A short walk across the Woodland School's campus last week took students not only into the woods, but several centuries back to an American Indian village during the school's history fair.
Students in grades six, seven and eight recreated the village as part of an intensive week of study where they immersed themselves in the history of northern Michigan in the 1600s.
"This gives the kids a more realistic way of looking at how things really happened, not the classic, misconstrued idea that is so often portrayed,” said sixth, seventh and eighth grade teacher, Ned Milne who directed the students research.
The students spent hours pouring through books and searching the Internet to find information on traditional American Indian villages. They used their new found knowledge to construct traditional shelters around a roaring campfire and prepare food including wild rice, corn pudding, pumpkin bread and dried meats. Their village also included a game area with cloud ball, corn cob darts and tug of war.
"They were all responsible for certain areas and they just took the ball and ran with it, they did an amazing job” said Chris Post, also a sixth, seventh and eighth grade teacher.
Students in lower grades participated as well when they, dressed as settlers, visited the village and partook of the wide variety of activities.
"This really sets the stage for the younger kids. It peaks their interest in something that they will be studying when they move up in grades,” Milne said.
Even after students have moved on to other areas of study, their interest in American Indian traditions will continue.
"We learned a lot about teamwork, but we learned more about the Indians and what their life was like. It was a lot of fun,” said seventh-grader Helen Groothuis.