How West Babylon Fourth Graders Turned History Lessons Into Hands-On Art

WEST BABYLON, NY — Fourth graders at John F. Kennedy Elementary School brought their social studies lessons to life through a hands-on clay art project focused on Native American cultures, the district said.

As part of a unit exploring the Adena, Taíno and Haida tribes, students learned about each group’s traditions, daily life and belief systems. They then selected an object of cultural significance and created a clay sculpture representing that item, school officials said.

To deepen their understanding, students also wrote explanations describing why their chosen object was meaningful within the tribe they studied — whether it connected to survival, ceremony, craftsmanship or community life.

District leaders said the project allowed students to blend art, research and reflection while gaining a richer appreciation for the diversity of Native American cultures.