The happy sounds of second graders floated on the crisp fall air as the Rock Creek Elementary School children arrived for their field trip to the Lake Wilderness Arboretum. On Oct. 4, 5 and 6 approximately 50 students each day explored the Tribal Life Trail.

As part of their fall unit on early Americans, the field trip helped the children gain an understanding of how the plants of the Pacific Northwest were traditionally used for many different purposes in American Indian life. Washington State University master gardeners Ankie Stroes, Maggie Westerlund, Ellie Hollenbeck, Stacy Lynman, arboretum president, Colby Collier and myself provided interactive tours of the Tribal Life Trail.

As the children imagined themselves to be American Indian children of long ago, they experienced foraging for food and supplies with the forest being their store.

The students rotated through each of three stations. Teachers, master gardeners and parent volunteers led meaningful activities in each station. In addition to touring the Tribal Life Trail, the second graders learned American Indian songs and legends and made leaf rubbings using native plants from the Arboretum. 

Cheryl Peerenboom, and her fellow second grade teachers, coordinated this field trip with two goals in mind. The first goal was for second graders to experience how native peoples were able to meet their basic needs (culinary, clothing, medicinal, utilitarian, and ceremonial) through the use of native plants. The second goal was to promote a stewardship for the land.

Katie Swickard is a Washington State University Master Gardener and a Lake Wilderness Arboretum Board member.