Our Fantastic Family Of Four Forever Believes

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family" Anthony Brandt

Friday, November 14, 2008

CAIDEN'S FIELD TRIP TO POVERTY POINT

Caiden's field trip to Poverty Point was such an educational trip! I learned so much about Louisiana culture and so did Caiden! He asked about every question possible about Poverty Point, and I must say that I was so thrilled about his eagerness to learn more about Our Louisiana history! This was absolutely the best field trip I have ever been on with my children!

We left the school around 8:15, and Caiden and another boy in his class was asked to bring the lunches out to the school bus. I think it made him feel strong, for he was asked because he is such a big boy!


Caiden and his friends were so excited about going on the trip!



Poverty Point is considered one of the most significant archaeological finds in the country.It has a complex of Native American ceremonial mounds built between 100 and 700 BC. The site was derived from a nearby Native American site consisting of complex earth works and artifacts dubbed from the Poverty Point culture, its people settled on the banks of Bayou Macon, near what is now the town of Epps.
The artifacts and findings at Poverty Point are so extraordinary, and they are so special.


We we first arrived, we watched a film on the History of Poverty Point, and it was so interesting, the kids were glued to the tv. Of course, Caiden had many questions after the film!



We then proceeded to the History part of Poverty Point. The kids got to see all the artifacts, fossils, and finding left behind from the Native Americans.























After that, we headed to 4, 3o minute demos of how the Native Americans lived. One was on how the Natives used Oatmeal, Walnuts and other types of nuts. He showed us how that smashed them using many different tools and bowls.




These were the tools they used in order to prepare their food.




We then headed to the cooking part, on how the Natives used different tools and rocks to cook, they made these tools from mud, and the park ranger showed us how to make different shaped tools out of the mud, just from the different way you use your hands and fingers to shape the rock,it was soo cool. Some of the kids got to take this mud and form their own tool. They really enjoyed doing this!

The next demo was my favorite. And Caiden's too, for he got picked to help demonstrate the different types of arrows, and throwing tools used to kill their food. We spent most of our time here, and it was great! I felt like one of the kids, it was so neat!

They used these tools in order to kill rabbits, deer, and other animals.


Caiden and some of his friends had to be right in the front of the demonstration, they liked this part of the tour the best!





Caiden was getting ready to show his classmates how far he could throw a arrow using a special tool the Natives made in order to help further the distance of the speed of the arrow.



The last demo was on on how the Natives used a tool in chipping a way at different tools and their shape in order to help them accomplishment different tasks.

Caiden and his friends decided to dig on the dirt to try to find some artifacts and fossils of their own!

After that , I helped the teachers set up tables for lunch. Of course, Caiden had to be at the table with his best buddy Bo, and Jacob, and a couple of really sweet little girls.


I ate lunch with Caiden's table, I brought with me extra little things, like a towel, and antibaterical wipes, and other little snacks for some kids who didn't have anything, the other kids were wishing they were at our table, but I did share and the kids were grateful.





After lunch, we then headed to the mounds, and I must say, walking up those steps was a act of congress, but I needed the excerise, and it was great to be in the middle of nature, it was very refreshing to be a wonderful area of history. This was a most significant part of Lousiana history.







After we climbed our way to the top of the mound , there a was a park ranger there to explain to us the signifiance of the mound, and how the mound was built like a bird. Caiden asked the question of how many people lived and worked on the mound, and the park ranger told us about a 1,000 people worked day and night bring in baskets upon baskets of dirt to build this mound, it was amazing to hear about how the Native Americans worked to make this thier home. He also sayed that they were many other settlers that wanted to settle on the land , but made them wait days before letting them in for the fear of disease, for they did not want thier hertiage to be extinct.

He also sayed that this area, the Poverty Point mounds will be preserved in the next couple of years, they are in the process of cutting down trees, for the trees are shifting the mound grounds and they are interfering with the preservation of the mounds. He also thinks that in the next couple of years that we will not be able to walk near the mounds because of the shifting of land, and they are trying to preserve the area.

We all had such a wonderful time at Poverty Point. The kids were great and were so glad that they got to see such a signifcant part of Louisiana history. For all we know, we may never be able to walk on this part of the land in the future. They are doing all they can to preserve the land.
Caiden's class

Caiden and his friends acting crazy!!



Demo 1, the act of grinding and making food, and preserving thier food.




Demo 2, the act of cooking, and having boiling water to make different types of meals, like soups.