Little House in the Big Woods

• Genre: Fiction; children’s historical
• Originally Published: 1932
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 930L; grades 3-6
• Structure/Length: 256 pages; approximately 3 hours and 41 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The protagonist is young Laura Ingalls, who lives with her family in a log cabin in the Wisconsin woods in the 1870s. The narrative revolves around the family’s daily struggles and joys, dealing with self-sufficiency, family dynamics, and the challenges of frontier life.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Depictions of hunting and animal butchering; reflections of historical attitudes, practices, and language usage that may be dated or insensitive by modern standards

Laura Ingalls Wilder, Author

• Bio: Born on February 7, 1867, in Pepin, Wisconsin; died on February 10, 1957; American author best known for the Little House series of books based on her own childhood experiences growing up in a pioneer family
• Other Works: The Little House series including Farmer Boy (1933), Little House on the Prairie (1935), and On the Banks of Plum Creek (1937)
• Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Book; Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Hard Work and Self-Reliance in Frontier Life
• Family Life
• Social Duty and Values

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the historical contexts regarding the life and experiences of 19th-century pioneers, including the author herself.