The combination of primary and secondary sources available in
this collection contribute to a teacher's ability to use
Buckaroos in Paradise for classroom exercises in historical
thinking. Like most "Folk life" collections, Buckaroos in
Paradise offers a rich first-person perspective on daily life,
which can complement textbook instruction. 1) Chronological
Thinking The in-depth research on one family and community in
this collection make it a good resource for constructing
narratives that establish temporal order, or how things change
over time. The history of ranching culture in this part of the
West can be traced, for instance, through this community's
architecture. The adobe homesteads of the early immigrants, the
elaborate bunkhouses constructed by Italian-American
stonemasons, and the mobile homes and prefabricated houses built
for workers and their families in more recent years all are
examples of dwellings common to the region over the years. The
Bunk Houses and Line Cabins section of the Views of a W