Iroquois Nation Gathering

This social studies unit crossed disciplines and content areas and provided an authentic opportunity for hands-on, project-based learning.

 

The students created their dress including turtle shell rattles, false face masks, necklaces, and wampum belts. All projects were connected and woven into the curriculum. The wampum belts, for example, provided the perfect opportunity to use math skills to create patterns and weave symmetrical designs.

 

As a part of language arts, the children wrote their own legends, which they masterfully shared in the performance. Storytelling skills are an integral part of literacy and were expanded through the murals the children created in art to depict the details of their legends. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, and stories help us make meaning of our lives.

 

Congratulations, second graders, on a truly authentic gathering.