As part of the World Fairy Tale curriculum set by the school, we are learning about Native Americans. They are learning the legend of the Wind Horse who helps the “Great Chief” by bringing people to the sky to see him. It’s really a metaphor for death. Sorry kids. Anyway, the Great Chief warns the horse that if stays in the sky too long he can never come back to earth. Well, he finds an orphan child one day who doesn’t have a single friend in the world. Wind Horse tries to make him happy by giving him rides in the sky. Well, he eventually needed to get back to work so he left the boy in a cave. The boy eventually got worried and started looking for him but got tired and cold and fell in the snow. Wind Horse found him sick and dying and asks him what he can do for him and the boy said to ride on his back forever and Wind Horse gave up his right to go back to the ground and to this day flys around with the boy. And if you look at the clouds closely, you might see them. (Cloud formation). Ok, so the kid died. None of my 5 year olds get this terribly sad story. And we can keep it that way.

They are excited to learn about Native Americans. I taught them all about buffaloes, teepees, totem poles, dream catchers, rain sticks etc… They got really into everything and enjoyed giving themselves their own “Native American” name. I am “Big Chief.” This is what they call me now. I don’t let them call me teacher anymore, at least not until this unit is over haha. I call them by their Native American names and they are getting used to it. We will be performing a play and they will be doing a rain dace with rain sticks at some point. Will keep you posted.