Come and Get it! (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 1
Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to make students aware of the cowboy way of life.
Goals: Students will gain an appreciation of the cowboy way of life during long trail drives during the years of 1866-1890, students will be introduced to the "Old Cowboy Cook,"
and students will develop an understanding of the chuckwagon.

The Cowboy's Gear (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 3, 4, 5, 6
Duration: 1 hour with extensions available
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to give students an awareness of cowboy life.
Goals: Students will gain knowledge of a true historic cowboy.

Up the Trail without a Lasso (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 4
Duration: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to make students more aware of the main cattle route for trading and shipping throughout the mid-western United States.
Goals: Using map skills, students will develop an understanding of the importance of cattle trails, railroad and range land and how they impacted the cattle industry.

Soil and Exploration (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 4
Subject: Science
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to make students aware of the importance of soil. They will learn about some different types of soil.
Goals: Students will gain knowledge of different types of soil texture, students will gain a basic knowledge of soil and water holding capacity, and students will learn about soil horizons.

Dried Arrangement from Dried Grasses and Forbs (view lesson plan)

Grade level: 4
Subject: Art , Science
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: The student will become aware of art from nature as well as grasses and forbs.
Goals: Students will learn how dry arrangements are made and students will make know the difference between forbs and grasses.

Montana: Symbols of the State (view lesson plan)

Cattle on the Range: History vs. Today (view lesson plan)

Grade: 4
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to make students ware of the importance of cattle, in the past as well as the present.
Goals: Students will gain an understanding of the influences of cattle in the past through to today.

How Cows Improve Our Grasslands (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 4,5,6
Subject(s): Science, Art
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: To make the student aware of the efficiency of a grazing animal.
Goals: Students will gain an appreciation of grazing animals and their contribution to the improvement of grazing lands and students will be introduced to cattle.

Range Plants (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 4,5,6
Subject: Science
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to make students aware of the importance of range plants. They will learn how to identify grass vs. forbs.
Goals: Students will gain an appreciation of range plants, students will learn about the effects of grazing on the range, students will learn about grasses vs. forbs, and students will learn about annual and perennial.

Home on the Range(view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 7th and 8th
Duration: 1-2 hours
Description: This lesson will focus on how the bunkhouse and chuck wagon developed the cowboy's sense of belonging to the ranch community.
Goals: 1. Students will appreciate the importance of the bunkhouse and the chuck wagon to the cowboys' way of life. 2. Students will develop an understanding of the necessity of feeding the cowhands well for the success of the cattle ranching.3. Students will realize the varied skills required of a cook keeping the cowboys on the job.

The Cowboy Doctor(view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 6-8
Duration: Several hours. (can be shortened)
Description: The purpose of this lesson is to give students an awareness of the similarities and differences of medical care of humans and animals on a ranch in the past and the present.
Goals: GOALS:

1. Students will gain an appreciation of the medical duties of the rancher during time of Conrad Kohrs
through Conrad Warren. 2. Students will compare/contrast medical treatments of the past to those of today. 3. Students will learn the usual treatments for common medical problems in animals and humans
from 1862 through 1950. 4. Students will learn how historians look at objects. 5. Students will learn the definition of a primary vs. secondary source. 6. Students will learn the analytical or "detective process: that historians use to interpret the past including: a. How to draw conclusions and form interpretations from historical objects, documents, photographs, oral histories and recordings.

A Brand is Forever(view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 6-8
Duration: 1-5 days
Description: This lesson covers the history of brands and the changes in cattle ranching over the years.
Goals: Teach students about branding cattle on the Grant-Kohrs Ranch.

Life Wasn't all Work(view lesson plan)

Grade: 8
Duration: Week unit
Description: Within this lesson students will learn how people of various ages
and positions on the ranch entertained themselves in the era of Western settlement.

I Want to be a Cowboy Hat (view lesson plan)

Grade Level: 8
Duration: 45 minutes
Description: Understand the importance of the cowboy hat in the western era. Cowboy or Western hats are one of the unique trademarks of the cowboy. Hats of felt are worn in cold weather and straw hats are worn in hot weather. The important parts of a cowboy hat are the brim, crown, and crease. Felt is the material of choice for a cowboy hat for good reason. Felt is matted fur. Because it is matted, and the hairs run in all directions interlocking with each other, felt is stronger and lighter than woven materials. A water resistant fur / felt is desirable to help the hat hold its shape and shed water.
Goals: The purpose of this lesson is for each student to learn the different styles, functions and importance of the cowboy hat.