Little House in the Big Woods

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Pioneers in the 1800s didn’t have the kinds of supermarkets we have today. Where and how did they get their food? What challenges do you think pioneer families faced in keeping their food safe to eat? How do you think the seasons affected what kinds of food were available to pioneer families?

Teaching Suggestion: Before addressing the question, students might review or investigate pioneer life in the 1800s, focusing on the lack of modern stores like supermarkets. This will provide context to better understand the complexities involved in obtaining and storing food, and connects to the theme Hard Work and Self-Reliance in Frontier Life. As a short follow-up activity to this prompt, students might work in small groups to plan meals for a week for a pioneer family. What foods would be available? What factors in addition to the season might affect their choices? How would they ensure that food is safe and plentiful?

• This page from The Food Timeline details the types of food available to pioneers in the 19th century.