Tonight, everyone is bringing home a green 8x14 sheet. Part of it was completed during class time. The rest is to be completed at home. The information below will help with answering the questions and drawing the right pictures in the right seasons. If the info below is not enough, students should be using the pioneer book they've brought home and can make use of other internet sites to help with their responses.
When the pioneers came to Canada, they were given a plot of free land. In order to keep the land, they had to build a home and plant crops. They also had to expand their crops every year. We have had many discussions surrounding what the pioneers went through to ensure their farms were maintained all year round. Each season brought on new jobs that had to be completed and everyone in the family played an important role, even the children.
Here is a breakdown of each season which should aid in the images drawn on the page and the written responses.
Spring: fields were plowed with the help of oxen or horses that carried/dragged a big tool called a plow. Seed were also planted at this time (often, pioneers brought their seeds from Europe.
Summer: Farmers would have to weed and water their crops and gardens daily. They also had to continue plowing fields to expand their current acreage in order to keep their free land.
Fall: families started harvesting their crops in prepartion for winter (harvest = gather). They would have to store their crops in their cellars (holes dug in the ground), or perserve them using various methods such as canning, pickling, salting and drying. They would also have to gather a lot of hay in order to feed the livestock over the winter months.
Winter: families spent a lot of time indoors, fixing and cleaning tools, mending and making clothes, sewing quilts, making candles or soap and visiting with nearby neighbours.
Here is a picture of some farm and garden tools:
