This project enables students to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage and practices of the Maidu people of Butte County. Through hands-on activities and creative performance tasks, students research various aspects of Maidu life such as food, shelter, tools, and clothing while developing their own artifacts to share knowledge. The project fosters self-directed learning as students leverage teacher and peer feedback to refine their understanding and presentations, ultimately cultivating a deeper connection to the community and environment.

Third-grade students will deepen their understanding of the Maidu culture by researching key aspects such as plants, tools, shelter, and clothing, and how these were influenced by their environment. They will cultivate skills in reading comprehension, creative writing, and presentation through the creation of artifacts like poems, clay models, or posters. Students will engage in experiential learning through field trips and community partnerships, fostering self-directed learning as they receive and apply feedback to refine their projects. This immersive exploration will encourage critical thinking about cultural beliefs, traditions, and the environmental adaptation of the Maidu people.

Throughout this project, students will actively create diverse artifacts to represent various aspects of Maidu life. They will design informative posters detailing the Maidu's use of natural resources, and clay models depicting traditional Maidu tools. Additionally, students will craft poems inspired by Maidu legends and cultural beliefs, and create video presentations on their selected topic. These projects culminate in a Mini-Exhibition where students showcase their work to younger grades, demonstrating their understanding and creativity in exploring Maidu traditions and daily life.

The project will launch by reading "Brother Eagle, Sister Sky" together as a class, followed by a collaborative creation of a found poem using words and phrases that resonate with the students. This literary activity will be paired with an art piece representing themes and ideas from the poem, fostering both comprehension and creative expression. This will set the stage for students to explore the Maidu culture through various forms of artifacts, making connections and asking questions that will deepen their understanding of the essential questions.

The mini-exhibition will celebrate student learning by showcasing their artifacts, such as clay models or posters, alongside recreated poems embedded with visual art pieces. Each student will present their chosen performance tasks, such as poetry readings, puppet shows, or videos, to demonstrate their in-depth understanding of the Maidu people. This event will include interactive stations with the students teaching lessons and engaging younger grades in games and songs representative of the culture. Teachers, peers, and guests will provide real-time feedback, reinforcing the students' accomplishments and encouraging self-reflection on the learning journey.