We love visitors!  This week, we had the opportunity to listen to David Baines, Elizabeth’s father.  He was kind enough to teach our class some of the traditional beliefs and customs of the Tsimshian. The Tsimshian is a native tribe of the Pacific Northwest Coast.  We loved hearing stories and looking at pictures of his family’s adventures in Kodiak Island, including the time a fin whale lifted up his fishing boat! Students also enjoyed seeing whale bone art, a traditional drum, an otter pelt, and a bentwood box.  Our favorite part was when Elizabeth and her dad ended our time together with a goodbye song.

My goal for our classroom learning environment is to expand the scope of our  learning beyond the walls of our classroom and the pages of a textbook.  One way that we do this is by inviting people from the community who have expert knowledge and real world connections to the content standards which we are exploring. By doing so, learning becomes meaningful because it is coming from an authentic source.  These experiences are the moments that students will remember when they look back on their educational journey. Thank you David and Elizabeth! Your time means so much to us!

We look forward to many other parents and organizations visiting in the near future!