|
Smoke from a wood fire filled an authentic life-sized replica of a longhouse, as Pawling Elementary School fourth graders enjoyed their annual field trip to the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS) on November 17.
Students inspected every corner of the space, from the hickory cordage tying together the frame to the artfully-placed bark sheltering the structure, while museum educator Darlene Kascak asked the group to imagine life as the indigenous children who lived in similar homes hundreds of years ago.
The request matched the goal of the trip perfectly; fourth-grade teacher Diane O’Brien explained that identifying the differences between how Native Americans lived hundreds of years ago and how we live today, whether indigenous or immigrant, is an integral part of the fourth graders’ current social studies unit, “Cultural Quest: New York Storytellers.”
“Our study focuses on the Native American groups, primarily Algonkin and Haudenosaunee (commonly known as Iroquois), that inhabited this region,” she said. “The aim of the unit is to give the students a true understanding of the Native American way of life in this northern woodland area so long ago. What better way than to experience a piece of that for themselves?”
Located in Washington, CT, IAIS is a museum and research center that explores the indigenous history of New England through archaeology, education and exhibits. The museum features indoor and outdoor exhibits that display artifacts and teach visitors about prehistoric to contemporary Native American life. Pawling fourth-grade classes have been visiting IAIS for over 15 years to provide a practical link to their classroom studies and offer a tangible glimpse into Native American culture.
Pawling’s fourth graders dove into the history and culture of local Native American groups, exploring a mural depicting daily life, inspecting cultural artifacts and learning about the indigenous people’s connection to the earth – and how that connection helped build their culture.
“We learn about how they formed their culture through interactions with the natural environment,” said O’Brien. “The realization that the land provided them with everything they needed is especially important for the students to understand.”
This concept was not lost on fourth grader Emilia Facchin, who said that her favorite part of the trip was learning about the many ways the Native Americans used the animals that they hunted.
“I liked learning about how they respected nature and didn’t kill for reasons aside from hunting and using every part of the animals,” said Emilia. “I wish more people did that now because sometimes people hunt just for fun. Maybe we could learn from what they did.”
| 
