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Sandbox campfires

Building a fishing camp, using Indigenous techniques, in third grade

The sandbox became a cooking hearth on Friday afternoon as third grade worked alongside Narragansett educator Leah Hopkins and Wampanoag educator Jonathan Perry to explore traditional and contemporary spring fishing practices of Indigenous people from the Southern New England region. 
 

Students learned to tie nets, weave wood into a fish weir, and cook over an open fire as Leah and Jonathan prepared them a meal of roast salmon and boiled bread with strawberries and maple syrup.
 

It was a highlight in a third grade year spent studying local Indigenous culture of the past and present, and the impact of European colonization on the Southern New England.
 

It was also one of many lessons happening this year at the intersection of food, culture and history throughout the school. From Nursery baking challah to Middle School leading campus composting efforts, Gordon’s campus has been alive with planning, cultivation, harvesting, preparing and celebrating with food. 
 

The latest example? This morning, third grade followed up last week’s fishing camp with a regenerative agriculture project. They’ll be building a new garden in the third grade courtyard, using native species to produce food for harvest next fall.
 

Jonathan and Leah have consulted with science teacher Nick Terry on that project as well. The two of them work with schools, cultural centers, universities, tribal nations and government agencies across New England, and have been invaluable partners for Gordon teachers since joining the Gordon community three years ago.

More on Jonathan and Leah's work at www.jonathanjamesperry.com

Jonathan and Leah in the Lower School music classroom
Jonathan and Leah tapping trees with Young Kindergarten

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