Structure Building - Big and Small!

For the past two Fridays we have been immersed in Native American structure projects! Last Friday, kids brought in the Native American structures they built for homework. We were very impressed by the thoughtful presentations and careful construction of each structure. Each student presented their structure report to the classes to share the research collected about how such structures were made by Native Americans hundreds of years ago, and the materials they used, as well as what region one would have found such dwellings in. They are now on display both in the school library and in the hallway outside the art room and have been stirring up a lot of interest and curiosity from other students at the school!

Today, teams of students with parent supervisors created a larger scale structure project at the Town Forest. Using only the resources available on the ground (fallen branches, pine needles, leaves, etc.) each team constructed a structure that they could use to shelter in overnight - though no one has ever stayed in one overnight to test it out...

The structures were all variations of lean-tos. Some had more of a tipi look while others resembled wetus and longhouses. They all had the look of dwellings in the northeast woodlands where such materials are abundant. Most groups also created a firepit and some groups had time for additional features such as a table made of found bricks and stone. A popular found item was a piece of charred wood leftover from a fire, the ashes of which made a very effective black warpaint. The finders of this treasure benefitted from attempts of other groups to trade resources to get a bit of it for their group.

We were excited to see the collaborative efforts of the kids as they worked together to get a structure up and covered. There was a lot of enthusiasm and engagement in this project and we can't thank our parent volunteers enough for being there to harness and direct that energy! Afterwards, the kids were excited to have some well earned time to play in the structures, or take a walk to look for lady slipper flowers in bloom, or check out the first steps of the meadow in the process of being re-made.

Check out the pictures below of both today's group efforts and the individual structure projects.