Marker Monday - Our Kansas Box

As we are trying to get organized and prepared for the move to Kansas we've been going through boxes and cabinets trying to get rid of stuff we really don't need. Or in some cases forgot we owned in the first place!

In one of our get rid of piles DR put an old suitcase of his. I'm not sure where the suitcase came from or even if he ever used it but I couldn't resist. Since we are getting ready to pack up and travel to Kansas, who knows when, I decided to use this suitcase as an opportunity to learn about Kansas with the boys.

After cruising the Internet, checking out books from the library and looking at pictures DR and I took in Kansas we slowly began covering our suitcase with images representative our new home state.

We talked a bit about the homesteaders, sod houses, wagons, Sante Fe Trail, cowboys and the Chisolm Trail. We used a map of America to show where we are going and where we and our family live now.

Inside the upper flap we put animals that lived in the grassy plains. How do you like our construction paper grass? From salt dough we made a rattlesnake and a 13 striped ground squirrel. Did you know there were 13 striped ground squirrel's? Me neither.

In the main suitcase compartment we talked about things that grew in Kansas. All the fields out there are irrigated by center pivots and therefore Kansas fields are circular not square. We made wheat out of skewers and felt and put sunflowers and strawberries on top, all of which are grown in Kansas. Did you know Kansas is the sunflower state? Yep, it is!

We worked on this a here and there for weeks. We also talked about Dodge City and other places of interest along with famous Kansans. Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Amelia Earhart and George Washington Carver. (I love peanut butter Mr. Carver, thank you very much!)

I know I had fun learning about Kansas and the boys are definitely excited. Yip prays every night asking God to let tomorrow be the day we can go to Kansas. It will be here before you know it bud!