INVASION

Today our classroom was invaded by people from the land of the portables in the middle of math. Karrie and her class invaded our room because they liked our space. They noticed that we had lots of great resources that they could use. If we agreed to become portable people with them we received a sticker or a post it note. Some learners took stickers and others didn't. The learners with stickers were asked to sit on the rug and give up their desk spaces to the people from the land of the portables. Then they were asked to give them their snacks. Some learners obeyed because they were unsure what to do, but one group of learners refused to cooperate with the portable people and actually ended up dividing the learners from room 11. Karrie, the leader, noticed that we had lots of great supplies and asked for all our pencils. I offered the class set to prevent learners from getting their desks ransacked. Upset with the learners that wouldn't cooperate, the people from the land of the portables took three captives with them.

After the experience we reflected on what had happened. Learners talked about their feelings. They shared how they felt angry, invaded, confused, and sad. They also pointed out how much of a mess the portable people left our room in. I then asked them to think about why we did this activity. We made the connection to California history and what we knew about California. Learners connected that they were representing the Native Californian tribes who may have also had similar feelings when they encountered European Explorers. We used these emotions to write in our perspective journals from the perspective of a Native American who felt invaded by explorers. Here are some excerpts from their journals:

Dear Journal,

"When these unknown people came they took a lot. It felt awful and I was sad and scared. They took me to their land. They put me to work. They made me build, I had to nanny for their kids, I had to cook for them, I had to do everything. I felt like I was a slave." - Sam C.

"Today we saw a thing in the water. I learned later they were called boats. People walked off of them and they said that this was their land and I felt bad. I've been in this land for years. They wanted to trade. They messed things up. I felt lost." -Kaia

"They took me hostage. I kept on trying to escape. I succeeded a lot and then they grabbed me again. They held me tight, so tight it hurt."- Jasper

"I was not prepared for what came next. Three of our people were captured. I was confused and upset for I loved all my tribe dearly. I was scared that I might be next. As I said I will never forget the day that I first spotted that dot on the horizon and our lives were changed forever. No more deer roamed the green hills and meadows, no bears frolicked and played in the spring, and never again will life be the same without those three people who never came back." -Carmen

"Today a big group of people in a huge mob came and invaded our tribe. We were working when they invaded. They came in and said something like, "We are from the land of the portables! We like your goods! Let us use your fancy stuff! You are now part of the portables!" Then they made us give them our food. I felt half angry and half annoyed."- Ben

"Today a group of unknown people came into my tribe. They did not care for our space. I felt funny when they came in. They gave us stickers to take our resources. That felt unfair. They commanded us to do things. It was a bit confusing. They also took our food. They even took our people!!!" -Jake

"Today people came to our land. They took our things, our food, our land, they even took some of us! When they first arrived I felt scared, confused, and especially mistreated. They had came without asking. We were here first! This is our land!"
- Camille

"They took our stuff and all we got back was post it notes and stickers. They took some or our people captive. It was the worst experience in my life. They trashed our land and left their stuff. Why us?" -Katie

For homework tonight, learners are asked to share this experience with their families and answer some specific questions about their feelings and what this experience meant in relationship to early California exploration.