About two weeks ago we started a Native American unit. I think it is awesome! This is where I got the idea from: http://ted.coe.wayne.edu/sse/units/native.htm  Our library didn't have all the books, so I improvised with one I was able to find and a few I had laying around here. The kids have been loving it. We made vests last Monday out of the paper bags, yesterday we made moccasins, and I was going to do the bead necklaces and feather headresses (not on there) the rest of this week. Unfortunately, we lost our momentum as Curtis was hospitalized 4 days last week and this week I'm sick. I'm trying not to complain too much.

Yesterday we made Dinner in a Pumpkin. Pumpkins are native to North America and the Indians used them in their cooking, they even made the first "pumpkin pies" in them. So, I found a recipe yesterday they helped me prepare. This is the recipe:

1 large pumpkin, top removed and insides scooped out (kids did that for me)

2 T. butter

1 onion, chopped

1 c. walnuts, chopped

2 eggs

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1 c. sour cream

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup

2 lbs mixed veggies

Season to taste: season salt, pepper, garlic powder)

1 pkg. herb stuffing, already made

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Saute the onion and walnuts in butter. Mix together in a large bowl: onions, walnuts, eggs, mayo, sour cream, soup, veggies and spices. Place half the mixture in the bottom of the pumpkin, layer half the stuffing ontop and then add the rest of the veggies and top with the rest of the stuffing. Place the pumpkin on a cookie sheet. Cook for about 3 hours, until veggies are heated through. Place foil on top of the pumpkin to keep it from browning.

We ate it for lunch and the kids all ate it too. I would do this again any day!!

For the Indian theme, everyday we read a little bit about the life of Red Cloud, and Ogallala Souix chief. We made teepees out of construction paper and decorated them. We assigned all the kids Indian names and made a little folder for them to put all their Indian papers in. I also took them up to Boot Hill, a old cemetary for cowboys and it had small trails leading from it, so they hid in the trees to see how camaflouge you can get in the woods, drew pictures of things they saw and then we drove out in the country to see what the land looked liked before a town or railroad came through. I was exhausted, but I don't know about them.

Isaac: Walking Wolf

Jesse: Tough Salmon

Hannah: Happy Shark

Jazi: Thunder Hamster

Simeon: Shooting Daisy

Joshua: Dancing Moonlight

Curtis: Chief Red Bobcat

Me: Princess Bright Snake