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.

And then… the games began!

Practicing aim at targets in "Hit the Stone"

 Shooting arrows at moving targets in "Hoop and Spear"

Practicing speed with "kick sticks"

Practicing sensory awareness as hunter and prey in "Rattler"

And finally, everyone's favorite: LACROSSE