Opal School closed in 2021. You can continue to access these resources for free at teachingpreschoolpartners.org/resource-library/.

Native American Olympics

Native American Olympics

Since our return from Spring Break, Amy (our PE teacher) has been teaching us different games based on real games played by different Native American tribes. Each game serves the purpose of developing skills specific to the survival of the tribe – aim, speed, perception, accuracy and precision, etc. This past Thursday, Amy hosted a culminating "Olympics" in the Lower Meadow to celebrate our learning of these different games. Each tribe teamed together to rotate through playing each of five different games.

 

Amy opened up the games with a ceremony featuring a bald eagle feather. "In many different Native tribes across the country," she said, "the eagle feather is a symbol of tenacity…" – which the children understood to mean bravery and persistence. Amy passed the feather around for each of the children to touch, in order to get in touch with their own tenacity for the games that afternoon.

IMG_2457 IMG_2461

IMG_2577

IMG_2466

And then… the games began!

 

Practicing aim at targets in "Hit the Stone"

IMG_2557

IMG_2586


IMG_2662

 

 Shooting arrows at moving targets in "Hoop and Spear"

IMG_2589

IMG_2583
IMG_2587

 

Practicing speed with "kick sticks"

IMG_2501

IMG_2613

IMG_2547

 

Practicing sensory awareness as hunter and prey in "Rattler"

IMG_2597

IMG_2599

IMG_2673

IMG_2543

 

And finally, everyone's favorite: LACROSSE

IMG_2573

IMG_2635
IMG_2525