Third Grade Students Visit Lenape Village at Churchville Nature Center

Third grade students have recently been learning about the Indigenous People of North America. During the unit, the students develop an understanding of the indigenous cultures of our country from pre-colonial times to today. 

The entire grade recently traveled to the Lenape Village at Churchville Nature Center for a field trip during which they enjoyed a hands-on experience that demonstrated what life was like in our region nearly 500 years ago. During the visit, students moved throughout numerous stations, each exploring a specific subtopic of Lenape culture and life. They experienced how Lenape children learned life skills and had fun, planted seeds in the “three sisters” garden, ground corn to make corn cakes, and examined a wide variety of tools for making fire, hunting, farming, and even making dugout canoes. The highlight was spending time inside a model longhouse where the class learned about dwelling construction and family life. 

At school, students build research skills and develop understanding of geography, history, and culture through literature and creative projects. After the field trip, students research the Lenape using atlases and nonfiction texts, engage in discussions about issues that arise from their learning, and demonstrate their understanding through creative projects. A literature study around Indigenous Peoples Day explored the impact of Columbus’s discovery of America. After reading Encounter by Jane Yolen and Morning Girl by Michael Dorris, students discussed how the Taino people and European explorers saw themselves and each other. As the unit progresses, students will explore social justice issues that Indigenous People face in our country, and compare/contrast the environment and adaptations of Indigenous People in other regions of North America.