Stake Your Claim: A Hands On Survival Challenge

160 Acres. Five Years. Can You Make It?

The year is 1862. The Homestead Act has opened the door to landownership. But claiming 160 acres is only the beginning!

In this exciting, hands-on historical challenge, students become aspiring homesteaders, working in teams to claim their piece of the American frontier.

Armed with flags, claim cards, and a little determination, teams race to stake their claims. But the real challenge is just beginning!

As students work to establish their homesteads, they encounter unexpected hardships, difficult choices, and the realities of life on the Great Plains. Each challenge requires teamwork, problem-solving, and decisions that could determine their success or failure.

Can they improve their land, meet the requirements of the Homestead Act, and successfully prove up on their claims? Not every homesteader succeeds!

What Students Will Learn

How the Homestead Act of 1862 worked, from filing a claim to proving up.
Why access to water, timber, and suitable land mattered.
The challenges and responsibilities of establishing a homestead.
How decisions, environmental conditions, and unexpected hardships affected success.
Why some homesteaders succeeded while others abandoned their claims.

Program Information

Duration: Approximately 45 minutes

Format: Interactive, team-based historical challenge

Activities: Simulated land claims, decision-making cards, physical participation, and problem-solving.

Designed for school and homeschool groups. Appropriate grade levels, group sizes, and space requirements are discussed before booking.

History becomes the challenge — and your students become part of the story.

Bring Frontier History to Life

In Stake Your Claim: Homestead Survival Challenge, students experience the excitement, danger, teamwork, and determination of frontier life through unforgettable hands-on historical adventure.

📩 Book a Homestead Program

Bring frontier history to life in your classroom or homeschool group.

👉 Request availability and pricing today.