Barter Day

We  enjoyed meeting with all of you immensely during our recent conferences. I have a request and I am sorry for the late notice. This is for an activity that has taken some time for me to work out in my mind with some help from Mrs. Fain.
 
I would like to help the students understand that the Mississippian Indians that lived at Moundville and other Native Americans traded with each other to exchange goods. Our children have grown up in a society in which we basically exchange money for good and services.  I would like for them to experience the process of trade.
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I need your help.  Would you please find some little trinkets or treasures around your house that your child could trade with others at school for something else? These should be things that you do not want anymore. What you send is up to your own imagine. Some of the ideas I have are things like shells, marbles, pieces of broken jewelry, old game pieces to now incomplete games, Lego pieces, unwanted Matchbox cars, old Toy pieces, beautiful buttons, etc. Again, this is up to your imagination.  You could ask your child to help. The items might even include something that you child made. I think it would nice if everyone brought 10 items to trade.
 
Please do not send money.  The idea is for us to learn how people traded for things without money. Your child might bring home an interesting bag of items.
 
Please send the items on Thursday morning.
 
Again, sorry for the late notice. I appreciate your help in completing this interesting learning activity.
 
By the way, tomorrow morning we are going to taste some foods that Native Americans who lived long ago might have eaten.
 
Thanks so much,
Margaret