218 Westward Expansion: Supplemental Guide CA | Culminating Activities
Write-Your-Own Dusk Poems
Materials: Chart paper, chalkboard, or whiteboard
Read the poem “Buffalo Dusk” by Carl Sandburg again to
students. Ask them to summarize the poem in their own words.
Ask them what the word dusk means, and discuss the mood that
it creates in this poem. Tell students that although many poems
do rhyme, they do not all use rhyme as a technique. Explain that
some poets use repetition of sounds or of words and phrases to
emphasize certain things or feelings, such as Mr. Sandburg did in
this poem. Ask students what words and phrases are repeated in
this poem for emphasis.
Tell students that they are going to write their own “dusk” poems
about something coming to an end, just as Mr. Sandburg did
about the time of the buffalo and the people who hunted the
buffalo. Tell them that their poem may have rhyming words,
repeated sounds, or repeated words and phrases. Have them title
their poem “ Dusk.” You may wish to model this exercise
on chart paper, a chalkboard, or a whiteboard. Allow students to
share their poems with the class.Wagon Train Supper
[Advance preparation required.] Brown one pound ground beef,
one onion, and one green pepper, chopped (optional). Add one
can pork and beans, one-half bottle ketchup, one cup brown
sugar, one tablespoon mustard, and a dash of Worcestershire
sauce. (Optional: You may also want to add 1–2 cups cooked
wagon wheel pasta.) Bake in a dish 30 to 45 minutes at 350
degrees. Serve with cornbread and/or buttermilk biscuits. Ask
students to talk about what it might have been like for pioneers to
cook over a campfi re and live on the Oregon Trail.
Note: Be sure to follow your school’s policies about food
distribution and allergies.