Western Expansion Poems

Hiawatha
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


I've always loved this poem and I think it will make for a good addition to my theme on the Western Expansion and a local connection to that theme. The poem is written about an young Ojibwa boy growing up. The language of the poem might be a little hard for younger students to gasp but the illustrations should help with their comprehension. I'm glad to have found a book that is about a boy, because a lot of my books so far have been more girl-centered. This book might inspire my students to try writing poems themselves. We can also relate the poem to geographical connections in Minnesota which should help the history come alive for my students.


Ox-cart Man
By Donald Hall

Here is a book that relates more to the pioneer side of the westward expansion and their daily life. It is a poem about a family loading up the Ox-Cart to travel. I think this will be a good addition to my theme. It is written as a poem but reads like a story so I think it will easily capture my student's attention. It talks a lot about the different items that are loaded into the ox-cart, items of everyday pioneer life. It would be a good opportunity to talk about the difference in available items between now and then. What would you take in your ox-cart? Maybe the students could do an art project- cutting out pictures of items that they would take on a long journey. It also go through all the seasons, which could also be related to the students' lives.