self portrait as animal

   We discussed animal totems in the Native American tradition, what each of us thought our totem(s) were or might be, and looked up qualities associated with those animal totems.
   Then the students looked at some reference images online and brainstormed on paper about what their compositions might look like before beginning their official totem piece, imaging themselves or their spirit in the animals they were depicting.
   Very interesting and lovely results!

museum as classroom - 'our universes'

First week in the 'Our Universes' exhibit we discussed some background, common questions, and some misconceptions about Native Americans before moving into the alcove dedicated to the Anishinaabe people.  Below are some of the exhibit signs and displays for those in the class to review and finish drawings.

  

 We also discussed the  traditional roles of male and female elders in the community, men, women, and children.  After class we went to the children's play area, and these are a couple of books for supplemental reading.  The Birchbark House is a story about an Ojibwa girl (another name for Anishinaabe).  Raven is not specific to the Anishinaabe, but looks like a fun trickster tale. 

 

How Raven Stole the Sun is also a book that is mentioned in the intro of the exhibit.  When I looked for it in Amazon, I noticed they also have How Raven Stole the Moon.

dia de los muertos

Last Friday at Scoop, the kids discussed the Day of the Dead - Dia de los Muertos - celebrations that take place in Mexico every year, the night of Nov. 1, in celebration of loved ones and ancestors. They looked at some images of Day of the Dead masks and then worked to create their own drawing of a skull or scene!

Many thanks to my assistant Cathie, and one of the mommas, Zette, who scrounged some materials and pulled off this lesson with the kids while I had a major transportation delay and could not make it in time for class.