Settlers Log Cabin - Westward Expansion and the Homestead Act

thingiverse

This is a log cabin created for a Westward Expansion / Homestead Act school project (see below). How I Designed This I built this in Tinkercad, specifically for ease of printing on most 3D printers. It has the logs squished together a bit, the roof designed with no overhang, and the tops of the doors and windows round so the angles are printable. Project: Building a Log Cabin During the Time of Westward Expansion and the Homestead Act Objectives Imagine the year is 1890 and you have just traveled across the United States to settle in the West. You filed a claim, survived your first winter in a dugout, and now you are looking for the perfect spot to build your log home. Students will enter the mindset of a Western Settler by considering 5 points before "building" their log home. Each person has to build with what is most important to them in mind. What will the floor of my cabin be? Wood planks or stone? Why? How many doors and windows will my cabin have? How will my heat source be affected by the door/window placement? How would my mood be affected by windows or the lack thereof? Is water near for drinking and washing? Is water far enough away I won't get flooded? Where can I be protected from wind? At the base of a hill or mountain? In a clump of trees? What is my view? What do I want to see if I look out the door and/or window? Audiences This lesson could be adapted for different ages, but we think grades 3 - 6 are the best. A very little skill with Tinkercad is desirable but not required. Preparation Students should be studying Westward Expansion and the Homestead Act Print the 3 attached worksheets Sheet of paper Colored pencils or markers or crayons Basic Tinkercad knowledge helpful but not absolutely necessary 3D printer and filament Steps Study Westward Expansion and the Homestead Act Have students complete the Homestead Act Worksheet Have students consider the objectives listed above, using the My Log Cabin Worksheet On a sheet of paper, have students create a basic terrain map with features such as a river/lake/spring, trees, hill/mountain, prairie... On the map, determine the perfect location for the log cabin "Lay" the foundation by drawing/coloring a rectangle... grey for stone, brown for dirt, orange for wood... 3D print your log cabin! You can simply print the one we have provided, or edit our Tinkercad model to have students adjust the positions and number of door(s) and window(s). Raise up that log cabin on your claim and move in!! For an extra language arts component, have students make up a story that takes place in or around their cabin. Results At the completion of this project students should have a good understanding of the Homestead Act and how many things the Western Settlers had to consider when building their first homes. Students will have a (drawn) map and a (3D printed) cabin to take home with them. Grading is up to the individual, but can be based on the neatness of work, the answers to worksheet questions or written stories.