Dandelions

In this story, a pioneer father moves pregnant wife and family west from Minnesota, hoping for new opportunities and ready land.  Loneliness and isolation set in right away.  There are no trees and the grass closes behind them as they roll through miles upon miles in this sea of prairie.  "It's as if we'd never been here", said Mama, forlornly.  Their homestead site has no water, no flowers, no birds' song, and the nearest neighbors are three hours away.  Papa reassures, "It will be different soon.  Other settlers will come."

But as beetles and snakes plunge from the roof of their "soddie" onto their table, this far off hope was hard to imagine, especially for Mama and Zoe, the eldest daughter and narrator.  Then one day as Papa and Zoe set off for supplies, they stumble upon a symbolic clump of dandelions, probably brought west by other settlers.  They dig up a dandelion and transplant it on the roof of their sod house.  Though the story ends with this transplanted clump looking dry and lifeless there is the expectant hope that like the seeds that lie latent, the family's life will soon bloom into color and happiness.  But to get to this point it will take time.  "Can you wait?" Zoe asked her mother... "I can wait," Mama said.

Though the closing words end in waiting hope, the last picture shows a hazy, dreamlike view of their farm in the future, dandelions covering the roof and the fields plowed and fertile.

Discussion:

Good things are worth waiting for and working for.   Student writing focused on the ways that we wait and work patiently for the goods we pursue.  Improving your reading, writing, math fluency, athletic skills, etc. all take a lot of work and patience.  As we wait, we can find symbols of beauty and hope in simple, common things.

This was a great introduction to the challenges of the western movement and the lives of pioneers.  To extend this learning, students read about life in sod houses.

Links:

http://amhistory.si.edu/ourstory/activities/sodhouse/more.html
http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0500/frameset_reset.html?http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0500/stories/0501_0109.html
http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0500/frameset_reset.html?http://www.nebraskastudies.org/0500/stories/0501_0109.html