Last updated: August 21, 2024
Lesson Plan
Flora on the Plains: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture
Cottonwood trees were critical to life in the southern Great Plains.
NPS/D. Ocheltree
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 3.L.4, 3.L.4.a, 4.L.4, 4.L.4.a, 5.L.4, 5.L.4.a, 3.RF.4.c, 4.RF.4.c, 5.RF.4.c, 3.RI.1, 3.RI.2, 4.RI.1, 4.RI.2, 3.SL.1, 3.SL.1.d, 4.SL.1, 4.SL.1.d, 5.SL.1
- State Standards:
- 4th grade History 1.1.a. Draw inferences about Colorado history from primary sources such
as journals, diaries, maps, treaties, oral histories, etc. Earth Science 3.4 Energy and fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources and their use... - Thinking Skills:
- Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts.
Essential Question
In what ways did plant life on the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail?
Objective
Identify specific examples of plant species and fuel sources along the Santa Fe Trail and their implementation during the fur trade.
Background
Overview Background: The southeastern Colorado trading post known as Bent’s Fort was established in 1833 along the Arkansas River bordering Mexico. As a major stop between Independence, MO and Santa Fe, NM, Bent’s Fort was a multicultural and international commerce hub on the Santa Fe Trail. Built on the homelands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, deemed unorganized U.S. territory during this period, Bent's Fort traded primarily in buffalo robes procured by the Cheyenne and Arapaho people. Traders and merchants from dozens of other Native American nations and Mexico successfully supplied, traded, and exported items here until 1849.
The lessons in this unit are based on and include excerpts taken directly from Josiah Gregg’s 1844 published journal titled The Commerce of the Prairies. As a young man, Josiah first embarked with a caravan on the Santa Fe Trail in 1831. For the next nine years, he detailed the commerce, cultures, customs, ecology, and politics of the time. His insights detail firsthand experiences across the southern Great Plains during the fur trade era giving us a fuller picture of the lives and livelihoods for people at Bent's Fort.
The unit overview is as follows:
Lesson 1 – Geography of the Plains – Navigation Tools and Isolation
Lesson 2 – Riverways – Sustenance and Safety
Lesson 3 – Optical Illusions and Mirage
Lesson 4 – Climate, Drought and Seasons
Lesson 5 – Flora on the Plains – Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture
Lesson 6 – Fauna: Draft Animals, Buffalo and Rattlesnakes
Lesson 7 – Culture: Languages, Food, and Stereotyping
Lesson Background: This lesson explores how natural resources such as prairie grasses, prickly pear, cottonwood trees, and buffalo dung promoted survival for traders and merchants in the southern Great Plains as either nutrition or fuel.
Prior knowledge of the fur trade era will help give this lesson context. See "Introduction to Bent's Old Fort PowerPoint" in lesson materials.
Preparation
Materials:
- Josiah Gregg Lesson 5 Flora: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text
- Photos of the southern Plains short-grass prairie including grasses, cottonwood trees, prickly pear, and pine nuts
- Prairie grasslands range map
- Exit Ticket
Materials
Companion text to Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains to include Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture sections
Download Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains narrative text
Shortgrass, mixed grass, and tall grass prairie range map
Download Prairie Grasslands Range Map
Great Plains flora species images
Download Josiah Gregg Lesson 5 Flora species images
An optional 37-slide introduction to Bent's Old Fort with notes to build prior knowledge of the fur trade era before teaching lesson 5.
Download Introduction to Bent's Old Fort PowerPoint
Lesson Hook/Preview
Provide students with pictures or actual samples of common grasses in your area. Identify them and brainstorm areas of the country where these types of grasses may not be available.
View "Prairie Grasslands Range Map" and consider the following question: "When can prairie grass be dangerous?"
Procedure
1. After 3-5 minutes, invite volunteers to share their answer(s) to the prompt. Accept any reasonable response such as: prairie fire, hiding the trail from view, concealing poisonous snakes, spiders, aggressive mammals, etc., specific grasses that may be harmful when ingested or smoked, pollens triggering allergies, tall height causing people or animals to get lost, etc.
2. Preview vocabulary word meanings.
3. Before reading, tell whole group they will be reading about plant life on the southern Great Plains during the 1830s and 1840s. Ask them to anticipate what the author might have written about prairie grasses. Tell students their reading assignment will reveal Josiah Gregg's answer to the question "When can prairie grass be dangerous?"
4. Assign reading of the "Grasses" section for the Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 - Flora on the Plains: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text.
5. After reading, direct group to create a list of pro's and con's/benefits and dangers for the existence of prairie grasses along the Plains during the fur trade era.
