Hands-On Rocky Mountains: Art Activities for Anasazi American Indians, Settlers, Trappers and Cowboys
Grade 4 Up.  Teachers and other adults who work with children will appreciate these craft ideas, centering on five historical groups from the Rocky Mountain region: early people, American Indians, trappers, settlers, and cowboys. Each section is introduced with a brief overview highlighting the people and time period. Care has been taken to be accurate and provide a sensitive portrayal of all groups represented. The crafts are much more authentic looking than those usually offered in such collections and are all created with materials available at craft or hobby stores. Among the projects included are petroglyph book covers, a Navajo woven bag, a knife sheath, and a rag rug. Each finished project is depicted in a full-page, full-color photograph, along with a reproduction of an actual artifact. While attractive, this title may mislead children as to the expected outcome of their work. The directions are accompanied by line drawings and are mostly clear, but a few require interpretation based on the photographs or previous knowledge. (For example, the instruction "to whipstitch" is not elaborated on.) On occasion, readers are directed to as many as three different pages to complete a project. The overall appearance is very attractive, and children as well as adults will be drawn to the activities, but youngsters will require adult help to complete them.?Darcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KSCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.