Activities Page - Learn about traditional Lenape life

When the Shadbush Blooms Activities Page Two sets of activities are waiting for you and a Teacher/Parent Guide from Lee & Low is at the very end of this page in a link.

“The glory of white shadbush blossoms on the cover should be used as an excuse to pull it out in the spring and share it!”

Paperback reprints of When the Shadbush Blooms are available! From your favorite book seller, in bulk from lee & Low, or as a signed dedicated copy from our Book for Sale page in the Shadbush section.

When the Shadbush Blooms. This full color book based on the Lenape “cycle of the seasons” depicts both traditional and modern Lenape family life. When the Shadbush Blooms is designed to be read and seen by children. It is good for young children, geared for learning to read and ESL pupils and it has parent/teacher pages with Lenape words, meanings and pronunciation guide. You can purchase a signed hard bound copy as a gift for your favorite teacher or student at Book for Sale page in the Shadbush section.

Seasonal Activities – you can find many of these activities depicted in our book When the Shadbush Blooms

Siquon (Spring): fishing, Corn Planting Ceremony, planting, “football” (soccer).

Kschilandeke (Summer): garden work, berry picking, seashore vacations and mountain trips, hunting, preparing skins, weaving mats, swimming, First Ears of Corn.

Tachquoak (Fall): hunting, harvesting and drying foods, fruits, vegetables, and meats, Thanksgiving.

Lowan (Winter): indoor activities – storytelling, pick-up sticks, making toys, constructing wampum and arrowheads, other small projects including learning Lenape picture written history, and doing “homework”. Outdoor activities – snowball fights, sledding, snowshoeing, hunting.

From the Lenape point of view All Things Are Connected.

Discuss the “Winter” families in the picture. How are the past and the present connected? What are some of your family traditions for the winter? How do you celebrate your winter holidays? What do you do for fun outdoors? What chores do you have?

Native American creations are made from a variety of items. Many are recycled and reused as often as possible. Use the book When the Shadbush Blooms to find each of the following from Traditional Sister’s point of view and write down the name in the blank space.

Plant

Find a plant

Find an object made from a plant

Mammal

Find an animal skin

Find something made from an animal skin

Rock or Mineral

Find an object made from a rock or a mineral

Also from the book –

Name 2 games children still play

Name 2 chores children still do today

PEOPLE ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SURROUNDINGS

Look at the drawings of the Lenape families in the book When the Shadbush Blooms. They are like your families. Consider what life is like for you and your family today and what it was like long ago for your ancestors. Discuss with your group or family what you have today that was not invented 500 years ago! What would your family have to do to survive back then?

LENAPE FAMILIES – NOW – Modern Lenape family of today

The Lenape people of today live like you do. They are wearing clothes like you: jeans and shorts, sneakers and sandals and tee-shirts and jackets. The children play with toys and the adults use tools. They go to the malls to shop in stores. We wear clothing to fits our needs and the environment.

Pick a set of pages from the book.

What is the season, how are they dressed for the climate?

What are they doing?

Answer as many questions as you can.

What pets do you see?

What toys are they playing with?

How is this family like your family?

Dad is

Mom is

Brother is

Big sister is

Grandpa is

Grandma is

Baby sister is

LENAPE FAMILIES – THEN

Traditional Lenape family of Pre-contact period (before Europeans came here) Compare past activities and present activities on the set of pages. The activities are similar! Things are NOT so different! How are they similar?

Lenape people of long ago could not go shopping for what they needed. They made their clothing from the deer skins they processed. They made decorations and jewelry from wampum (shell beads), clay beads, painted on designs and quills from porcupines.

They made baskets from plants that they gathered and then wove into containers. They dug up clay from the earth and made it into pottery. The Lenape people made clothes and tools to meet their needs.