study include: Bible, literature, art, science, creative writing, cooking and history.
The pluses of this curriculum are:
1. The curriculum is extremely affordable. The unit study can be done over a period of one to two years.
2. The study emphasizes character development from a Biblical perspective.
3. The author has included a section on the study of Native Americans.
4. The unit study method works well with all types of learning styles.
5. The unit study method is great for teaching younger students basic library skills. In regard to the older student it reinforces the basic library skills while teaching research skills.
The minuses of this curriculum are:
1. Several of the books which are required for the curriculum have gone out of print. The parent or older student will need to search for materials to replace those which are no longer in print.
Overall I think the concept of studying the life and era of Laura Ingalls Wilder's is a fantastic idea for studying the pioneer era/westward movement of the United States.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The possibilities!, December 21, 2008

By 

Julie (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Prairie Primer: Literature Based Unit Studies Utilizing the "Little House" Series (Paperback)

I have always loved the Little House books but my interest increased when my oldest child asked me to read them to her at the beginning of our homeschool journey over 7 years ago. We'd sit for hours on the couch reading till my eyes refused to focus on the page anymore. I'd take a short break and dive in again because my daughter was begging for more. How could I say no? I wish we'd found the Prairie Primer back then because we missed out on so much fun. I never knew you could learn so much and touch on so many academic subjects simply from reading one chapter. So far we've read books on manners, watched videos on light, bears, owls, gun safety, cleaning house... we even successfully made butter and we're only on day 4.

This unit study is wonderful. I want to do every activity. In fact it's Sunday and my 2nd daughter wants to "do school" today- that's how much she loves it. I'd also love to try Cadron Creek's Further Up and Further In unit study of the Chronicles of Narnia. Now my problem is there's so much good curricula and so little time. :)