Kaya and Felicity have something in common....HORSES!!

Madison sported a Nez Perce hairstyle today!

FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY!!

Kaya and Felicity lived on different sides of the country and at similar but not exactly the same time period.  They did have several things in common, however.  One that the girls realized immediately....Horses!  Kaya had her beloved horse Steps High and Felicity rescued and tamed Penny.  

We began the day reading a story of friendship between two girls. One who's family resembled Kaya's and one who's family would have more closely resembled Felicity's.  What a great story!  Several girls spoke up in response to the fact that American Soldiers were demanding that the Nez Perce tribe were moved off their land.  Kylie had a fantastic comment:

"But they live from nature.  They just can't move all the nature they need and live from to the one place where they are telling them to live.  It isn't fair.  They won't have what they need."  How insightful!

We set off for an early snack which all the American Girl Dolls also tend to enjoy.  

We have been speaking a lot about how the Nez Perce were focused on community and kindness.  Some of their core beliefs included:

                        - all people should help make decisions

                        - share resources including lodging – families shared homes and owning property was                                                        not common

                        -lying was a sin and insult- no bad/negative words existed in their language

                        - they are known as most peaceful Pacific NW tribe – honest and gentle

Such a life means a lot of cooperation and communication so we engaged in a team building challenge....The Human Knot!!!!  Get in a circle, grab two friends hands that are not your neighbors and without letting go, untangle yourselves!!!  We had two groups.  One was successful and loved it so much they started again!!

They actually ended up in two circles!!!!!!

Next, another community building activity.  Safety time....Fire Drill!!

Even our dolls lined up!

Today we were able to go in the sprinkler!!!!

Thursday and Friday will be pool days for us.

After lunch we reviewed the importance of Salmon to the Nez Perce.  We discussed the methods of fishing for the salmon and how the Nez Perce would prepare the fish.  

We tried smokes salmon!  Yum!

Our afternoon was busy, busy, busy.  In the classroom the girls had a variety of activities to choose from.  They were: Create a girl-sized (not doll-sized) parfleche, make a doll-sized root bag, color the salmon life-cycle, create a buffalo skin telling your family story, color Appaloosa horses or work on your horse drawing skills.  Here is a link to some buffalo information that some of us peeked at today:

The amazing buffalo

No pictures of that fabulousness because I was hard at work in the art room helping girls make pool noodle hobby horses:

Evie is riding her noodle down to the artroom

Our first completed horse!

Teamwork needed!!!

We love our horses

A full mane means this is definitely not a foal

Hard at work

Kylie riding her pony "into the sunset"

More ponies will be coming home tomorrow!!!

As always, we ended the day with.......

ice cream