Samuel Morse & the Morse Code

Next week, we'll be going to the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph, MO. We have learned that the Gold Rush was the event that created the need for the Pony Express and the completion of the transcontinental telegraph triggered the ending of it. So, today we read a book about Samuel Morse and the Morse Code. Then, we each took turns writing letters to each other in Morse Code. Then, we had to decipher it. Above is a copy of my message.

Resources:

• Lives and Times: Samuel Morse by Hall - a nice, 32 page introduction to Morse, the Morse code, and his telegraph
• Samuel Morse by Kerby - I actually read this children's book to myself as it is a lot longer. There is a diagram and instructions of a telegraph set you can make yourself & I think we'll try it! (see below - we tried it with Papa doing the work!)
• Quick, Annie, Give Me a Catchy Line! by Quackenbush - has some humor, too

• 

While we were visiting, Alexandra's Papa built her this telegraph set. He remembered making one when he was in school.

The picture above is of Alexandra watching her Papa build the telegraph. It was fun to play with and see how they actually work! Thanks Papa!!!