109. 1st Grade SRR: Life on the Plains

Plains are places in which grasses grow and you can see for miles. In times past, people came to the plains to start fresh.

At that time, people had to make their own homes. Many homes were made from logs. Men would use axes to cut down trees into big piles of logs. These logs would be made into log homes.

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The logs were then cut into just the right shapes and sizes to fit together to make the home. The log home would begin to go up. Family members pitched in to help put up the front, back, sides, and top.

It was hard to make a home in times past. Moms, dads, and kids had to pitch in and help to get these log homes made.

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Maybe you’ve seen a picture of an old log home. Inside, it might be just one room with a big fireplace, but dark. Most log homes had small windows, as the glass for them cost too much and was hard to find.

Today, we’ve got windows that are well sealed. They hold in the heat and block cold air, and we’re nice and warm inside.

People on the plains worked hard from sunrise to sunset. Kids had many chores to do. Boys did outside jobs. A boy might help feed farm animals, plant and harvest crops, and chop logs for fires. He might help his dad hunt deer, geese, or ducks for meat to eat.

Girls did inside and outside jobs. A girl might milk, fetch water, and feed hens. She might help tend gardens.

Inside, she might wash dishes, make meals, or mend socks and shirts. She might knit, bake, or make soap. Sometimes she minded her young brothers and sisters.

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Kids had time for fun as well as chores. Kids ran races, went on picnics, and played games like hide-and-seek, tag, and catch. In those days, kids played in the snow, made forts, and swam in creeks.

Like kids today, kids in times past played when they got a chance. Maybe their games were different, but they liked to play.

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