Thanksgiving and friendship

THE INDIAN BOWL by Jean Marzollo
I found this story in Scholastic's LETS FIND OUT weekly news in my early years teaching. (It is dated November 1974!)
Every year I tell this story about an Indian (Native American) girl who sees another girl (pilgrim) and wants to be her friend.  Despite the language barrier, she presents her with a homemade bowl.
This is a wonderful story to discuss sharing and making friends.

THE INDIAN BOWL
Once upon a time Moon Flower decided to make a small bowl by herself.  She had watched her mother do this many times and had even helped some, but never had she made a bowl from start to finish all alone.  Now she wanted to for Moon Flower had a new friend.  Well, not exactly a friend..yet.  The day before when Moon Flower was picking berries, she had seen a girl like herself, but different.  The other girl had lighter skin and wore strange clothes.  But Moon Flower liked her and wanted to give her a gift.

So alone she went to the river bank and picked some rushes. (reeds--tall thick grass)  Back at the camp, she boiled them for strength in an iron pot over a wood fire.  Before they dried, she wove them in and out to make a "puki," a rush basket.
When the basket was dry, she went back to the river bank to dig clay.  She spread the clay out on a stone to look for pebbles.  (If there were any pebbles left in the clay, they would later crack the bowl.)  She worked the clay with her hands to find any small pebbles that were still left.
Back again at the camp, she flattened the clay into a pancake shape and pressed it over the puki, which was now turned upside-down.  When the clay was dry, she asked her mother to fire it.  Her mother, surprised that Moon Flower had made a bowl by herself, was   

pleased.  She put the bowl in an open pit in which there was a fire covered with hot stones.  The bowl
sat on the stones for several hours.  The rushes burned away but the bowl didn't; instead the heat made it harder and stronger.  After the fire had burned out and the bowl had cooled, Moon Flower picked it up.  It was perfect; inside she could see the marks the rushes had left.
Carefully she walked back to the berry patch and waited.  Sure enough, after a while the girl in the odd clothes came along.  Moon Flower quietly and shyly walked over and handed her the bowl.
Moon Flower and the other girl couldn't talk with each other because they spoke different languages.  But it didn't matter.  Their smiles made it clear that they were to be friends.

I have used this story so much that I just tell it.  I also act it out pantomiming which gives it a real feel to the kids.  I once had pressed playdoh on the back side of a rough basket as in the story.  Then showed them the indentions of the basket weave.  (Aw wow effect) 😲

We also use homemade playdoh and make pinch pots to take and share with their family for Thanksgiving.  We left these by the window to dry for at least 4 days.  I always make a few extra in case they crack too much when air drying.


In Art class, they have made clay pots which are glazed and kiln fired.
These are much 'fancier' and stronger.









It may be too late to make these clay bowls this year so file the idea for next year.
Tomorrow I will  share a story about Magic Seeds.  Get out your popcorn popper to demonstrate.  Enjoy.