K-2 Students Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Teamwork and collaboration were at its best among the primary classes at The Learning Center Charter School as students in kindergarten through second grade celebrated Native American Heritage Month in November.

Each grade level represented a different Native American Tribe across the nation and studied their tribe in-depth. The unit ended with a pow-wow among all the grades.

Kindergarten represented the Woodland tribe of the Wampanoag. The Wampanoag was the first tribe to meet the Pilgrims. Kindergarten students learned the Wampanoag taught the pilgrims how to survive in their new land and they were also the tribe that celebrated the first Thanksgiving.

First Grade students represented the Southeast region as the Cherokee tribe. They learned the Cherokee language and writing system was invented by Sequoyah, a famous Cherokee. First Graders also learned how the Cherokee used natural resources to make their homes, canoes, jewelry, and clothing.

Second grade students represented the Plains as the Lakota Sioux. Students learned how the Lakota were nomads and buffalo hunters who traveled around the Great Plains. They also learned the Lakota were great warriors, like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse who defeated Colonel Custer in the Battle of Little Big- Horn famously known as ‘Custer’s Last Stand’.

As part of the culminating pow-wow, students created Native American costumes, jewelry, and instruments. Students paraded around the campus to authentic Native American music. At the pow-wow each class shared with the others facts about the tribe they represented. The students were even able to sample cornbread made by the hands of the Wampanoag (kindergarten). The Cherokee (first grade) shared Tuya Gadu, delicious bread made with sweet potatoes, corn and sweetened with maple syrup.