National Prairie Day is June 1st, 2024!

Did you know that coyotes actually run faster than roadrunners? Bummer right? Oh well, it's still fun watching Wile E. Coyote! This was just one of the fun facts that I learned when I researched some in-depth prairie facts for Wellspring of Life. The prairie is a fascinating place! It's also a really fun setting to use when you are writing a series like mine! I hope that you find some fun ways to enjoy National Prairie Day!

Ways to Celebrate National Prairie Day

• If you live near a prairie, go out and explore! Take a photo to commemorate the day.

• Read about it: Read some non-fiction about the different types of prairies in the U.S. and their animal and plant life. Or, read a fictional story that is set on the prairie.

• Make up your own story that happens on the prairie.

• Learn about the prairie schooners of the 1800s.

• Support an organization that helps conserve and restore prairies.

• Look at some pictures of the prairie and then color or paint your own picture.

• Learn about the Native Americans that lived on the prairie.

• Play some old-fashioned pioneer games like sack races, marbles, or jacks.

• Make homemade butter! You just need to fill half a jar with heavy whipping cream and throw in a couple of clean marbles to speed up the churning process. Put on the lid and shake until the butter forms. If you like your butter salted add a little to your jar before shaking.

Below is one of the weekly activities straight out of the

Wellspring of Life Unit Study!

ACTIVITY: THE WAGON

MATERIALS:

• A cardboard shoebox
  

• Thin dowel rod

• Piece of cardboard to cut out wheels and seat

• Scissors and glue

• Craft sticks (optional)

• Knife to cut dowel rod

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Cover the shoebox with brown construction paper. Cut the paper to fit, and then glue it on.

• Poke 2 holes into each long side of your cardboard box. Make the holes 1-2 inches from the front and back of the box. These are for your dowel rods which will act as axles. The dowel rods will go through these holes and hold the wheels, so the holes need to be directly across from each other on either side of the box. 

• Optional: glue craft sticks to the sides of the box in a brick-like pattern for a realistic look. Be sure not to cover up the holes for the dowel rods.

• Have an adult cut your dowel rod so that you have 2 equal pieces that are about 1 inch longer than the width of your box. The dowels need to stick out on either end so that they can hold the wheels.

• Decide on the size of your wheels and then cut 4 identical circles out of cardboard. Draw black spokes on them in an asterisk shape.

• Put the dowel rods through the holes in the box.

• You can either glue the wheels to the ends of the dowel rods or poke the dowel rods through the center of the wheels.

• Cut a square out of cardboard for the seat. Fold it in half and glue one half to the front top edge of the wagon. The edge left hanging will look like a seat.

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