Read Along: Week Twenty-Seven - Indian Camp

This week pa takes Laura and Mary to the abandoned Indian camp. They find beautiful beads that they bring home and string necklaces. Laura is angry that Mary said baby Carrie could have hers-so angry that she wanted to slap her! But they combined their necklaces to make one long enough for baby Carrie. Even if she couldn’t even wear it yet!

To hunt for beads, take a large plastic storage bin, fill with uncooked rice. Sprinkle in beads or jewels and stir it up. Let the kids sift through the rice to find the beads. This is a great tactile experience!

Have the kids organize the beads/jewels by categories: size, shape, color. Cut lengths of yarn or string that will fit through the beads, tie one bead to one end of the string, and string away.

You can also make Torn Calico Pockets Wikipedia tells us that in the US, calico fabric is inexpensive printed cotton fabrics with a small, allover pattern, often floral.
The kids can also make bookmarks using string and beads. Imagine your paperback with beads hanging off the top and the bottom, plain string closed within the pages of the book. Perhaps a special ribbon instead, and a special charm or two. This can be made to match seasons, holidays, book themes (like knitting books!), birthdays, etc.

This link shows some Native American beadwork examples.
This link provides links to beading history, cultural values, bead types, and examples.
links to Indian beading

Pa also helps the girls read the footprints in the dry, dusty dirt around the camp. He is able to distinguish a spot where a woman bent down, the fringe of her dress sweeping the ground. Go outside and walk in puddles, or snow. Make footprints in one direction, then the other. How can you determine which way the person walked? Look here for pictures of animal tracks. How can you determine which way the animals walked?
Walk in paint, or trace on construction paper and make footprint reindeer.

by bethanyg

Fineandfancy says.....
I also thought I would post a link to my knitting/crochet stitch counter, also made of beads. I wear this as regular jewelery as well!