4-Week 4: Sept. 27-Oct. 1
Dear Families,
We are wrapping up a favorite unit of mine, Anishinaabe and Voyageur Life and History. As I have said previously, it also serves as an introduction to many other social studies and science themes we will be covering. We learned how the Ojibwe culture was critical to the voyageurs survival and still influential for us today. We’ll discuss how science and technology have changed through the years and improved items such as canoes, canoe paddles, packs and even blankets. Once my smartboard works again, we’ll watch a short documentary created by Grand Portage and the National Parks Service
Thursday was a lovely day to hike to the river to a spot below Superior Street. Students were divided into 3 brigades (groups) and each had a paddling partner (buddy) to stay with. Brigades rotated through 3 different stations run by our wonderful parent volunteers for 20” each.
Station 1: The Life of an Ojibwe or Voyageur (we used a lot of reality and imagination)
Students paddles across a lake and then continued to work together as a team as they portaged their, canoe, paddles, fur pack, cook and tent pack and other necessary gear. Once their day of paddling and portaging was done, the brigade had to then set up camp with all members participating in necessary tasks like pitching the tent (laying out the blankets), firewood gathering, fire building, food preparation and cooking before laying down for a well deserved rest. They then of course the next morning had to pack up and head out portaging and paddling once again.
Station 2: The “Rendezvous”: At the Rendezvous, once the furs were delivered and traded for goods such as beads, voyageurs celebrated their journey’s end. Food and fun was the order of the day. Students experienced “Bannock,” a flatbread eaten by the voyageurs, , and some fruits of the forest (dried cranberries and maple sugar harvested by last year’s first graders sugarbus) and then entered into challenges that tested their skill, stamina, and balance that an Ojibwe or voyageur would have needed.
Students stood trying to balance on a log. After safely balancing on the log, the next test was to try their hand with a section of rope to play a unique twist to the idea of tug-o’war. Slack and skill rather than strength won the challenge to be one to stay on the log and not step off. It is called “Cat and Mouse.” (chat et souris) or “fox and rabbit” (renard et lapin).
They also played a game called stick ball that used sticks and a leather pouch filled with seeds that they tossed back and forth to each other.
Trading: Fur (beaver, mink coat, fur hat) Basket with goods to trade (needs: food, moccasins, woven sashes, pot, red blanket, fire starter and Wants: plastic bags of beads, felt hats, jewelry, hair piece, whistle,
Station 3: Canoe Building and Fur Packing for Lake and River Travel: The Anishinaabe and Voyageurs were amazing engineers using natural materials, particularly birch bark, to build their canoes. When the students filled their “canoes” with “furs” in bundles of 10, they had to be very careful to balance the load and identify their partners of ten and the switched partner. Students similarly had to “build their canoe” (using birch barK) and then carefully “load it with furs” (leaves) before launching it out into the river. They watched it go through calmer water before swift water and then a “rapid” to see how successful their engineering was.
Students were all engaged, had a fabulous time with also fantastic experiential learning taking place. Once again I thank all the parents who volunteered and helped make this day a success. I’ll have a number of pictures posted on our class website soon. If you would like me to send you some via email please respond to this email and let me know. Thank you. Without you, these outdoor adventures aren’t possible! Stay tuned for our next outdoor adventure.
Sincerely, Mrs. Pilate