Tepees!
Posted by Kathryn on 22nd September and posted in Activites, Language, Little Campus, Pictures, Reading, Students, Teaching
My D3 Speaking and Writing class is currently reading “The Indian in the Cupboard”. It was one of my favorite books as a kid and I’m excited to be able to share it with a new generation of kids. In the spirit of the chapter we’re currently reading, I decided to have the class make tepees. Now, understand, I’m not an art teacher. Oye, I’m the furthest thing from an art teacher. In fact, I had to drop the one art class I was taking in high school because I was flunking it. Yes. Flunking it. I couldn’t draw a stupid tree. So when I undertake anything that has an art bent, well, it’s at my own personal peril.
I Googled around and found some (reasonably) easy looking instructions. Craft supplies here are a mite more difficult to find. I ended up using chopsticks for the supports and some interesting brown paper for the tent part. I also found some burlap like string.
Before actually making our tepees, I had the kids come up with four animals and what they represent. For example, an owl might represent knowledge. Those were the symbols they painted on their tepees. This whole project took us about 2.5 hours (6 of their 25 minute class periods). It took so long because they took their time painting their symbols and because, well, I’m an idiot. It took me that long to decipher the instructions and explain them to the kids.
All in all, I think they turned out really well. Enjoy the photos.
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- Eric’s Tepee
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- Sally’s Tepee
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- Eddie’s Tepee
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- Hera’s Tepee
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- Flora’s Tepee
