"Indians of the Potomac" Field Trip
Gather ‘round the totem, touch the dugout canoe, view an American Indian warrior in full dress and see local artifacts. Find out how the Algonquian Indians adapted to their climate and environment to secure food, clothing and shelter. Learn about their daily lives through activities. Take a short hike along the Potomac River, a heavily used American Indian travel way.
Optional gift bag includes an American Indian activity book, two replica arrowheads and park pencil. Length: 1.5 hrs
(from http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/pdf/rbendschoolflyerFA.pdf)
Optional gift bag includes an American Indian activity book, two replica arrowheads and park pencil. Length: 1.5 hrs
(from http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend/pdf/rbendschoolflyerFA.pdf)
Location:
- Riverbend Park, Great Falls, Va
- My initial contact was the park’s website www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend. Any additional questions can be addressed with a call to the Visitor Center at 703-759-9018. To actually arrange a class field trip, call the Visitor Center.
- Fairfax County Schools are $5/child and $5/chaperone
- Non-Fairfax County Schools are $6/child and $/ chaperone
- Optional gift bags are $4/bag + tax (request when you register for field trip)
- Field Trip Flyer and additional information
Connection to Content Area:
The Indians of the Potomac field trip could be used for 4th grade VS.2 (c, d, e & g) and stretched to fit VS.3 (g)
VS.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the physical geography and native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac
River, Rappahannock River, and Lake Drummond and the Dismal Swamp);
d) locating three American Indian language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians related to the climate and their environment to secure food, clothing, and shelter;
g) identifying and locating the current state-recognized tribes
VS.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America by
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the native peoples, including the contributions of Powhatan to the survival of the settlers.
The Indians of the Potomac field trip could also be used for 2nd grade 2.2 (b)
2.2 The student will compare the lives and contributions of three American Indian cultures of the past and present, with emphasis on the Powhatan of the
Eastern Woodlands, the Lakota of the Plains, and the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest.
What does that site offer students and teachers?
The Indians of the Potomac field trip could be used for 4th grade VS.2 (c, d, e & g) and stretched to fit VS.3 (g)
VS.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the physical geography and native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac
River, Rappahannock River, and Lake Drummond and the Dismal Swamp);
d) locating three American Indian language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians related to the climate and their environment to secure food, clothing, and shelter;
g) identifying and locating the current state-recognized tribes
VS.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America by
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the native peoples, including the contributions of Powhatan to the survival of the settlers.
The Indians of the Potomac field trip could also be used for 2nd grade 2.2 (b)
2.2 The student will compare the lives and contributions of three American Indian cultures of the past and present, with emphasis on the Powhatan of the
Eastern Woodlands, the Lakota of the Plains, and the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest.
What does that site offer students and teachers?
- The site offers naturalist-led programs and discussions
- The site can be used to reinforce SOLs and make learning hands-on and fun.
- I enjoyed the trip and hike along the trail. I could see how the location was a good place to settle (making a connection). There are deer in the area as well as other animals for food. The river was also nearby as a supply of fish, and as a way of transportation. Trees were also plentiful for many uses. I think this is a good fieldtrip to learn about Indians and their uses of the land.
- Travel time, lunch
- Number of chaperones needed
- Before registering for the field trip, I would call and talk with the field trip coordinators, to make sure that the field trip was realistic. I wanted to make sure that the Indian warrior in full dress was authentic, and not a caricature of a Native American.