Burning Questions and the Three Sisters

Garden Time

As the air outside grows crisp the elementary students' curriculum moves from direction to early American history. The Mohicans populated the Hudson valley, living in small communities along the Muhheakantuck River, (river that flows both ways). Their system of farming largely relied on growing the three sisters, corn, beans and squash. Corn stalks provide a pole for beans to grow up on, and the leaves from both create enough condensed moisture and shelter from direct sunlight for squash to thrive. So we cooked with one of the sisters, corn, and made ourselves some campfire popcorn!

Building the Fire

While building our campfire, we learned about a time before gas powered stoves and electric microwaves. When asked to imagine building a fire such as ours for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Lorelei also added, "And SNACK!" After collecting kindling and dried leaves, we learned about how fire needs three things to live, oxygen, fuel (wood) and heat. Remarkably similar in some ways to what our bodies need. After building up a flame and running in circles to escape the smoke, we heard the first pops, and pretty soon the popcorn had lifted the lid clear off the pot!

Waiting for Popcorn

We ate our popcorn listening to the story of Loo-Wit, who kept fire safe for two warring Native American tribes until they could come to peace with one another, and then told some campfire stories of our own.

Reading the Story of Loo-Wit

It is always interesting to wonder how what children are taught when they are young will return to them later in life. Whether or not something as simple as practicing telling campfire stories and learning to survive without the use of electricity will ever be of use in a rapidly modernizing world will remain to be seen. However, when it was time to go outside to the playground and have free play, everyone voted to stay longer around the fire in the garden instead. For me, to have children that value fresh air, the freedom to question and the time to discuss their thoughts with their peers is to be able to look at the future of the earth and see a bright horizon.

Owls and Kittens Collecting Leaves for the Compost