In first grade, I want all students to have fun while learning new skills in all subject areas. It’s especially fun to bring our science and social studies kits alive by cooking, exploring artifacts, engaging in many hands-on activities, providing visuals, and incorporating movement and play.
One of our social studies units is to explore the Meskwaki culture and their history. The students find their stories fascinating and many would love to visit their Powwow in August. During our unit, we read a story called Fry Bread. Fry Bread is a symbol of native resilience and cultural survival. After our mini lesson and story on fry bread, the students decided they would like to try and make some of our own. They loved it! My first graders still talk about this activity and continue to ask when we can make more. Most importantly, they learned the power of empathy and to be understanding of others.