Vernon students keep Native American legacy alive

VERNON — November has been designated as National Indian Heritage Month.
The theme selected for this year is, “Helping to keep the Native American legacy Alive.”
Fourth-grade social studies and language arts students at Cedar Mountain Primary School in Vernon Township were challenged using the STEM model to create a Lenape wigwam to coincide with the National Indian Heritage Month and their current unit of study. This hands on project incorporated research and problem solving skills.
Students found that there were many different solutions in building their Wigwams. Students were given pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks,strips of cardboard, clay and a cardboard base. They gathered natural supplies from outside to incorporate in their design. After viewing various videos about the Lenape on their Chromebooks, students began engineering their wigwam. In their design process, students included models of items that would be commonly found in a Lenape setting.
Such items were animal hide (felt), clay pots (nuts) and canoes by the (clay)river bed. Students listened to authentic music as they designed their wigwams. All students developed a true appreciation for the Lenape legacy.