Description
In this sequel to The Long Way to a New Land, Carl Erik and his family travel west on train after train to La Crosse, Wisconsin. From there, they travel by steamboat to Anoka, Minnesota, where their uncle lives and Papa has work. All the travel, the dangers, the crowds, and the cold are forgotten the moment they arrive. They're finally home!
Immigration and Emigration
What is the difference between an emigrant and an immigrant? Scribbles has an easy way to remember! Students will learn about the economic struggles and lack of resources that led to the mass emigration from Sweden during the mid 1800s, the class disparity between people traveling first class and people like Carl Erik and his family, as well as looking at the climate and geography of the Midwest being similar to Sweden, making it a popular place for them to settle.
We don't want boring history lessons. That is why we try to help students understand the world surrounding the events of the book, bringing it to life in simple, fascinating historical tidbits.
Joan Sandin — A writer and illustrator
Students get to learn about the successful children's author, Joan Sandin. How she went from serving tables to being a children's illustrator, and follow her journey from New York to Sweden, and finally, back to America, where she continues to live in Arizona!
Words that make books — learn by doing, not just memorizing
Vocabulary is woven into this guide through a selection of engaging activities designed to build real word retention. Students use context to understand words, have fun with a word search, and develop the kind of rich vocabulary that improves their reading comprehension and their own writing. We don't believe in rote memorization — we have students actually engage with words, making them stick and become part of their everyday vocabulary!
- Classify and sort words based on categories and alphabetical order
- Using context to better understand unfamiliar words and their meanings
- Spot and learn about compound words
- Complete a word search and strengthen pattern recognition, spelling strength, and improve student engagement while reinforcing vocabulary growth
- Activities that build retention through engagement, not just memorization
Learn to read like a writer — How great stories are made
This guide goes beyond basic comprehension to teach students how memorable writing works. Through carefully designed activities, students explore the literary techniques in Long Way Westward, including:
- Idioms — Recognize and learn how to use figurative language
- Compound Words — Learn about how compound words
- Punctuation — Understand how authors use punctuation to indicate importance and meaning
- Roots and Suffixes — Discover how words can change when we add a suffix to the end, altering its meaning
We introduce the ELA skills that build the literary appreciation children carry into more advanced study.
Faith-centered ELA study — lesson by lesson
Every chapter of Carl Erik's family's journey offers opportunity for character study and personal growth. This literature guide draws out the moral and spiritual dimensions of the story, exploring themes such as:
Each theme is tied directly to Scripture, so faith and literature grow together — not separately.
Learning that brings ELA to life
Families love how Progeny Press guides bring books to life — and Long Way Westward keeps that tradition. This guide includes a wide variety of hands-on, cross-curricular activities, including:
- Family History — Research family lineage and history
- Arts and Crafts — Make an American flag, learn cross-stitching art, and other tactile, fun activities
- Cooking — Learn how individual unique ingredients all work together to make something truly special
- Geography — Map the journey of Carl Erik and his family, learn about the Westward Movement and immigration history
- Language — Learn a few words in Swedish
- Discussion and Drama — Act out scenes from the book, and engage in class discussions on the moral and historical themes
These aren't just filler activities. Each one is intentionally connected to the story, the historical setting, or the biblical themes — making learning feel like an adventure, not a checklist.
Keep the love of reading going
This guide includes a curated reading list to engage and keep students reading. Featuring additional works by Joan Sandin as well as other excellent authors that share themes, setting, and writing style of Long Way Westward. Create a complete themed, cohesive homeschool reading curriculum for your entire year.
Open-and-go — on your schedule, your way
- Download instantly — no shipping, no waiting
- Works on Mac, PC, and most tablets
- Fillable PDF fields for on-screen use or easy printing
- Print the full guide, individual lessons, or multiple classroom copies
- Compatibility focused for every device:
- Fully interactive copy with Javascript enabled with embedded Audio included
- Simple form enabled for most PDF viewers included
- Full, formatted Answer key included
