Native American
culture is a rich, engaging subject for children.
Native American cultural traditions make for engaging, fun children's school activities. Suitable for both rainy days at home and a classroom setting, there are many types of activities associated with this culture. Children will enjoy creating and engaging in Native American crafts, songs, dances and games, as well as classroom Native American days with costumes and themed food.
Rainstick Craft
A rainstick is a Native American ceremonial instrument from South America. Children love the fun noise it makes when you turn it upside down. Have the children bring in a paper towel tubes and trace the ends of their tubes onto pieces of brown construction paper. They should draw another circle around the outside of that one and draw spokes, or lines, connecting the two circles. They can then cut out their circles and cut along the spokes to resemble tassels. Have the children glue the paper circles to one end of the tubes. Distribute sheets of aluminum foil that are 1.5 times the length of the tubes and 6 inches wide. Children should manipulate the aluminum foil into two spring shapes and insert them into the cardboard tube. To finish the rainsticks, pour a small amount of dry rice or beans into each tube and have children seal the other side with another paper circle. They can then decorate the rainsticks using crayons, markers or paint.
Appeal for a Clear Sky Song
Children will love learning a Native American song and dance. An activity most suitable for a music class, the Appeal for a Clear Sky is a ceremony intended to ward off war and encourage peace and prosperity. Have children stand in rows and, in a simplified version of the dance, repeat the lines of the songs four times while facing east, north, west and south. While the song lyrics and music are posted on various online Native American resources, a selection of words from the Appeal for a Clear Sky is: "away, away, dark clouds, away! leave the sky! go far away, dark clouds, today! leave the sky!" The lyrics are simple and easy for young children to grasp and this activity will encourage further discussion regarding Native American song and dance traditions.
Legends
Explore Native American legends in the classroom. Read a legend to the children and discuss what legends are and the purpose they serve in Native American culture. There are many legends about Native American children, such as the Legend of the Bluebonnet, that students will be able to relate to. After the class discussion, have children devise their own Native American legends. After they draft the stories on paper, students can type and print them and then create a title and cover for their legends using pencils, crayons or markers.
Classroom Celebration
A fun way to end a unit on Native American culture and traditions is a classroom party. Have students dress in costume and consider dedicating a classroom period beforehand to creating wearable crafts such as headdresses from brown construction paper and feathers. Children can also bring in simple themed foods, such as corn on the cob, frybread, turkey and cornbread, to taste and share with one another. Fun activities for a Native American classroom party include having children read their legends aloud, performing the song learned in music class, and arts and crafts.
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