Just a reminder that this Friday is our field trip to Chief Lelooska's Lodge! It is rather chilly inside the longhouse, so students should wear layers for warmth (field trip shirts or regular uniforms are ok.) Please remember to pack a snack and lunch for your child. We will be riding on a bus for this trip. Your child may bring a book or writing/drawing tablet for the ride.
Rough drafts of the Artifact descriptive paragraph was due today. These have been edited and will be returned today with a checklist for the final draft. Please email me if you have any questions.
Unless your family is leaving early for the break, please don't send in artifacts until Monday. We don't have enough space to store them for an extended period. Thank you!
What is a Potlatch!?
A potlatch is a gift-giving festival of the tribes of the Northwest region. There is music, dancing, formalization of contracts, feasts, and spiritual ceremonies. Most potlatches would be at least a year in the planning, and would center around showing off the host's power and wealth. Through the giving of gifts, a host's riches were clearly visible. Great feasts showed the industrious, productive year the host's family had. Songs and dancing would tell of the host's impressive genealogy, wealth, and influence.
What is a CHPCS potlatch!? It is a time of family and celebration. We display our wealth of knowledge and learning. It is an opportunity for students to entertain, inform, and impress their families.
Our EIGHTH annual CHPCS Potlatch will occur on Tuesday, November 26. We hope you and other honored guests can come to our lodge and enjoy our riches and hospitality. Your third grader's hard work will be on exhibit in an artifact museum and on stage with our Native American Sound Poem. We will also be holding a potluck, with food inspired by the traditional foods of your student's tribe.
Details:
Who: The families and friends of first, second, and third graders.
What: performances, museum, potluck.
When and where:
12:00 p.m.: Grand Entrance with first, second, and third grade. In the gym.
12:00-12:30: Songs, presentations, and performances by first, second, and third grade. In the gym.
12:30-1:30: Potluck lunch (thank you to our wonderful first, second, and third grade families!). In the gym.
1:30ish: Recess and cleanup, takedown.
Why: celebrate family, community, and the end of our Native Americans units.
How: please see volunteer needs below.
A NATIVE AMERICAN-INSPIRED POTLUCK DISH!?
It will be ok. We have always had fun, interesting, and delicious potluck contributions.
First, what tribe is your child studying? Each region had unique food groups or styles of food.
Pacific Northwest: think fishing
Plateau: think fishing, hunting
Great Plains: think buffalo (beef?)
Southwest: think farming (especially the Three Sisters)
Eastern Woodlands: think fishing (mmmm lobster!), hunting, and some farming
Next, think of a dish that incorporates a food that is or is similar to what your tribe may have traditionally eaten. For example: if I am studying the Spokane people of the Plateau region, I might bring smoked salmon. If I am studying the Pima tribe of the Southwest, I might bring in corn soup. Feel free to get creative with the "inspired" part: if a dish calls for acorns, substitute hazelnuts or cashews instead. If you want to make pemmican and prairie turnips, substitute turnips instead. Cattails are a lot like potatoes!
Here are some jumping-off points too:
On the day of the potlatch, you can either send your family's potluck dish with your second grader, or bring it when you come to watch the show. We will have labels to identify the dish as well as possible allergens (tree nuts, peanuts, gluten, dairy, etc.).
If your child will need to access the school lunch program, we will be sure that happens. However, we will strongly encourage and expect children to try something new or interesting at the potluck (please don't pack your child a lunch that day!). If your family is unable to bring a dish to share, we understand; there has never been a shortage of food! Please be sure to still send your child to school with a snack!
Volunteer needs:
- Tuesday the 26th: Help set up the potluck tables; supervise decorations, chair-setting up, etc.
- Tuesday the 26th: Stay a little after to help clean up potluck.
- Tuesday the 26th: Official videographer/photographer (you will make a copy of video and/or pictures for me/Mrs. Marlatt).
I can stay after and help cleanup.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Maguire.