Reflecting On Our Learning and How Our Thoughts and Ideas Have Changed

Today's visible thinking routine encouraged learners to reflect on their thinking about the early civilizations of North America and their related project-based learning experience over the past month. This visible thinking activity allowed learners to identify and verbalize their new understandings, opinions, and beliefs. By examining and explaining how and why their thinking has changed, they are developing their reasoning abilities and recognizing cause and effect relationships. Here are some thoughts from this week's guest bloggers:

What was interesting to me was that early Native Americans used every part of an animal they killed because they were thankful for having something to eat and for its other uses that would help them survive (like using animal bones to make into tools).  Also, I used to think that women did all of the cooking and sewing and that the men were the hunters, but now I know that the jobs they had were based on their skills not whether they were a man or a woman.   - "Mala" & "Rianna"

What was interesting to me was that we learned that it is disrespectful to wear a headdress unless you were or are a respected tribal leader who earned each of the feathers in the headdress for doing heroic or brave things. I thought we would be able to wear a headdress in our reader's theater performance, but when we learned about Chief Masconomet and his people, we found out that it is actually disrespectful.      - "Glisten"

I used to think that all Native Americans lived in teepees, but now I know that the type of home you lived in depended on where you lived. It all depended on the climate and resources in the area. Some lived in teepees, while others lived in chickees, plankhouses, longhouses and more.   - "Ritzi" & "Clover"

What was interesting for me to learn was that Chief Masconomet probably felt forced to sell part of his land in a secret agreement and that so many of the Native American people living in the 1600s died because of diseases brought to their region by European explorers.    - "Aloha"

I used to think that Native American headdresses were worn just for decoration, but now I know that each of the feathers in their headdresses were earned by doing acts of bravery or by helping others. I am still wondering if there is some sort of celebration after you earn your first feather and also, does it get harder and harder to earn more feathers?     - "Mango"

What was interesting for me to learn was that longhouses in the Northeast region can sometimes have 30 or more families living in them. Their longhouses had a hole in the roof to let the smoke escape and their homes are very organized inside - like the campfires will be on one side and storage and beds will be on the other side. Also, I used to think that Native Americans were always just here, but now I know that a land bridge called Beringia had formed and it connected Siberia to North America. People in Siberia followed the animals into North America because the animals were their source of food.    - "Cat"

I'm wondering how our own lives might be different if the Europeans never settled here.    - "Champ" & "Aloha"