little town on the prairie book unit

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LITTLE TOWN ON THE PRAIRIE by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Multiple Choice Questions

Chapter 1 �Surprise� Chapter 2 �Springtime on the Claim�

1. What question did Pa asked Laura that surprised the whole family?

a. �Would you like to teach school?� b. �How would you like to work in town?� c. �Would you like a new dress?� d. �How many quarts of milk did you spill?�

2. Which springtime work did Laura like best?

a. housecleaning b. breaking sod c. gardening d. helping new neighbors

3. How many kernels of corn did Pa plant in each hole?

a. 2 b. 3 c. 4 d. 5

4. Where did Laura and Mary pick violets?

a. buffalo wallow b. Pa�s cornfield c. Big Slough d. the flower garden

5. When Pa finished building the claim shanty, what rooms were in the new part?

a. a kitchen b. a parlor c. two bedrooms d. a bathroom

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Chapter 3 �The Necessary Cat� Chapter 4 �The Happy Days�

1. How did Pa�s hair get �cut� during the night?

a. a mouse chewed it b. the cat bit it off c. Pa dreamed he cut it d. Ma cut it

2. What surprise did Pa bring Ma and the girls?

a. candy b. a letter c. a paper d. a kitten

3. How much did Pa pay for the necessary cat?

a. .50 cents b. .20 cents c. .40 cents d. .30 cents

4. What gift did Mrs. Boast intend to send to Ma?

a. a flock of chicks b. a pig c. another kitten d. a cake

5. What exciting news did the girls have to tell Pa when he came home from work?

a. the cow got loose b. kitty killed a mouse c. Grace caught a gopher d. Ma made pancakes for supper

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 5 �Working in Town� Chapter 6 �The Month of Roses�

1. What job would Laura do in town?

a. make shirts b. work in the hotel c. run a sewing machine d. wash dishes

2. What new invention did Ma hope to own one day?

a. a washing machine b. a car c. a sewing machine d. a bicycle

3. How much money did Laura earn each week from sewing?

a. $2.00 b. $1.50 c. $3.50 d. $5.50

4. What did Laura see torn while she was sewing?

a. shirts b. Mr. Clancy�s yard goods c. mosquito netting in doors d. her dress

5. How did Mr. Pryor damage the screen doors?

a. by kicking them in with his foot b. by punching them open c. by tearing them with a knife d. by shoving holes in them

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 7 �Nine Dollars� Chapter 8 �Fourth of July�

1. How many chickens did Mrs. Boast give to Ma?

a. 12 b. 10 c. 14 d. 16

2. What did Ma plan to buy with the money Laura earned from sewing for Mrs. White?

a. a chicken coop b. cloth for Mary�s new dress and hat c. Mary�s train ticket d. a new dress for Laura

3. What kind of sandwiches did Ma make for Pa, Laura, and Carrie to take to town for the Fourth of July?

a. ham and cheese b. chicken c. bread and butter d. peanut butter and jelly

4. What did Carrie wish she had for the Fourth of July?

a. fried chicken b. firecrackers c. smoked herring d. horses

5. Whose team of matched Morgan horses won the horse race pulling a peddler�s wagon?

a. Pa�s b. Mr. Boast�s c. Almanzo Wilder d. Royal Wilder

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 9 �Blackbirds� Chapter 10 �Mary Goes to College�

1. What was the name of the strange grass Mary found clinging to her skirt?

a. buffalo grass b. Spanish needle grass c. oat grass d. French cutting grass

2. What book did Ma wish Mrs. Boast could loan them?

a. Godey�s Lady�s Book b. Dressmaker�s Guide c. Mrs. Clark�s Fashions d. Dressmaking for Dummies

3. What did Ma use to make a pie for dinner?

a. blackbirds b. chicken c. apples d. pears

4. When Pa and Ma took Mary to college, what did Laura and Carrie decide to do?

a. visit their grandmother b. walk to town c. the fall housecleaning d. ride the horses

5. What present did Ma and Pa bring to Carrie and Laura from Vinton?

a. a picture book b. Godey�s Lady�s Book c. an autograph album d. a geography book

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 11 �Miss Wilder Teaches School� Chapter 12 �Snug for Winter�

1. Which pupil comes to school late on the first day of school?

a. Laura Ingalls b. Minnie Powers c. Ida Brown d. Nellie Oleson

2. What did Laura decide to do even if Nellie Oleson was mean to her?

a. �I will be good.� b. �I will be kind.� c. �I will like her.� d. �I will be her friend.�

3. Where did Laura discover a secret while packing clothes to move to town?

a. in the closet b. under the bed c. in Ma�s bottom bureau drawer d. in the kitchen cabinet

