The 4th Graders worked with Mr. Lanctot and Mr. Friesen to learn about the history and culture of the Potawatomi, one of the Native American tribes that lived in Northern Indiana before European settlers. The class decided to combine three plays that had been read in class as part of their learning. The first is “The Trail of Death Drama for Indiana" written by Dora Mae Cravens, Huntsville (MO) Historical Society, 1997, for schools in Missouri. It was edited by Shirley Willard, Fulton County (IN) Historical Society in 1998 so that it fits the schools of Indiana. The second was a play written by Mr. Friesen and a Bethany 4th grade class entitled, “Menominee and Margaret”. The third was another play written by Mr. Friesen and a Bethany 4th grade class entitled, “The Billy Ward Story”. The class developed the costumes, the setting, the props, the blocking, the slideshow background, and memorized lines in preparation for the performance. The class prepared for weeks and pulled together an amazing performance for the entire First Grade class, some former 4th grade students who helped write the play, staff, and some family. It was amazing.
