Cowboy Life

Objectives

• Students will use the Internet to learn about cowboys.
• Students will learn more about different items cowboys used on an everyday basis.
• Students will list which three items they would bring with them on a trip if they were cowboys or cowgirls, and explain why.

Description

The Diamond R Ranch Web Site is presented by the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It includes information about the museum as well as games and activities for children of all ages.

Suggested Activities

• Have students return to the Diamond R Ranch Website and select Tours to visit the Painting Tour and Sculpture Tour. Ask students to recreate a piece of artwork and, using its title, explain what the artwork meant for cowboys.

Level Activities

• Have students connect to http://www.cowboybook.com/index.html. Have them click on the picture to enter the book. Allow them to explore the picture gallery until they find a photograph that appeals to them. Then have students:
write a paragraph identifying the photograph by its number and explaining why they like it.
read the field notes and caption of the chosen photo, then write a paragraph explaining why the title is appropriate for the picture.
write a short poem about cowboy life, in rhyme or in free verse, that is inspired by the photograph, its title, and the information provided in the field notes and caption.