Lesson Plan

Life at a Frontier Fort

A black and white photo of three men in army uniforms standing in-front of a stone building.
Grade Level:
Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
60 Minutes
State Standards:
Kansas History, Government, and Social Studies Standards: 2.2, 2.3, 4.3, and 5.1

Essential Question

How do the lives of those stationed on the frontier compare to our lives today?

Objective

Students will be able to write an imaginary letter describing what life was like at a frontier fort in the 1860s.

Background

Fort Larned is a time capsule of a typical western frontier fort in the 19th century. The U.S. Army set up a military post in 1859 on the banks of the Pawnee River. In June 1860, the camp was moved farther west, where a more durable sod-and-adobe fort was built and named for U.S. Army Paymaster-General Col. Benjamin F. Larned. Fort Larned’s stone buildings were constructed in 1865–1868. The fort’s buildings are restored and fully furnished, providing a glimpse of what life at the fort was like at the time period across the frontier.

Preparation

Download and review the Living at a Frontier Fort PowerPoint. Download and print the People of Fort Larned handout and questions document. Download and print the Letter to Home assignment document. 

Materials

This PowerPoint provides the content to be presented to the classroom.

Download Living at a Frontier Fort PowerPoint

This document provides a list of occupations at Fort Larned. The last page of the document provides students questions to review what they have learned.

Download People of Fort Larned Handout and Questions

At the conclusion of the lesson, students will use this document to craft their letter back home.

Download Letter to Home Assignment

Lesson Hook/Preview

Have you ever imagined living in a fort? Today’s lesson will give you a chance to find out what life was like on a fort along the frontier in the 1860’s. You will write back home to describe life at Fort Larned. 

Procedure

1. In small groups have the students brainstorm the following questions:

  • What is a fort used for?

  • Who would live at a fort in the 1860’s?

  • What are some hardships or obstacles the people at the fort would have faced?

  • What do you think life would be like as a soldier in the 1860s?

  • What were the ways people in the 1860’s would have:

    • Transported goods/travel

    • Communicated

    • Heated or cooled their homes

    • Cooked their food

    • Obtained drinking water

    • Washed their clothes

2. Present the Living at a Frontier Fort PowerPoint. Stopping to answer questions regarding those who lived at the fort.

3. At the conclusion of the PowerPoint, have students answer this prompt:

  • Imagine you are based at Fort Larned in the 1860s. Write a letter back home describing your life at the Fort. Be sure to mention:

    • What position do you hold at the fort?

    • What duties do you perform?

    • What is your daily life like at the fort?

    • What do you like about life at the fort?

    • What do you dislike about life at the fort?

*Students can refer back to handouts to help them.
*Teacher can determine how long the letter would be. 

Assessment Materials

Assessment

Students may be graded on their completion of assigned questions. It is recommended that students be graded on their letter assignment.

Letters could be graded on the following requirements:

  • Follow letter format (5 points) (includes heading, greeting, body, closing, signature)
  • Historical accuracy (5 points) (language should reflect technology, events, customs, etc. appropriate to the time period)
  • Letter should answer questions such as: (10 points)
    • What position do you hold at the fort?
    • What duties do you perform?
    • What is your daily life like at the fort?
    • What do you like about life at the fort?
    • What do you dislike about life at the fort?

Contact Information

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Last updated: January 22, 2021