4. What was the name of the book Laura discovered?

a. Godey�s Lady�s Book b. Tennyson�s Poems c. McGuffey�s Readers d. Emerson�s Essays

5. Living in town would be much better for___________.

a. Carrie b. Mary c. Laura d. Ma

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 13 �School Days� Chapter 14 �Sent Home from School�

1. Who did the big girls think was Miss Wilder�s �teacher�s pet?�

a. Minnie Powers b. Ida Brown c. Nellie Oleson d. Laura Ingalls

2. What was Nellie �scheming� to do?

a. make friends with Miss Wilder b. get Pa fired from the school board c. ride behind Almanzo�s horses d. become a teacher

3. How many spelling words did Carrie miss in her lesson?

a. one b. two c. three d. four

4. How did Miss Wilder punish Mamie and Carrie?

a. she gave them a �time out� b. she made them stand in the corner c. she sent them home from school d. she rocked the seat

5. What happened when Laura offered to take over Carrie�s punishment?

a. they were sent home from school b. they were expelled from school c. they had to write spelling words on the board d. nothing

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 15 �The School Board�s Visit� Chapter 16 �Name Cards�

1. What was Miss Wilder�s first name?

a. Eliza Jane b. Agnes Anne c. Millie d. Gladys

2. Who wrote a naughty poem about Miss Wilder�s name?

a. Nellie b. Charlie c. Laura d. Ida

3. What did Nellie say were all the rage in fashion instead of autograph albums?

a. name cards b. autograph quilts c. friendship rings d. gift books

4. How much did a dozen name cards cost?

a. .35 cents b. .45 cents c. .25 cents d. 65 cents

5. Who got to ride in Almanzo Wilder�s buggy?

a. Laura b. Nellie c. Minnie d. Ida

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 17 �The Sociable� Chapter 18 �Literaries�

1. What did Ma call the bangs across Laura�s forehead?

a. lunatic fringe b. hair fringe c. bang fringe d. hairdo

2. Which historical figure was Reverend Brown�s relative?

a. John Brown b. Daniel Boone c. Abraham Lincoln d. Ambrose Pickett Brown

3. What kind of society did Pa say the town was starting?

a. sociable society b. reading society c. literary society d. church society

4. What did the town decide as a program for the first meeting?

a. poetry recitation b. singing c. a play d. spelling bee

5. Who spelled down the whole town?

a. Gerald Fuller b. Laura c. Mr. Foster d. Pa

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Chapter 19 �The Whirl of Gaiety�

1. What kind of program did the next Literary Society meeting feature?

a. singing b. music c. a play d. charades

2.. What kind of supper did the Ladies� Aid plan for Thanksgiving?

a. New England Supper b. Thanksgiving Feast c. Holiday Home Supper d. No supper

3. What food startled Laura, Carrie, Pa and Ma as they came to the church for supper?

a. turkey b. whole pig c. roasted chicken d. pumpkin pie

4. What Christmas present did Mary send to the family?

a. lace she made b. a book of Tennyson�s poems c. a letter d. a photograph

5. When Charley brought Laura a letter what did it invite her to do?

a. come to a birthday party b. go to the Ladies� Aid c. come to the literary d. go visit Ida

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 20 �The Birthday Party� Chapter 21 �The Madcap Days�

1. Laura went to a birthday party. Whose birthday did she help celebrate?

a. Mary Powers b. Ben Woodworth c. Ida Brown d. Florence Garland

2. What fruit did Laura see on the dinner table cut in the shape of a flower?

a. apple b. orange c. banana d. pear

3. What did Jim use to startle the party guests?

a. electricity b. a mouse c. cake d. noise maker

4. What was the last Literary show of the year?

a. charades b. music c. singing d. minstrel show

5. Ma and Laura worried Pa might have cut off these to be in the show. What did they worry about?

a. his pants b. his bangs c. his whiskers d. his shirt sleeves

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 22 �Unexpected in April� Chapter 23 �Schooltime Begins Again�

1. What was �unexpected in April?�

a. rain b. blizzard c. drought d. school

2. What new fashion did Carrie say would �make her dizzy� if she wore them as Laura did?

a. hoop skirts b. corsets c. lunatic fringe d. velvet hat

3. Where did Ida ask Laura to come instead of staying home studying?

a. school exhibition b. New England Dinner c. revival meeting d. birthday party

4. Who asked to see Laura home from church?

a. Cap Garland b. Mr. Owen c. Willie Oleson d. Almanzo Wilder

5. What part would Laura have to recite in the School Exhibition?

a. history b. grammar c. arithmetic d. spelling

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________



Chapter 24 �The School Exhibition� Chapter 25 �Unexpected in December�

1. Laura and which other pupil were to recite a review of American History?

a. Cap Garland b. Nellie Oleson c. Minnie Powers d. Ida Wright

2. What did Almanzo ask Laura if she liked to do in the winter?

a. build snowmen b. go sledding c. go sleigh riding d. drink hot chocolate

3. What gift did Mary send home for Christmas that year?

a. a letter b. new mittens c. a beaded vase d. a Braille slate

4. When Mr. Boast brings his friend Mr. Brewster to visit, what do they ask Laura?

a. to sew new shirts b. to visit the sick c. to teach school d. to recite her history program again

