My Journey as a Pioneer
5th Grade Writing
April 20, 2025
This month, our 5th grade writers have traveled back in time to the era of covered wagons, dusty trails, and new lives in the Wild West! As part of our writing curriculum and social studies chapter on westward expansion, students are putting themselves in the place of early American pioneers in their original narrative essays titled “My Journey as a Pioneer.”
Launch the media gallery 1 playerEach student is telling a story from the perspective of a pioneer child making the journey west. To inspire historically accurate and detailed storytelling, we’ve read a few books in class that dive into the realities of pioneer life. Dandelions by Eve Bunting, showed us the emotional aspect of moving west, and the feelings of fear, hope, and homesickness. Journey of a Pioneer by Patricia J. Murphy, gave us a more day-in-the-life look at what children on the trail experienced, from the meals they ate, the miles they walked, the illnesses they faced, and their encounters with Native Americans. These stories sparked great discussions and helped students imagine what it might feel like to truly be on the trail west.
Launch the media gallery 3 playerCurrently, we are in the pre-write and rough draft step of the writing process. This week, we will begin group and partner peer-editing, and eventually our final drafts! To bring their tales to life, students will also be coloring illustrated cover pages for their stories, featuring wagons rolling across the Wild West and prairie skies! It’s been exciting watching the 5th graders embrace the adventure of being pioneers—imagining the thrill and challenges of the trail, all while bringing their own creativity to life!
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