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Task One

Your first task is to visit A Cowboy's Life and examine all of the information and links found on that page. Feel free to do additional internet research about what the life of an American cowboy would have been like in the mid-1800's. Write a short story from the perspective of either a cowboy, a trail boss, a steer, or a horse involved with a cattle drive. Try to write your story in the style of first-person narrative. Be creative and descriptive of what your character would see, feel, taste, touch and smell as your character traveled northward. As you write, be sure to tell how your character defines ideas, if applicable, like home, independence, education, talent and skills, and his or her attitudes towards others. Your story must be typed and should be at least one page, double-spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font. but do not write more than two pages.  For help in developing your ideas, you may want to visit the Vocabulary Page.  You will have one fifty minute class period to research your ideas on cowboys and to write your story.  If you are not able to complete your story during the time provided, you may finish your story as homework.  Make sure you visit the Evaluation Page to see what criteria I will use to grade your stories.

Task Two

Your second task is to visit Cattle Branding and to read the information and links listed. Students are to design and draw their own cattle brand.  Make sure you follow the rules for branding listed on the Cattle Branding page. For example, no lower case letters in your designs.  After you are finished drawing, write a short paragraph explaining the significance of your brand design and how the design should be read. Also explain briefly why using a brand would help you to identify your hypothetical cattle if you were driving your cattle along with the cattle of your classmates.  In another paragraph, explain how cattle brands may be similar to and different from identification tags on pets, hospital bracelets on patients, or license plates on cars. Strive to use correct grammar, spelling and punctuation while you are constructing your paragraphs.  You will have one fifty minute class period to complete the design and drawing of your brand and to complete writing your two brief paragraphs. Your cattle brand and two paragraphs are due at the end of the class period.  Please visit the Evaluation Page to make sure your assignments meet all the criteria required.

Tasks Three and Four

Your third task is to visit the Cowboy Poetry page and to read the information listed.  As a class we are going to discuss what the cowboy poem "Whoopee Ti-Yi-Yo " means.

Find an example of cowboy poetry on the internet that appeals to you.  There are links on the Cowboy Poetry page to help you get started with your search. Write a paragraph or two explaining why the poem appeals to you and what you think the poet's motivation was for composing the poem.  The second part of your assignment is to create your own cowboy poetry.  Your cowboy poem should meet four criteria.

1. Your cowboy poem should be 12 lines (or more) in length.

2. Your poem should show what life is like from the viewpoint of a cowboy.

3.  Your poem should have some kind of rhyme scheme

4. Use appropriate language. In other words, do not be crude.

You will have today's 50 minute class period to research cowboy poetry and compose your own poem. When you are finished with composing your poem, please view the Conclusion Page. During our next class period, you will each recite your poem in front of the class.  You may use an index card to help you recite your poem, but you are encouraged to try to recite your poem from memory. Eye contact with your audience, poise, and verbal delivery will also be factored in to the point scale. In other words, stand up straight, be confident and speak clearly and loud enough for someone sitting in the back of the classroom to hear you.  Visit the Evaluation Page and examine the point criteria for both the cowboy poem and the poem recitation. Your poem should be turned in to me directly after you are finished presenting your poem recitation.