Lenni-Lenape (Delaware) Indians’ History, Culture and Food

The Lenni-Lenape, the original people of the Philadelphia region, are the subjects of this multidisciplinary unit. How they lived in the distant past and how and where they live today are large questions to be treated. Specifically, forth and fifth grade students will learn the history and culture of these original people of Philadelphia, but will then focus on food. Students will plant corn, beans and pumpkins in April. They will tend the crops through the summer and then harvest in the fall of the following school year.

The students will learn what tools and techniques were implemented by the Indians. At harvest the students will prepare to consume their bounty following recipes from 300 years ago. The teacher will keep a folder for each student containing research and notes over the summer, as to be ready to continue in the fall. Since the unit will cover three broad topics, history, culture, and the growing of food, it is expected that the unit will cover six forty-five minute lessons in the spring and six in the fall.