W i l d We s t A c t i v i t i e s !

Bring the fun and excitement of the "Wild West" with these creative activities!

COWBOY STORIES THE LIFE OF A COWBOY

Ask your students to write a creative Ask your students to research what a
story about the old West. You may want day in the life of a cowboy would have
to list the following words on the class been like.
chalkboard and ask them to pick several
of the words to use in their story. Start out by sending them to the library
to research the early years of the cattle
bandit bedroll business. They may write about the
boots bunkhouse "cattle drives," "round-ups," and
camp fire canyon "harvest." On the classroom map
cattle cattle drive have them show the four main
chaps chuck wagon cattle trails: the Sadalia
corral cowboy Trail, Chisholm Trail,
cowpoke coyotes Goodnight-Loving Trail
deputy desert and the Western Trail.
dude herd
holdup horses Some students may
Indians lasso want to record what a
longhorns outlaw cowboy wore and ate on
posse ranch the trail. Other students may
range rodeo want to explain the procedures for
rope round-up branding calves. You may want to assign
rustler saddle one student to report on the effect of
saloon sheriff the sheep industry on the cattle
six-shooter stampede business.
stagecoach trail
wagon train wolves As the project comes to a close,
wrangler vittles hold a real cowboy barbecue in
the classroom. A serving of chili
RODEO TIME and beans and a small slice of
Dedicate one of those hum-drum cornbread will inspire in any
days of summer to "Class student a feeling of the Old
Rodeo Day!" West!
Tell your students a few
days in advance that they WANTED
may dress like cowboys or POSTERS
cowgirls on this special day. Arrange Give each student their
some of these fun activities: own wanted poster to com-
plete. Ask them to draw a picture of
"Sharp Shooter Spelling Bee" themselves in the space provided or
"Jump Roping Contest" paste in a school photo. Display the
"Bronco Relay Race" posters on the class bulletin board as a
"Lariat Ring Toss" way for students to learn more about
their fellow classmates.
Award star-shaped "Sheriff Badges" to all
the participants!
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 W i l d We s t A c t i v i t i e s !
FAMOUS CHARACTERS FAMOUS HORSES
The Old West offered a variety of notorious Students might like reading about horses
characters who played a big role in the in the school library. Several books will
romance of the age. Your students give them information about famous
might find it fun to discover the horses as well as general knowledge
truth about these legendary "real" about riding and care. Some horses are
people. Here are a few names they
famous because they belonged to U.S.
might like to research:
Presidents, others won national races
The Outlaws and still others belonged to television
Billy the Kid characters. Ask your students to research
Calamity Jane a famous horse and give an oral report
Butch Cassidy to their classmates. Here are a few sug-
Kid Curry gestions:
Bob, Emmett and Grafton
Dalton
Pearl Hart Trigger Buttermilk
Tom Horn Seabiscuit Black Beauty
Frank and Jesse James Fury Mister Ed
Belle Starr Silver Flicka
Man 'O War Secretariat
The Law
Ira Aten
A VISIT BY A HORSE
Wyatt Earp
Wild Bill Hickok In most areas, it is possible to arrange
Bat Masterson for someone in the community to bring a
Zeke Miller horse to your school for a visit. Even in
John Slaughter large cities, you may be able to arrange
Tom Smith for a policeman on horseback or carriage
Heck Thomas driver to visit your classroom.
The Showmen/women
William F. Cody Ask your students to prepare a variety of
Annie Oakley questions before the visit. Here are a few
Nat Love suggestions:

HORSE VOCABULARY Height and weight of the horse?

List several of these words or Name and age?
phrases on the class board and ask How it is groomed?
students to use them in a "horsy" Where does it sleep at night?
writing assignment. Is ite a work horse?
Riding Tall In the Saddle Does it wear horseshoes?
Hold Your Horses What equipment is needed to ride?
From the Horse's Mouth What training is needed to ride?
Horse Of a Different Color What does it eat?
Horse Around
Horse and Buggy Even if a real horse is unavailable, you
Horseback Horsepower might ask someone who owns a horse to
Horsefly Horseshoes bring pictures and a saddle to show the
Horsehair Horsewhip children.
Horselaugh Horse Sense
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