Pioneer: One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow.
There are so many great stories from the American frontier that will appeal to children. Stories of Pioneers, Native Americans, Cowboys and Frontier living--high adventure in the rugged wilds. There are so many good stories, in fact, that you will probably want to spread them out over the next three months. Next month you can easily add in some stories of Lincoln and the following month, stories of the Civil War, that will connect very easily with whatever you are reading about frontier life.
I loved this thought from one of the books that I took a story from that I put on the back of the American Frontier book: "The brave, true lives of these hardy men and women have made this beautiful country possible. There is no better thing to do than to live so that other people will be happier because of your life."
You'll find lots of great options in the online library. If you are looking for library books, All the Little House on the Prairie books are favorites as well as the Sarah, Plain and Tall series. Little Britches by Ralph Moody is a great choice for boys as they see life on the Colorado frontier--Littleton, to be exact. We lived there for several years which is where I learned about the book. Also, I've heard so many strong recommendations for Louis L'Amour's Lonesome Gods and how it teaches so many important lessons about learning.
I love the old TV classics--the Little House on the Prairie Series and Daniel Boone. There are quite a few youtube episodes of Daniel Boone you can watch for free. Here's a list of all of them, and many are linked to the youtubes. Yes, cheesy by today's standards, not very politically correct, but good solid morals and values. They warm the heart. When I was looking through episodes, I came across this Daniel Boone gem that will speak to you Well Educated Hearts moms. It's a story of book learning vs. heart learning, really. Grab some popcorn and sit down and watch it with your kids.
Don't forget the Enrichment section. You'll find crafts, foods, movies, and lots of great music to listen to.