Curated OER
Scavenger Hunt! Exploring the Prairie
Young scholars participate in an online scavenger hunt activity, researching the type of housing pioneers built to match the natural environment. They design and create a poster exhibit or Web page presenting information about pioneer...
Gabriel Dumont Institute
Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture: Traditional Metis Housing
The many forms of housing and shelter that the Metis used are presented. Discussion questions and a bibliography can be found at the end of the article.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Homesteading: Dreams and Realities
After reading this section from a chapter on "Westward Expansion", students will be able to identify the challenges that farmers faced as they settled west of the Mississippi River and describe the unique experiences of women who...
The History Cat
The History Cat: Pioneers on the Plains: Pioneer Living
Describes the struggles that pioneer settlers who established farms on the Plains faced. Without trees, they had to build homes using sod and cow dung. Temperatures were extreme and farms were isolated, making life lonely.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Things to Do at Home
Families can come together through games designed to make history something fun and integral to family life. Build a sod house like prairie settlers did in the 1800s. Go back in time to visit five families that lived in the same house...
Curated OER
Ed Site Ment: Great Plains Settlers
1880s photo of an African-American family posing in front of their sod house.