Contact: Maridith Geuder
As a celebration of Native American Day, Mississippi State faculty members will bring a variety of creative teaching activities to West Point Friday [Nov. 18].
Under the direction of Robert Damm and Chris Melby-Codling, the 10:30 a.m. public program at Churchill Elementary School will highlight mask forms, traditional musical instruments and dance. Their presentation culminates a unit of study by Churchill students on indigenous arts and culture.
Damm is an associate professor of music; Melby-Codling, a lecturer in curriculum and instruction.
"Students made gourd rattles, and we will use authentic Taos and pow-wow drums," explained Damm, who has written a textbook about teaching American Indian music in the elementary school.
Students enrolled in a creative arts course taught by Melby-Codling helped organize the Native American study and will present a traditional story during the program. The collaboration has enabled MSU education majors to interact with elementary students while offering teachers "a training model for integrating authentic music into the curriculum," Melby-Codling said.
The program will include a "show-and-tell" of three-dimensional masks created during the study, as well as native music such as the "Canoe Dance Song," the "Bear Dance Song," the "Call to Sunrise," and "One-Eyed Ford."
For additional information, contact Damm at (662) 325-7728.