The Pony Express - Mini Unit Study

Here is a series of fun activities for use in studying the Pony Express. First is an article with comprehension questions. There is also a puzzle, a drawing activity, and some other hands-on, high-interest fun.

First read J.C. Pinkerton's interesting article The Riders of the Pony Express. After you read this article, you can answer the following comprehension questions and then do the activities.

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. How long did the Pony Express last?

2. How many riders were chosen out of the hundreds who applied for the Pony Express?

3. Who was the youngest rider for the Express?

4. Why was Johnnie Frye famous?

5. Which of the riders discovered “Uintahite”?

6. Read the job advertisement for the Pony Express. Why do you think orphans were preferred?

7. What do you think were some of the reasons that the Pony Express came to an end?

Word Search: The Pony Express

B I Z E U C L Q V P F A D P D E U Q E Z Z M O C A
N U L Y D F E H T W E Q T Y B D J C U A J M F P L
W B F H W I N U E K C J Z Y J F N J B H X R D L P
E Y R F E I N N H O J D G W G S A C D L A Q A U M
S I G L A Q L C W K M C U I K S Z Z X D G N J R G
T B Z C I L L B M C A Q Q U W Q W O K Q H G R Z B
U B M I S S O U R I J S Q Y I B A C N W Q D S I K
O G N U O Y L B J H Y P V G L M P K W X U P N K U
B T A I N R O F I L A C I R E M A X Z Q U Z S D P
Z U U B N N S S L L D P F N X I V R Z T T O S V C
E I W T H X T R A I L S X S A K F Z F C G X P Y W
L C T G Z O R V U B B C G A L L O P N L W L T W E
R G Y O R S X B F D R E O D M H O R S E O S E Z D
O Q S Y Y K S A V L T A B D A N G E R O U S Y V J
N D S S Q P F T J I D Q V L Y R L D F D E F G V K
I N H P L O G L V W V S P E E D R I A H M F R G W
K K G J Q Q B R U H E H X B D B E R N S X R D R V
T N U V C Y J S P O R P H A N B N E A V I L A R T
V G U A E Y Y D M N R F S G W B N C V X E W R L L
T K L H Z O Q U O E X M W S T P B S T I N O D Z V
F P R T P C Q S S Q A K W B K R H N J D Y U Z E Q
J O W J B A Z S V Q V L H B L Z Q L G Y T Z F Q C
D J K L K A N B T P B Y X P V P N T A M O K R O I
L S F H A Y C J V L V O Q L B M W V Z S P Q Q S W
G Y Q X B S V C M Y B S W M T F C T H T D X D S Z


Word List:

AMERICA
BRAVE
BUFFALO BILL CODY
CALIFORNIA
COWBOY
DANGEROUS
DUSTY
GALLOP
HISTORY
HORSE
JOHNNIE FRYE
MEN
MISSOURI
ORPHAN
PONY EXPRESS
RIDER
SADDLE BAG
SADDLES
SPEED
TRAIL
WEST
WILD BILL HICKOK
YOUNG

Other Activities:

Snack in the Saddle Again
Horses -- A Mini Unit
Cowboy Food -- Jerky
Horsey Crafts
Cinnamon Stick Horse
Cork Horse


More Interesting Links:

Pony Express Home Station
When the Pony Express Was in Vogue
More Pony Express Fun


Suggested Reading:

Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express (I Can...
Riding On the Wind
The Pony Express in American History (In...
They're Off! : The Story of the Pony Express
Saddles and Spurs : The Pony Express Saga
Hoofbeats of Danger (American Girl Mystery
The Traveler's Guide to The Pony Express
The Pony Express (Cornerstones of History
Wanted a Few Bold Riders : The Story of the Pony Express
Pony Express!


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