Students across the Upper Adams School District spent four days this week exploring the traditions, stories, and cultural practices of Indigenous peoples of North America during this year’s Cultural Arts Days, a long-standing district tradition that combines hands-on learning with the arts.
The annual program engaged students at Biglerville Elementary School (grades K–3) and Upper Adams Intermediate School (grades 4–6) through a series of rotating activity stations led by the district’s Specials teachers. The event, now more than 30 years old, integrates art, music, physical education, and library lessons to deepen students’ cultural understanding.
At Biglerville Elementary School, younger students explored the ancient art of petroglyphs, including Pennsylvania’s Big Indian Rock, and created personal symbols that became part of a collaborative “rock wall” inspired by Indigenous storytelling through stone carvings. In the library, primary students read The Polar Bear Son, an Inuit folktale, and crafted puppets to retell the story, while older elementary students read Powwow Day by Traci Sorell and learned about the healing tradition of the jingle dress dance.
Physical education classes introduced students to lacrosse, helping them understand the game’s deep cultural roots among Indigenous communities. Music activities included singing and playing games set to the song “Grinding Corn,” while students also sampled corn cookies baked by Biglerville High School students as part of lessons about Indigenous foods and cultures.
At Upper Adams Intermediate School, students continued the cultural exploration through immersive experiences tied to storytelling, art, and traditional games. A museum and food station allowed students to examine objects connected to Indigenous North American cultures while tasting Southwestern-style corn cookies.
In a collaborative art and library lesson, students read A Man Called Raven by Richard Van Camp and studied the illustrations of Cree artist George Littlechild before creating their own raven artwork using oil pastels on black paper. Music stations featured traditional Navajo, Hopi, and Pueblo Nations games played to “Grinding Corn,” reinforcing cultural connections across subjects.
Physical education activities again highlighted lacrosse and other traditional games, helping students understand both their historical significance and continued cultural importance.
District educators said Cultural Arts Days aim to promote respect, curiosity, and cultural awareness through experiential learning — a goal that has guided the Upper Adams tradition for more than three decades.
Featured image caption: Music teacher Renee Fowler with students.