Fifth Grade has been studying Native Americans of North America and have culminated their study with a celebration known as a Potlatch. This special celebration marks the birth of a child, rites of passages, weddings, funerals, and honoring of the deceased. The potlatch will usually involve a feast, with music, dance, theatricality and spiritual ceremonies. A Potlatch is a magnificently planned party. It's a really big deal. Planning for a potlatch might take an entire year, or even longer! Today, as in olden times, each person invited to a potlatch receives a present. This present can be as simple as a pencil or as complicated as a carving. In keeping with this potlatch tradition, the 5th grade students each created a “gift” to be given to another student. Everyone was excited with the giving and receiving of gifts! After learning about the different Native American groups, their customs, lodgings, foods they ate, and even how they dressed, the potlatch was a fun way to wrap up this unit of study.
Thank you to Mrs. Elam, our fifth grade social studies teacher, for directing this hands on learning experience!
