This year, GATE Departments in all four elementary schools partnered with the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center (COTRAIC) for a day of Native American cultural workshops and an exhibition of traditional singing, dancing, and drumming. GATE Instructors designed and taught lessons in all elementary classrooms to prepare students for their special visit. 

Students in grades K and 1 constructed turtle shell rattles and learned an authentic Friendship Dance.

In GATE, second graders learned about Cherokee myths, and wrote their own original stories to explain phenomena of nature.

Students in grades 3 and 4 learned about the culture of Kachina spirits. Students created their own mini-Kachinas to bring benefits to West View.

In grade four, GATE students constructed Native American structures using natural materials.

Grades 5 and 6 classrooms constructed 7-foot totem poles to represent their groups’ values. After learning about the role of totem poles in Pacific Northwest culture, classes decided on the totem animal symbols that would best represent them. Then, construction began in earnest. Some students traced designs and colored them using the authentic color palette. Others decided on a proper order for the symbols and attached them to the pole. Another group wrote the narrative explaining the symbols and how they represented the group.

Our 7-foot totem poles now decorate the front lobby and top floor landing.  This will be their permanent home.

In grade 5 GATE, students analyzed several Native American poems to understand their imagery and subject matter. Then, they wrote poetry using the Native American themes and models.

Sixth grade GATE students took on a difficult issue—the problematic relationship between the U.S. Government and Native Americans throughout our country’s history. Projects covered such diverse issues as the near-extinction of bison, the Seminole Wars, Carlisle’s Indian School, the Camp Grant Massacre, Navajo Code Talkers, and the systematic attempt to ban Indian culture.

We are grateful to COTRAIC for providing much-needed background information, and for their stirring performances. We also thank the PTAs of our four elementary schools for generously underwriting the cost of this district-wide project.

For the third straight year, West View Elementary School welcomed over two dozen volunteers for a schoolwide Junior Achievement Day. The volunteers visited grades K-6 classrooms to teach students about economics, entrepreneurship, and global awareness. West View Elementary School has been a proud participant in the Junior Achievement program since 2008.