December 2006/January 2007

A fun magazine for kids!

On the Road Again

Today if you want to go somewhere it's pretty easy. You and your family can jump in your car and travel along roads and highways. For longer distances, you can take a train or an airplane.

If you lived in Kansas 200 years ago, travel was not easy. There were no trains or airplanes, and there were no paved roads. People traveled along trails, or paths, that led in the direction they wanted to go.

Two of the most famous of those trails crossed Kansas. Thousands of people followed them in search of wealth or a new home.

This issue has important information about the Santa Fe Trail and the Oregon-California Trail. Learn how they shaped the history of Kansas and the United States.

For Parents and Teachers:

This issue of Kaleidoscope addresses the following state curricular standards: fourth grade Kansas history: Benchmark 1, Indicator 5: the student compares and contrasts the purposes of the Santa Fe and Oregon-California Trail; Benchmark 1, Indicator 6: the student describes life on the Santa Fe and Oregon-California Trail.

The Santa Fe Trail: 1821 - 1880

For hundreds of years new Mexico was governed by spain. The city of Santa Fe was the capital of New Mexico.

The Oregon-California Trail: 1843 - 1889

Beginning in the early 1840s, many people wanted to move from the eastern states to new land in the West. Settlers relied on the Oregon-California Trail as the main road.

Dear Diary. . .

Some families heading west on the Oregon-California Trail recorded their experiences in diaries or letters. This helps people today know what life was like on the trails.

Cruising Through Kansas

Compare vehicles--Prairie Schooner, Ford Explorer, Conestoga Wagon, and Freight Truck--taken by travelers have taken across the state. What is their weight, size, capacity?

Ben is working on a documentary for a History Day project. This program is anatinal contest for students in grades 6-12.

In This Issue:

Teacher Supplement