Chumash Day In Third Grade

By Alex M, Student Contributor, Mrs. Roth

This year all of third grade participated in Chumash Day where they made the projects the Chumash made thousands of years ago.

The first class, Mrs. Hughes or B1, made abalone – shell necklaces. This was pretty much the most difficult. Third Graders had to drill a hole into the shell and string it through braided yarn. Some students even got to put beads on the necklaces.

The second class, Mrs. Alvarez or B2, made baskets because the Chumash made woven baskets. The classes all watched a video on how to make a basket. This year the students used paper bowls instead of weaving them because in the past it either it took to long or looked sloppy. The students used sharpies (mainly red and black; those are the main colors the Chumash used or could even find.) to decorate the bowls. Now they had a handy little bowl!

The third class, Mrs. Culp or B3, made the unique instrument – the bullroarer. The classes were shown Chumash symbols that they drew on their bullroarers. Then Mrs. Culp took them outside. This is why the bullroarer is unique. The third graders spun the bullroarers at rapid speed and they could hear a whirling, swooshing sound, if done correctly. Now the students could amaze their family and friends by the sound and sight of the amazing bullroarer!

The fourth class, Mrs. Martin or B4, made Hoop and Pole, a game the Chumash children played with. First, Mrs. Martin demonstrated how to make one. For some of the students it took a longer time. Everyone took home (hopefully) a finished Hoop and Pole. Last, but not least, Mrs. Roth or B7, had the students paint a rock with Chumash symbols on it with either red, white or black acrylic paint. Some of the students made sentences of the symbols.

At the end of the day, all of third grade went home with amazing Chumash projects.