Alex:
Cowboys wore boots that had high heels so they would not slip in the stirrups, and were high so dirt didn't get to their feet and snakes couldn't come up and bite their feet.
Every year, one of the most exciting studies in our Kindergarten class is cowboys. After studying cowboys for two weeks, we culminate with a Kindergarten rodeo. During the studies, the children learn about cowboy gear, cattle drives, and rodeos. They have many fun art projects including making stick horses to ride in the Kindergarten rodeo. They learn many old cowboy songs, a square dance and the cotton-eyed joe. We thought it would be a fun project to share what we learned about cowboys with the world.
We still have cowboys in Texas today, but cattle drives are no longer needed. Cattle are raised on ranches and shipped to market. The cowboys 100 years ago did not have trucks or trains. They had to "drive" the cattle by horseback to the stockyards in Missouri and Kansas, where the nearest trains were available. From there the cattle went by train to slaughterhouses in Chicago.
We hope you will learn some things about the cowboy, the reigning American folk hero.
Kathy Sederholm
ksederho@hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu
Alex:
Cowboys wore boots that had high heels so
they would not slip in the stirrups, and were high so dirt didn't get to
their feet and snakes couldn't come up and bite their feet.
Andrew:
One cowboy ropes the horns. One cowboy ropes
the legs. They pull the longhorn to the ground.
Blake:
Cowboys used guns for shooting snakes and
other dangerous animals.
Bryan:
When the cattle got to market, cowpokes stuck
the cows with poles to get them to the train.
Charlotte:
Cowboys wore hats to protect their face from
the sun, to scoop water and to use as a pillow.
Clare:
Cowboys wore bandanas to keep dust out of
their mouth, to cover the horses face when they were scared, to use as
a towel or bandage or sling.
Cyndi:
Cowboys wore vest for protection and to keep
warm, and to keep things in their pockets.
Grant D.:
Cowboys wore gloves to protect their hands
from the rope lasso.
Grant H.:
After the cowboys wrestled the longhorns to
the ground, they branded them.
Henry:
At the ranch, cowboys lived in bunkhouses.
Jacob:
Cowboys wore chaps so snakes wouldn't bite
them and to protect their pants from getting dirty and to make sure thorns
and bushes didn't scratch them.
Jacqueline:
Cowboys wore spurs to get their horses going.
They would kick the horse in the sides.
Joe Patrick:
Cowboys put bridles on the horse to have something
to hold on to. The reins helped drive the horse.
Josh:
The cattle drive from Texas to Kansas took
a long time. (three months)
Kelsey:
Cowboys used a lasso for roping the bulls
and catching horses.
Marshall:
The drover goes out on the range with lots
of cowboys to look for cattle. The drover is the boss.
Samantha:
The chuckwagon went on the cattle drive. "Cookie"
brought food like beans and biscuits and coffee. The chuckwagon also had
first aide and bedrolls.
Sarah:
Cowboys sang songs and played harmonicas,
banjos, and fiddles to calm the cattle at night.
Shelton:
Cowboys rode on a saddle. It came up in the
back so they wouldn't fall off when the horse bucked. It had a horn for
holding on. It had stirrups to hold his feet in.
Timmy:
When the cowboys finished the trail drive,
they bathed, shaved, bought new clothes, and celebrated.
Will:
After branding, the cowboys picked the biggest
longhorns to send to market.
Copyright 1996 Highland Park Online
Highland Park Elementary School
Austin, Texas, USA
Last Updated: 5/18/96