Nauvoo: Gathered all the children here to begin. "Brigham Young" tells about Joseph Smith and the mobs - then a 'Missourian' comes and tells the children (Saints) to leave. "Brigham" blesses them (opening prayer) and they divide into companies (their classes w/ teacher) and begin the trek.
Sugar Creek: (made a 'campfire' with a red light bulb and some sticks laid across it. We had the children gather around while a pioneer sister told of some of the experiences the Ellsworth Company had going to the SLV (stories from Friend). There they tasted horehound candy (Brigham Youngs fav)
Winter Quarters: (another pioneer story) - tasted horseradish (to cure scurvy). They made Fig Newton Handcarts to prepare for the trek.
Chimney Rock: (pioneer story about being abducted by Indians and trading to get them back.) Jr. Primary made bead necklaces and Sr Primary had a contest sewing on a button. (Bead necklace kits were given to Sr. Primary to do later or at home) They are told about eating dried prickly pear cactus and taste dried apples. - Brigham Young told pioneers they were too discouraged and could not leave until they sang a song to lift their spirits. So, as they left and walked around the building to their next camp they sang songs.
Ft. Laramie: (taught about the games children played): We played duck-duck-goose, Button-button, and had gunny sack three legged races. It was fun and let them run out some energy. They tasted jerky.
Salt Lake Valley: The children planted crops (sunflower seeds in an egg carton cup with potting soil). We talk about the seagulls and had a couple of bags of crickets from the local pet store for the children to see) and then "Brigham Young" arrives, declares this is the right place, blesses the 'crops' and offers closing prayer. As the children leave we give them an old fashioned cookie: molasses, oatmeal or peanut butter.
DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE: Everyone *sits* in a big circle, with one person standing on the outside of the circle. That person ("the standing person") on the outside walks around the circle touching each person on the head, saying Duck, duck, duck, etc.
When he/she decides to, he touches someone's head and says GOOSE! Then the person who has been "goosed" ("the sitting person") jumps up and chases the other person around the circle before he/she gets back to the "goosed" position and sits down in the circle.
If the "sitting person" catches the "standing person", the standing person has to go again. But if the "standing person" reaches the empty spot in the circle, the "sitting person" becomes the "standing person."
This goes until everyone is tired of playing.
Button-Button, Who's got the button?Everyone
sits in a circle, with one person standing. That person puts a button
between his/her hands (like he/she was praying) and you are basically trying
to pass the button from the person standing to one of the people sitting,
without everyone else knowing. You go around the circle pretending
to pass the button off to everyone, then everyone else has to guess who
has the button. Hence, “Button-button, who's got the button.”
Pioneer Cookin' - All sorts of recipes dating back to the early 1800's
Utah Pioneer Foods Cookbook - A Classic Cookbook From A Classy Group of Fourth Graders
Old Fashioned Pound Cake
9 large eggs, separated
2 C. sugar
2 C. butter
4 C. flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. lemon extract
Beat egg yolks until fluffy; add sugar gradually, beating until pale yellow color. Place butter in another bowl; cream until light. Add flour, baking powder and salt; cream well. Add egg mixture; beat well. Add lemon extract and unbeaten egg whites; beat until well mixed.
Pour into well greased tube pan. Bake in 300-degree oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until well done.
Farmhouse Cookies
1 C. butter
2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 C. sour cream
vanilla extract to taste
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
4 - 4 1/2 C. flour
pinch of salt
3/4 C. chopped nuts
Cream butter and sugar in bowl. Add eggs; beat well. Add sour cream and vanilla; stir until mixed. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto greased cookie sheet and flatten. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
BUTTER "CHURNING": We are having people in our ward come in and tell us pioneer stories. While the people are talking, the children will pass around a jar of cream and shake it. Of course, we don't expect them to get the butter made as it will take awhile, so we will have some made up in advance. Then we will serve them homemade butter on whole wheat bread.
Johnnycakes
This was a favorite dish of the Prophet
Joseph Smith.
3 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 t.baking soda
1 t. salt
2 T. molasses
3 cups buttermilk
2 well beaten eggs
Sift together dry ingredients. Slowly stir
in molasses and buttermilk and mix well. Add beaten eggs and beat
hard for two minutes. Pour into shallow, well-greased pans and bake at
400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Brigham Young's Buttermilk Doughnuts
1 quart buttermilk
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
6 tbl butter
3 teaspoons nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Flour
Combine ingredients, kneading in enough flour to make a soft dough, not too sticky. Roll out and cut into doughnuts. Fry in deep hot oil.
Pioneer Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup raisins
Cream together butter or margarine, brown sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda. Blend well. Mix in one cup oatmeal and stir. Add in raisins and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 - 12 minutes.
Makes 5 dozen