Today, we’re learning about Daniel Boone exploration and ideas to learn from his life. You’ll love my unit study and other ideas on my page Daniel Boone – North American Explorer.
And when you think about Daniel Boone and his life you think about his amazing skills on the frontier.
After all, he is best known for exploring and settling the area we now know as Kentucky.
He used his knowledge of the area and the skills he learned growing up to become a folk hero and create a legacy that lives on today.
What was commonplace living then is considered survival skills in today’s world.
Survival skills are something that you might want to incorporate into your child’s homeschool goals.
Survival Skill Ideas for Kids
Some things that you might want to teach them that would have been a part of the upbringing in Daniel Boone’s world are:
- Building a shelter- How to gather and arrange whatever is at hand to protect themselves from the elements.
- Starting a fire- Not only arranging wood but starting a fire without a lighter or matches.
- Using a compass- A good skill to help them find their way in the wilderness.
- Finding and filtering clean water- Knowing how to find and different methods for purifying water.
- Basic First Aid- Learning to clean and care for basic emergencies.
- How to use a knife-Safely handling and storing
- Acquiring food- An important basic wilderness skill, identifying edible plants, making fish traps, and animal traps.
- And be sure to grab my free Daniel Boone Lapbook.
Even if you did not grow up this way teaching these skills may appeal to you, but how do you teach what you aren’t skilled in yourself?
Grab some of these resources to help you.
First, I have a Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook.
Books for Daniel Boone Unit Study & Survival Ideas
Second, one of my favorite resources to learn anything and about Daniel Boone Exploration are books.
10 Resources for A Daniel Boone Unit Study
Whether you want to add a hands-on unit study or are looking for a few resources, you'll love one of these.
Struggle against the Shawnee defenders of Kentucky. Drawing from popular narrative, public record, documentation from Boone's own hand, and recollection gathered by 19th-century antiquarians, the author employs the methods of the new social history to produce a portrait that defines Daniel Boone and the times he helped shape.
Called the "Great Pathfinder", Daniel Boone is most famous for opening up the West to settlers through Kentucky. A symbol of America's pioneering spirit Boone was a skilled outdoorsman and an avid reader although he never attended school. Sydelle Kramer skillfully recounts Boone's many adventures such as the day he rescued his own daughter from kidnappers.
The bestselling book—more than 1.5 million copies sold—for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age old question of what the big deal with girls is—now a Prime Original Series created by Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Greg Mottola (Superbad).
In this digital age, there is still a place for knots, skimming stones and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. The brothers Conn and Hal have put together a wonderful collection of all things that make being young or young at heart fun—building go-carts and electromagnets, identifying insects and spiders, and flying the world's best paper airplanes.
From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.All ages
Written for readers age 10 and up -- enjoyed by adults!In search of open spaces and land to call his own, Daniel Boone fearlessly led a band of brave settlers into the bountiful Kentucky wilderness. Daniel's expert hunting ability, incredible outdoor survival skills, and courage under fire helped his companions stay alive in a dangerous and unknown land despite threatening encounters with soldiers, Indians, and even other settlers.
The book includes the following pockets:
- Introduction to Explorers of North America
- Christopher Columbus
- John Cabot
- Hernando Cortes
- Jacques Cartier
- Sir Francis Drake
- Henry Hudson
- Daniel Boone
- James Cook
- Lewis and Clark
- John Wesley Powell
Born in Pennsylvania in 1734, Daniel Boone cut a path west, carving his name into trees. Although he endured repeated property losses, he became a household name and was greatly admired for his surveying skills and the many claims he laid, opening the west for further settlement.
Gear up for outdoor adventure, learn to stay alive, and help yourself thrive – feeling confident that you can handle whatever comes your way!
Accidents happen and nature can be unpredictable, which is why this ultra-portable survival kit is a must-have for casual nature explorers and slightly more adventurous campers in need of essential outdoor guidance that they can carry along with them.
Titles In This Set:The Blizzard ChallengeThe Desert ChallengeThe Jungle ChallengeThe Sea ChallengeThe River ChallengeThe Earthquake ChallengeThe Volcano ChallengeThe Safari ChallengeThe Cave ChallengeThe Mountain ChallengeThe Arctic ChallengeThe Sailing Challenge
A general account of the life of the prominent American frontiersman who is especially remembered for helping to settle Kentucky
Then learn about how a compass works.
How a Compass Works
Here is a bit of science,
How does this work? A needle is made from steel which contains iron.
When you stroke the needle on the magnet the iron particles are magnetized. It only works temporarily, but you do get to see a cool effect of a needle working like a compass.
The metals iron, steel, nickel and cobalt are magnetic.
Now, a compass works by detecting and responding to the Earth’s natural magnetic fields – always pointing north.
Earth’s core is made of iron that is part liquid and part solid crystal.
The movement of the liquid core produces the earth’s magnetic field.
Now, look at these easy directions in how to make a compass.
How to Make a Compass
You will need:
- Small cork
- Fine sharpie
- A needle
- A Small cup
- Water
- A magnet
The first thing you want to do is slice off a piece of the cork about ¼” thick.
Slide the needle through the center of the cork, it helps to use a pair of needle nose pliers rather than trying to do it with your bare fingers.
Next rub the pointed tip of the needle back and forth across the magnet 25-30 times to magnetize it.
Fill a small jar about ⅔ full of water and place your compass in the water, the needle will point north/south.
You can use a real compass or a compass on your phone to test and be sure which direction is north to prove it.
Use a fine point sharpie to mark North, South, East, and West on the cork.
Place it back into the jar of water.
Remember you will need to re-magnetize it for each use.
