Make a Poster About the Cowboy Spirit

By Fred Rogers Productions

Jan 30, 2026

In the Alma’s Way episode “Cowboy Howard,” Alma and Howard meet a local cowboy who teaches them about the traditions of Black Cowboys, their spirit of helpfulness, and shared sense of responsibility to the animals and community. He also teaches them about the lives and legacies of three Black Cowboys who embodied the cowboy spirit.

Nat Love was a respected cowboy known for his strong work ethic, bravery, and skill working with the lasso and training wild horses.
Bill Pickett was a famous rodeo steer wrestler and the first Black cowboy movie star.
Stagecoach Mary, the first African American woman star route carrier for the United States Postal Service, was known for her fearlessness. She protected deliveries from weather and bandits and was also known for being generous and kind, especially to children.

After learning about the Cowboy spirit, Alma reminds Howard how he helped Mr. Ramirez’s cat and protected her brother Junior and the ducks at the park. Howard realizes that having the cowboy spirit means he is a real cowboy too

How do you show your cowboy or cowgirl spirit? Use the “My Spirit” writing activity and printable cowboy boots to create a poster that shows how you help the people and animals in your community.

Materials

Directions

Think about how you show your spirit and write about it on the “My Spirit” page. What are some of the ways you help people and animals? When you have finished writing, follow the lines on the page and cut out your message. You might like to use your message as inspiration to design a pair of boots that reflect your spirit.

Next, cut out the boots from the template provided or cut out your own unique pair of boots from construction paper.

Decorate your boots using the shapes and patterns on the page provided or any materials you have.

Paste your boots onto a piece of construction paper.

Paste the “My Spirit” message onto the construction paper with your boots.

Take It Further

Read More, Learn More!
Want to learn more about Black cowboy history like Howard? Visit your local library and ask a librarian to help you find books about them. How many cowboys can you find at your library?

Storytelling
Can you write a story about yourself or a story about a cowboy? Where would you go, what would you do? Write or draw your story to share with others.