The Westford School community came together to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day, helping students build a stronger connection to the land, water, and cultures that have nurtured them for generations.
Celebrating Indigenous Culture and Connection to the Land (October 2024)
This year, Westford students from PreK to Grade 8 celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day through a series of activities, lessons, and projects that honored the sacredness of the land, the value of water, and the contributions of Indigenous peoples throughout history.
Engaging Primary Students: PreK-2 Activities
Key Vocabulary Lessons: Students learned about terms such as Indigenous, culture, myth, regalia, and more, helping them connect to the stories and traditions of Indigenous peoples.
Nature Mandalas:
Students collected fallen natural materials to create nature mandalas, reflecting the theme of connection to the land.
The activity was extended to explore patterns, spirals, symmetry, and repetition, fostering appreciation for the land.
Students learned about the importance of only taking what they need from nature, a value deeply rooted in Indigenous culture.
Focus on Water: 3rd and 4th Grade Activities
Theme: This year’s celebration was centered around water, recognizing its vital role in our lives, past and present, and its importance to Indigenous communities.
Morning Meetings:
Students engaged in lessons that included videos, readings, and discussions to learn about Indigenous Peoples Day.
They explored the EWSD K-2 Lesson Suggestions, which provided resources to deepen their understanding of Indigenous culture and the meaning of this special day.
Connected Texts:
Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior
We Are Water Protectors
A Cool Drink of Water
Creative Projects:
Watercolor Mandalas:
Students created water mandalas, inspired by the circles found in various cultural practices, to represent the patterns and movements of water.
The artworks were paired with descriptive words, reflecting the value and properties of water.
Haiku Poems:
Students expressed their thoughts about water through Haiku poetry, focusing on its value, shapes, patterns, and movements.
STEM Project - We Can Speak for the Water:
Students designed visual representations to raise awareness about the importance of protecting water and ways we can take action.
Expanding the Theme: 5th and 6th Grade Activities
Morning Meetings and Land Acknowledgement:
Students participated in discussions about Indigenous Peoples Day and acknowledged the land where we live, recognizing its history and significance.
Creating an Indigenous Alphabet Book:
Students worked on a project to create an alphabet book that highlighted significant Indigenous individuals, traditions, and contributions.
The completed books will be shared with younger students, helping build connections across grades and enhancing awareness.
Ongoing Curriculum: 7th and 8th Grade
Indigenous history and contributions are integrated into the humanities curriculum, ensuring students learn about Indigenous culture and history as part of their education.
Last year, students learned quite a bit about The Wampanoag, known as The People of the First Light, who encountered Pilgrims landing at Plimoth in 1620.
On Monday, we started with a very short video from Voice of America called Understanding Indigenous Peoples' Day. It covers Columbus, Columbus Day, Italian Americans, controversy, and Indigenous People’s Day.
During the rest of the week, we will see videos and discuss the issue of America’s Native American boarding schools, but we’ll end the week with a focus on the pride of Indigenous People as they try to reclaim their place in the world.
Continuing the Conversation: Community and Connection
Students learned about community, connection, and respect for nature through discussions about why we gather in circles, the significance of the land, and the role of water. Being in school on Indigenous Peoples' Day provided an opportunity to honor Indigenous Peoples, with the intent to continue these conversations and connections throughout the year, building a deeper understanding of and respect for the sustainability and history of the land, which are essential to Indigenous cultures.
Resources for Families:
PebbleGo articles on Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day (Username: westford, Password: school)
Videos and readings about Indigenous culture and history from Vermont Online Library.