6. Invite students to share their list. Guide them to include the benefit of grasses for the nourishment for bison and other game as well as for the draft animals pulling carts and wagon loads for traders at Bent’s Fort.
7. Ask group to consider what other plant life a person making a journey on the Santa Fe Trail might need. Invite responses.
8. Pre-read questions covered in the next narrative text section on "Trees/Wood" and "Agriculture":
a. What would a Santa Fe trader have used for fuel besides wood or
grasses?
b. Since the grasses themselves were not a real food source for humans
what other vegetation grew along the route that could have been used in
the trader's diet?
9. Assign reading and questions for the "Trees/Wood" and "Agriculture" section of the Josiah Gregg Unit Lesson 5 - Flora on the Plains: Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture narrative text.
10. After reading, invite group to share responses to the two questions. Clarify any misunderstandings and summarize the main ideas.
11. Pass out Exit Ticket.
Vocabulary
eminence - a piece of rising ground
glade - a small area of grass without trees
torrent - a strong and fast-moving stream
Borderlands - region of land that surrounds the U.S. territories and Mexico
destitute - poor or lacking
ravine - a narrow gorge with steep sides
variegate - to vary or make diverse
peasantry - poor farm laborers
Assessment Materials
Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains Exit TicketExit Ticket containing Lesson 5's essential question.
In what ways did plant life in the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail?
Exit ticket containing Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains' essential question.
Rubric/Answer Key
Lesson 5 Flora on the Plains Exit TicketAnswers to Flora on the Plains Exit Ticket
In what ways did plant life on the Great Plains benefit and restrict traders on the Santa Fe Trail?
Benefits: The prairie grasses like buffalo grass and blue grama nourished bison and other game animals that traders could hunt for meat during their journey. When bison could not be found, their manure (which was based on a prairie grass diet) could be repurposed as a fuel source. Prairie grasses also fed the livestock traveling with or pulling the merchant caravans. Cottonwood trees provided firewood and kindling for campfire cooking and heat overnight. Cottonwood timber could be used for wagon repair. Indian corn, wheat, red pepper, prickly pear, and pine nuts could be harvested for food when available.
Restrictions: Prairie grasses that grew along the Great Plains landscape produced a vast flatness that made navigation on the trail difficult. The lack of geographical or human landmarks sometimes caused travelers to become confused and lose their way. Further, during hot and dry seasons, grasses were prone to wildfire caused by lightning or human carelessness which threatened traders' lives and supplies.
Supports for Struggling Learners
Use paired or group read-aloud for narrative text. Clarify vocabulary meanings prior to reading.
Enrichment Activities
Science extension:
Discuss the inference Gregg makes when he states, “The old grass of the valley in which we were encamped had not been burned off.”
Consider these questions:
1. Why did Gregg expect the old grass to be burned already and by whom? (It was commonly practiced by tribal nations along the Great Plains.)
2. Why were controlled burns of grasses practiced? (To prevent expansion of wildfires and sometimes as a hunting method.)
3. Is fire always a harmful thing? (No. It allows certain species to grow and thrive and controls more invasive species.)
4. Is controlled burning responsible management of the natural resource during this time period in your opinion? (Consider the impact of wind and lack of more modern ways to control fire.)
Art and Language extension: Draw native plant and tree species that grow in your local area. Describe them scientifically or poetically. Include their past and present uses.
Writing extension: Write a fictional narrative from the perspective of a prairie grass or tree species during the fur trade era. Include threats to your survival.
Additional Resources
Conservation article by Josh Lefers 2022.
Grasslands and You-Introducing the Prairies | Audubon Great Plains (Accessed August 16, 2024).
Digital copy of Gregg's original two volumes published in 1849. (Accessed August 16, 2024).
Commerce Of The Prairies (1849) Josiah Gregg : Victorian Vault : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Santa Fe National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Related Lessons or Education Materials
As a young man, Josiah Gregg embarked with a caravan on the Santa Fe Trail in 1831. For the next nine years, he kept a journal detailing the commerce, cultures, customs, ecology, and politics of the time making eight trips along this trading route. His journal titled The Commerce of the Prairies was published in 1844. All lessons in this unit are based on and include excerpts directly from this text.
The unit overview is as follows:
Lesson 1 – Geography of the Plains – Navigation Tools and Isolation
Lesson 2 – Riverways – Sustenance and Safety
Lesson 3 – Optical Illusions and Mirage
Lesson 4 – Climate, Drought and Seasons
Lesson 5 – Flora on the Plains – Grasses, Trees, and Agriculture
Lesson 6 – Fauna: Draft Animals, Buffalo and Rattlesnakes
Lesson 7 – Culture: Languages, Food, and Stereotyping