The fourth grade traveled to Churchville Nature Center last week and got to experience first hand the life of the Lenape Indians in the 1500's just prior to European contact. Much was discovered, from how to plant a Three Sister's garden to what foods the Lenape foraged for. They learned how food was cooked and stored and got to sample corn meal cakes with a bit of blueberry.
While sitting in a long house, they learned about the social structure of the different clans. Students played games that were designed for developing their aim and acuity for hunting. They inspected different weapons the Lenape used for hunting as well as having the opportunity to examine different types of animal pelts that were most commonly hunted. The children also discovered how all the parts of an animal were used, the Lenape were not a wasteful culture.
Students tried three different methods of starting a fire with friction. The weather conditions weren't on our side that day and unfortunately there was no ignition. This week the students were charged with designing and drawing up blueprints and directions for construction of their own wigwam. We started work on a class wigwam this week,
so make sure to check back to see how all their imaginings developed.
An additional note:
The fourth grade spends the year studying the history of Philadelphia. If you are looking for something to do with your child next weekend and are interested in enriching their understanding of colonial Philadelphia, the re-enactment of the Battle of Germantown on the grounds of Cliveden in Mt. Airy, PA. is an exciting event to attend. Below is a link with more information.
Cliveden Grounds | 6400 Germantown Ave.
Reenactments of the Battle of Germantown at Noon & 3pm
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