Inukshuks

Integrated Subjects: Social Studies, Math, Art

Overview:
As our Inuit unit continued, we discussed the barren land and how they thought the Inuit would know where to go. We discussed how we used signs and maps to help us find our way around and related it to how the Inuit used Inukshuks as signs. After reading "The Lonely Inukshuk" and watching a video on Inukshuks, students designed their own Inukshuks out of rocks. Students needed to think about the placement of the legs and the direction of the arms, as every part of the design told a specific direction. After learning about Inukshuks, we studied "The Snail" by Henri Matisse. This led us into a discussion of what quadrilaterals are and an "I Spy" game within the classroom. Students created their own rendition of Matisses work using only quadrilaterals and then they furthered this skill into making an Inukshuk out of colored construction paper. The results were creative and inspiring!