Grade 4 Fieldtrip

Grade 4 Field Trip

We went to the Whatcom Museum’s ”People of Sea and Cedar Exhibit”* on October 13th. This was the class of 2027’s first field trip to a public place!

The students learned some of our local indigenous history and heard stories from the Lummi during our recent Local Geography block. They enjoyed seeing real-life examples of some of the tools and crafts that we had discussed in class. The students were particularly taken with a simple traveling canoe hanging in the museum. I could see them imagining piloting it across a white-capped Bellingham Bay, salty spray in their faces… Another highlight was soaking, pounding, shredding, twisting, and weaving parts of the cedar tree into various products.

Matt Shannon

Grade 4 Teacher

*People of the Sea and Cedar is an exhibition that shares the history and cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, blending both historical and contemporary perspectives. Featuring over 50 artifacts and images from the Museum’s collection this exhbition includes examples of Coast Salish carvings, woven blankets, hand-made tools, clothing, baskets, and cedar hats. The exhibit also provides hands-on learning experiences, a language interactive, and videos showcasing Lummi and Nooksack weavers and carvers. With input provided by tribal representatives, researchers, and educators, the exhibit presents themes of cultural knowledge, art and symbolism, lifestyles, and community.