Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study & Lapbook

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Hetty and Hank live in a small cabin in the mountains and although cozy, they are poor and have never owned a pair of shoes. They each wanted a beautiful shining pair that sang, ‘Creaky-squeaky-creaky-squeaky’ every time they walked. However, Mammy and Pappy give them reasons they cannot have them, such as, “You can’t find shoes like that in these hills” and “We’ve everything we need right here in these hills.”
So they go to Granny who gives them an idea to plant turnip seeds and when they grow into “fine big turnips” they can take them down, down the mountain to town to sell for a pair of shoes. So that is just what Hetty and Hank do.

Thanks to Wende, Ginger, and Tamara for collaborating to create this Down, Down the Mountain unit study and lapbook.

Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study Lessons

This unit study includes lessons and printables based on the book Down, Down the Mountain by Ellis Credle.

Here are some sample lessons from the Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study:

Geography: Appalachian Mountains
Hetty and Hank live on the Blue Ridge Mountains. This range is part of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern United States, running from Pennsylvania to Alabama. Have your child find the Appalachian Mountains on a United States map. This region has a very unique culture, with stories, songs, dances and games that carried on for generations. The log cabin, butter churn, corn cob pipe, fiddle and the dress found throughout the story are all characteristic of Appalachian culture. A fun picture book to expand on Appalachian culture is Billy Boy by Richard Chase.

Science: Gardening
Gardening was a fun but also necessary chore for the people of the Appalachian Mountains. They needed these fruits and vegetables to survive through the cold winters and until the following year’s crops came in. Depending on what time of the year you are sharing this book, planting a garden is a wonderful hands-on way for your children to learn about the foods they eat.

Science: Seeds
Hetty and Hank planted turnip seeds. A seed is a little package of plant life. A seed coat protects the inside embryo, which is the baby plant. Explain to your child how not all seeds will grow though. They need air, plenty of water, and the right temperature and amount of light to begin to grow, or germinate. After the seed germinates, the root grows down into the soil, and the shoot grows up towards the sun. The leaves, buds, and flowers grow from this new shoot. The more rich and fertile the soil is, the healthier the plant will be.

You can grab a copy of the entire Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study and Lapbook in an easy-to-print file at the end of this post.

Down, Down the Mountain Lapbook Printables

In addition to the unit study lessons, this file includes these mini-books and printables for your student to create a Down, Down the Mountain lapbook:

Blue Ridge Mountains Map Simple Fold
Appalachian Animals Photos (use to create your own mini-book)
Night Birds Flap Book
Owls Layer Book
Whippoorwill Layer Book
Down, Down, the Mountain Word Problems
Money Matchbooks
Different Kinds of Crops Mini-book
Turnips Notebook Page and Pocket
Down, Down the Mountain Copywork Page
Simile Shutterflap Book
Onomatopoeia Flap Book

How to Get Started with Your Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study & Lapbook

Follow these simple instructions to get started with the Down, Down the Mountain Unit Study:

Buy a copy of the book, Down, Down the Mountain, or borrow one from your local library.
Print the Down, Down the Mountain unit study.
Choose the lessons you want to use with your student (a highlighter works great for this).
Choose and prepare the lapbook printables you want to use with your student.
Enjoy a week of learning with Down, Down the Mountain.