Little House on the Prairie

Ma and Pa have different feelings about Native Americans. These different views shape how the Ingalls family interacts with the Native Americans they encounter and show us a bit about how people felt during the time when settlers were moving westward. How do Ma and Pa’s contrasting feelings about Native Americans shape the story and what we understand about the historical context?

• What are some of the differences between how Ma and Pa feel about Native Americans?
• How do Ma and Pa’s feelings shape Laura’s own views? Are there any parts in the story where Laura’s feelings change because of what Ma or Pa has said or done?
• How do Ma and Pa’s feelings about Native Americans reflect what many settlers might have felt during this time?

Teaching Suggestion: Consider connecting this discussion to the earlier topics of “Manifest Destiny” and the timeline of the Reservation Era from Chapters 15-20. You can also discuss the views of the secondary characters and how Ma and Pa react to them, such as Pa’s disagreement with the Scotts’ declaration that “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.” (Chapter 17)

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who struggle with reading and writing, consider using a graphic organizer to show the differences between how Ma and Pa feel about Native Americans.