Jamestown and the Powhatan

We are wrapping up our Native American studies and yesterday we went to Jamestown for Home school week.  Allboy and Grandbaby Supreme had a class about Powhatan tools and the things they used in everyday life.  Where they got them from and how they made them.  It was a fabulous learning adventure except for the snotty receptionist. (but that is another story) 

The leader of the group kept the kids involved, was patient, and the kids were interested and excited about what they were learning.  I couldn't ask for a better experience.  The kids sat on deerskin, beaver, and bear rugs and made needles out of bone, arrows out of rock, and learned about the foods the Powhatan ate.  Lastly they made fire.

After the class presentation we had to make sure the kids looked the part.  (They aren't a true representation of the Powhatan's though because they rarely wore head dress unless it was ceremonial)

The best part of the day for me was when Isaiah turned to me and said, "I can't believe I am actually inside a longhouse."  During our studies we made replicas and crafts, we read interesting books, and the kids enjoyed it, but there is NOTHING like actually experiences it hands on.  The kids loved it!    The boys were able to grind corn into cornmeal.  

                             

They also scraped hair off of a hide which is right out of our history read aloud, "The Birchbark House".  Omayakayis scraped a moose hide, using its brains to soften it, and they were able to see what that would be like, minus the brains, of course.

It was a wonderful learning experience, and even though we saw parts of the fort side we didn't spend much time there and I look forward to going back in a month or two when we study the original settlements.