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Preschoolers learn about Native Americans
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Serendipity Christian Preschool's four-year-old room learned about Native American's Monday. School director Susan McGee (standing center) pretended to be Flying Dove, a member of one of American's first Indian tribes, and explained to the students how her tribe survived and lived in the outdoors.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Serendipity Christian Preschool director Susan McGee (standing center) used four students Monday to demonstrate how the Native Americans planted seeds through an assembly line format. Each student had a specific role after she dug the hole; putting in a fish head, throwing in the seed, filling in the hole and adding water.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Serendipity Christian Preschool director Susan McGee (center), portraying Flying Dove, spoke to students Monday about Native Americans. She has been teaching through character portrayals for 28 years.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Serendipity Christian Preschool director Susan McGee explained the many ways Native American Indians utilized animal fur and skin. Pretending to be Flying Dove, she spoke to the 3 through 5 year old classes.
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Neighbors | Shaiyla Hakeem .Flying Dove, portrayed by Serendipity Christian Preschool's Susan McGee, let students touch Native American artifacts during her presentation Monday.
Preschoolers took a step back through history Monday as they got a glimpse at how America’s first inhabitants survived in the wilderness.
Serendipity Christian Preschool director Susan McGee portrayed Flying Dove, a Native American Indian who lived long ago, and spoke to students about the living conditions of her tribe.
“After this I will be Mrs. McGee again, but for now, I am Flying Dove,” she told students.
As the sounds of a wooden flute played in the background, Flying Dove explained that she came from a time before supermarkets and department stores. She had to grow her own food and cook over an open fire pit. She talked about how important animals were to the Indians and posed questions like, “How do you think we made our clothes?”
“You would have to build a needle,” a 4-year-old said.
Flying Dove then explained bones from animals were used to make needles and nothing from an animal was wasted. Even the claws were used for jewelry.
McGee has been using character portrayals as a teaching tool for 28 years. She said the classes learn about the Native Americans throughout the year, not just around Thanksgiving.
McGee will be retiring from her position as director Dec. 31 and the current co-director, Mandy Treharne, will take her place.