Fifty-three students enrolled in American Indian Studies at Black Hills State University showcased 13 interactive education kits they created as part of their class requirement during an exhibition Saturday at The Journey Museum.

Kit topics included Native American dance, music, games, beadwork, tipis, winter counts, Lakota language and Lakota use of points and symbols. Each kit fits into a portable plastic container and is composed of natural materials in an attempt to provide an experience that is as authentic as possible. Each also includes a suggested age and grade level.

Mary Jones, who teaches the class at BHSU, said the course is required for every future teacher in the state by recent legislation requiring all grade levels to teach Native American studies.

BHSU students created educational kits that teachers can check out that include lesson plans for follow-up instruction in their classrooms. Each kit includes a student-created research paper that teachers can read before bringing classes to The Journey that will provide background on specific topics.

The class started the semester with field trips to Tatanka: Story of the Bison in Deadwood and to The Journey. Students had to select a display in the Sioux Indian Museum and an element of the display that they could develop further. Each group was allowed only $50 to spend on materials for each kit.

"The point of this is for the kids to be able to stand in front of this display and actually step into that time period, do some beading and build some tipis, that kind of thing," Jones said. "This is how children learned. Children learned by doing."

Juniors Megan Wahl, Darcy Lenz and Jenny Pochop were part of a group that designed a beadwork kit. All enjoyed the class, which they said was educational and fun and also gave them a greater appreciation for Native American culture and the intricacies of the techniques.

Darcy Lenz said the kit includes natural materials and colors that occur in nature and also have significance in Native American culture.

"And then we have patterns like they used, geometric patterns. The kids will use them to make bags, and we have actual sinew they can use," she said.

Pochop said students also learned from other groups.

"Not only from our project, but we also went around and saw everyone else's project. So you got to learn a lot. There were tipi-making projects, two arrow-making projects. It was all integrated," she said.

Another group researched the Lakota winter count and used a full deer hide laid out on the floor to demonstrate the concept and to interact with. When used in the classroom, students first read about the winter count, then use the deer hide to figure out what symbols are missing. Further instruction allows kids to use paint and paper to design their own winter count using symbols representing significant events and items in their lives.

Jaci Etzkorn pointed out that one fourth-grader on Saturday had painted a birthday cake, presents, friendship and cats.

"We're trying to teach them how the Lakota people recorded their history by letting them record their own history, what they think is important," she said. "The kids were amazing. They know their stuff. I'm really impressed with how aware the kids are, because when I was growing u,p I wasn't aware of many things. They understood symbols and what they could represent."

The Journey's education department will establish a check-out procedure to allow teachers to use the kits during museum visits or within their classrooms.

Jones said the semester-long project went well and her students did a great job.

"They're really proud of their work and I'm proud of them. They're learning the same way that kids long ago learned, and these are some good future teachers," she said.

For more information about checking out the materials, contact education director Diane Melvin at The Journey Museum at 394-2535.

Contact Scott Aust at 394-8415 or scott.aust@rapidcityjournal.com.