5. What does Mr. Williams give Laura?

a. a job b. teacher�s certificate c. sewing machine d. new pen and ink

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________


Multiple Choice Questions Answer Key

Chapters 1 & 2 1. b 2. c 3. c 4. a 5. c

Chapter 3 & 4 1. a 2. d 3. a 4. a 5. b

Chapters 5 & 6 1. a 2. c 3. b 4. c 5. a

Chapters 7 & 8 1. c 2. b 3. c 4. b 5. c

Chapters 9 & 10 1. b 2. a 3. a 4. c 5. c

Chapters 11 & 12 1. d 2. a 3. c 4. b 5. a

Chapters 13 & 14 1. c 2. c 3. c 4. d 5. a

Chapters 15 & 16 1. a 2. c 3. a 4. c 5. a

Chapters 17 & 18 1. a 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. d

Chapter 19 1. d 2. a 3. b 4. c 5. a

Chapter 20 & 21 1. b 2. b 3. a 4. d 5. c

Chapter 22 & 23 1. b 2. a 3. c 4. d 5. a

Chapters 24 & 25 1. d 2. c 3. c 4. c 5. b

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Discussion Questions (Chapters 1-16)

Were you surprised at Pa�s question to Laura about working in town? Why? Do you think it is as easy for most teenagers to get a job as it was for Laura? Do you think Laura enjoyed her job sewing shirts?

The story about the �Necessary Cat� in this book seems unusual to us. Can you think of how our world might be different if we didn�t have cats or dogs? Why do you think Pa was willing to pay so much for Kitty? Do you think you would have enjoyed living in Laura�s day? Why? Why not? Would it frighten you to think of a mouse nibbling your hair? How do you think the settlers were able to live with such pests? Do you think farmers today would allow a flock of blackbirds to destroy their corn crop as they did Pa�s? How could farmers stop them?

Laura and Carrie go with Pa to celebrate the 4th of July in town. Do you celebrate the 4th of July? What are some of the events of the day you enjoy? Was Laura�s day more exciting or less exciting than yours? How was Laura�s celebration different than yours? Describe a 4th of July in your town.

Were you happy to read about Mary going away to college? Do you have family members or friends who have gone to college? What is different about college today and in Mary�s day?

What did you think about Miss Wilder and her job of teaching school? Do you think she was a good or bad teacher? Why? Do you think she was fair? Was it wrong of her to punish Carrie and not Mamie? Was it wrong of her to let Laura rock the seat for Carrie? Do you think Pa and Ma did the right thing? What would your parents have done if you had been sent home from school? Do you think the school board made the right decision?

Laura enjoys life in town. Isn�t this a surprise? She always wanted to stay on the claim and use to dread going in to town. What do you think has made the difference in her feelings? Could it be because she has friends and fun activities now? Name a time in your life when you enjoyed an activity more because you had friends to share it with. Which of Laura�s friends do you like the most? Do you think Laura and Almanzo like one another? Are you happy he is �seeing her home� and has asked her to go sleigh riding? Do you think Laura is too young to �date�?

Name ______________________________________________ Date __________________


Discussion Questions (Chapters 17-24)

Some of the ways the Ingalls family had fun were with literaries and sociables. Do you think you would have enjoyed these activities? Why? Why not? Have you ever played charades or taken part in a spelling bee? How do you think Pa felt when he �spelled down� the whole town? Was he proud? Was Laura happy?

Laura is invited to Ben Woodworth�s birthday party. Laura has not been to a birthday party since she was a little girl. Did you find this strange? Why? Do you think this means Laura has never had a birthday party of her own? Are you sad for Laura? What made the birthday party so special? Name two things Laura wrote about that she remembered from that special evening. Would you have enjoyed being at Ben�s birthday party? Have you ever gone to a science museum and done the same experiment Ben�s brother, Jim, did? What was it?

Laura is given a teaching certificate at 15. Do you think this is too young to be a teacher? Why or why not? Do you think Laura was excited or frightened of this opportunity? Would you want to go so far from home to work? Why do you think Laura wants to earn money so much? Have you ever wanted to earn money to help someone in your family? What happened?

little town on the prairie book unit

Education