Today, we’ll learn about Winter Solstice traditions of the Abenaki people, one of the Indigenous groups native to Vermont and the surrounding region.
The Abenaki still celebrate the Winter Solstice as a time to reflect on the past year, let go of emotional clutter, and make space for renewal and hope in the year ahead. Through stories, symbolic rituals, and art, they honor their connection to the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon.
In today’s lesson, we’ll learn about these traditions, reflect on our own year, and create Reflection Bowls inspired by Abenaki art to symbolize what we want to keep and let go of as we prepare for new beginnings.
- Let’s start with a reading about the tradition of “forgiveness time.”
- We’ll use templates to decorate and create our own Reflection Bowls. We can use some of the images below for inspiration for our decorations:
- We’ll continue working with real-world fractions. Traditional celebrations can include Corn Soup, but we will be making a corn bread inspired by Abenaki recipes for Flint Corn Bread and sweetened with Vermont Maple Syrup.
- We are starting with a recipe that makes 4 servings, but, because we only have mugs, we’ll need to adjust our recipe using a worksheet. The final recipe will be shared here.
More about Solstice Traditions of the Abenaki and Vermont’s indigenous people:
Abenaki Arts & Education Center
Historic Vermont Abenaki Recipes
ELA Objective:
Students will learn about the Winter Solstice traditions of the Abenaki people, focusing on the theme of reflection and forgiveness. They will read a passage, answer comprehension and vocabulary questions, and create an Abenaki Reflection Bowl to explore the concept of letting go of emotional “clutter.”
Math Objective:
Students will explore the Abenaki Winter Solstice tradition of Anhaldamôwadimek while practicing math skills involving equivalent fractions and solving real-world problems. They will prepare Microwave Flint Cornbread sweetened with maple syrup, tying math to cultural and historical traditions.
Standards Addressed:
RI.7.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text.
7.NS.A.3: Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers.