Their Native Land

The first immigrants to North America probably walked across the Bering Strait and sailed across the Pacific Ocean. And many of their descendants continue to live on this continent. What are their stories and other contributions? Find out by trying these activities below.

CONNECT:

• Explore the diversity of the Native people of the Americas at the National Museum of the American Indian.
• Learn about World War II Navajo Code Talkers.
• Listen to the Pledge of Allegiance in Tewa, Navajo, Zuni, Choctaw and Blackfeet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1HmUm2AOdw
• Watch Native American dancing styles and meanings at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MONgmqIpaW8

CREATE:

• On whose land do you live? Go to the map on https://native-land.ca/ to find out the original residents.
• Make your own Native American food, from flapjacks to snow candy, by following these recipes: https://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/recipes.html
• Recreate Native American games, based on https://www.wnit.org/outdoorelements/pdf/408nativeamerican_ga.pdf
• Try your hand at making some simple Native American crafts: https://socalfieldtrips.com/13-easy-native-american-crafts-for-kids/

CARE:

• How can you help Native Americans? Here are some real, practical and meaningful ways that you can give support to indigenous people in your community and around the country: https://www.powwows.com/can-help-native-americans/
• Several Native American organizations welcome your help; explore them at https://www.diversitybestpractices.com/news-articles/top-native-american-organizations-to-know
• The National Tribal Preservation Program helps Indian tribes protect resources and traditions important to them.
• Help preserve Native American words by learning some of them: http://www.native-languages.org/vocabulary.htm.  You probably already new some of those words, such as skunk, squash and hickory; see a short list of them and their history at https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/native-american-words/bayou

CAREERS:

Native American will face job discrimination, as this radio program relates: https://www.npr.org/series/559149737/you-me-and-them-experiencing-discrimination-in-america

You can help Native Americans and have a fruitful career, as these websites show:

https://cla.umn.edu/wcidwami/american-indian-studies

https://www.bia.gov/jobs

https://www.ihs.gov/careeropps/

String Me Along

String me along

The lowly string has a long history and many purposes. It is fun to play with (just ask a kitten) and it can save lives when you need to get stitched up from an operation. Try this string of activities below.

CONNECT:

• How do stringed musical  instruments work? Research it at http://www.ducksters.com/musicforkids/string_instruments.php
• What do sheep intestines and violins have in common? Watch how gut strings are made: at http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm
• String theory: you may have heard about it on the Big Bang Theory TV show; here’s an 11 year old’s version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXqvwGT8l9w
• What is a quipu? It’s how Incas communicated. See how to share information with string at http://www.ancientscripts.com/quipu.html
• Watch the history of string in art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-By5ZAFCmwE

CREATE:

• The famous French writer Guy de Maupassant said he could write about anything, so he was challenged to write a short story about a piece of string. Here it is: http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/string.html. What story could you write about string?
• Try weaving with string: http://www.handsoncrafts.org/002.htm
• Have fun playing string games: http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-and-games/Activity-ideas+30/5-top-string-games-fun-string-figures-for-kids+11984.htm
• Make your own stringed instrument by following the directions at http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/make-guitars-crafts.html
• Strings can help you learn math. Making your own string art picture, and you’ll be connecting the dots about math at the same time: http://www.mathcats.com/crafts/stringart.html

CARE:

• Entertain a sick friend by making string figures: http://www.alysion.org/figures/introkids.htm
• Wrapping packages often uses string. See how 4-Hers wrapped gifts as a community service project: http://elkhartcounty4h.org/Manuals/GiftWrappingManual.pdf. You might try this activity as a fund-raiser too.
• In Kansas you can visit the largest ball of twine (a kind of string): http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm   Maybe you can raise money with a string-collecting contest, and then give the balls of string to service agencies.

CAREERS:

No, I’m not stringing you along. There are a string of careers that use string: musicians, packaging and delivery services, manufacturing. You might even stretch the idea to including dentists (floss daily!). Look at some of these career sites:

https://www.careersinmusic.com

http://www.packworld.com/what-i-have-learned-%E2%80%A8about-career-packaging

http://www.bakercheese.com/   (string cheese!)

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm

http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-dentistry/