Fifth graders joined
a campfire committee to prepare for the culminating "campfire"
simulation. The committees included:
food: snacks for sharing
environment: room transformation
entertainment: games, dance, song breaks
agenda: order of events, storytelling bag
and/or talking stick
The children researched an aspect of NE woodlands inhabitants for their committee work. Games, music, food, symbols on bags and sticks, etc. must all be as authentic as possible. The following sources were helpful:
More Than Moccasins by Laurie Carlson
A Native American Feast by Lucille Recht Penner
Native American bookmarks on the WWW
Notes taken when the class visited Museum of Indian Culture in Allentown
The children came prepared with all necessary supplies to transform their classroom into a NE Woodlands Native American Storytelling Setting by a specified date.
The campfire this year occurred the day before Thanksgiving. Small stars (lights) twinkled from the ceiling as the students encircled a flashlight-driven fire. Each child in turn selected an item from the story bag to determine who would share their myth next. Snacks and entertainment were interspersed throughout the storytelling process.
The fifth
graders participated in the campfire with the dignity and respect
of people who truly care about each other and the environment
in which they're living.