MHS students build models for class

Mundelein High School students in teacher Nancy Gianaras' English 2 class have built models of Native American tribal homes as part of the course.

The project came about after the class read the novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie.

The students recorded questions and answers about the novel by maintaining journals and developing research questions. They focused on the themes of the novel, including bullying, prejudice and friendship.

The final activity involved researching a Native American tribe and building the tribal dwelling models. The structures were constructed from all-natural materials to reflect the Native American respect for the earth.

“The houses are very creative, considering they had limited material,” Gianaras said. “The students were completely engaged in the project and even got family members involved.”

The final exam for the class will include a written test and an oral presentation about Native American dwellings.