Totem Poles and Masks

To finish off our Native American Unit we made masks and a class totem pole! For the masks, we looked at a lot of pictures of real Native American masks and how they were created symmetrically.  We colored them the same on both sides and then of course added LOTS of glitter and feathers!

              

Now for the totem poles…..

The kids got into groups and they each had an animal they needed to create from construction paper onto their box.  They had to look at a picture of the animal on a totem pole and re-create it onto their box! They did SUCH A NICE JOB! I am not sure I could have re-created the faces as well as they did.

Here we are hard at work

 

 

This is the beaver!

Next, we added detail to our animals by adding paint.

 

                         

While we waited for our totem poles to dry, the kids planned a story and a dance to represent their animal or “family.”  We talked about the symbolism in the totem pole and how each totem pole told a story about the family.

Here we are planning and practicing

 

FINALLY….after a long day of creating and practicing, we had a celebration ceremony. Each “family” came up to contribute their piece of the totem pole and told us a story about their animal and showed us their dance.

Beavers

Whales

Eagles

Thunderbirds

Bears

And du-du-du-duuuu!!!!!!!! OUR CLASS TOTEM POLE!

Here is our Native American “scene” full of canoes, teepees, pueblos and buffalo hides.