13 Moons on Turtle's Back

The 4/5 students are learning all about the Iroquois. Legends and storytelling are important traditions in the Iroquois culture.  One legend that Native Americans pass down from generation to generation is Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back.  Children are taught to examine the segments on the back of every turtle. There are thirteen large segments which represent the thirteen moons, which make up the lunar year. There are 28 smaller segments around the edge of the shell, which represent the 28 days between new moons.

For each of the thirteen sections on a turtle's shell, there is a Native American moon legend.  After reading Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back, each student chose one moon and created 13 Moons on Turtles Back rattles. One side of the rattle illustrates a turtle’s shell while the other represents one of the 13 Moons.  The rattle also signifies the importance of music in the Iroquois culture.

The 4/5s enjoying time with their Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 buddies

Math 4 students work on mastering their multiplication facts and work together to solve math challenges.