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Reading Treks: Prairie Lotus - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 8
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her ...more
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Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park is a historical fiction novel set in the Dakota Territory in the 1880s. It follows Hanna, a half-Chinese, half-white girl who moves with her father to a small frontier town after her mother's death. Hanna dreams of becoming a dressmaker and finishing school, but she faces discrimination and exclusion because of her Asian heritage. Despite the racism and prejudice around her, Hanna remains determined to honor her mother's legacy and find acceptance in the community. Through resilience, courage, and kindness, she begins to carve out a place for herself on the American prairie. This Reading Trek includes interactive maps (available as both a Google My Maps link and a downloadable Google Earth (KMZ) file). The maps trace key locations from the story. There is also a teacher guide (PDF) with classroom activities and extension activities.
tag(s): 1800s (89), racism (82), Reading Treks (56), westward expansion (42)
In the Classroom
Use the interactive maps to have students trace Hanna's journey to the Dakota Territory, visualizing the frontier landscape and the distances families traveled during Westward Expansion. As students explore each stop, they can research the historical context of the 1880s frontier, including the experiences of mixed-race and immigrant families during this era. Pair this map exploration with the teacher guide's activities to examine themes of identity, prejudice, resilience, and belonging.
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