Teepee or not teepee?
That is the question!

"BIG chief sitting council chairman" met children at Lambs Lane Primary School for a powwow when Councillor Bob Wyatt joined a living history lesson on the American Indians.

The man who chairs Wokingham District Council got into the Cheyenne spirit when he visited the Spencers Wood School for a special session in a teepee and tried on an authentic 35-feather war bonnet.

Cllr Wyatt joined children from the reception class at the school for a story-telling session led by deputy headteacher and literacy co-ordinator Jan Smith.

He was able to see one of the innovative ways schools in the district try to bring subjects such as literacy and history to life for their pupils.

The lesson under canvas was part of a day-long visit by new Spencers Wood firm The Stunning Tents Company, which put up two tents in the school grounds - the teepee and a yurt which originates from Central Asia and was the traditional home of nomads in countries such as Kyrgyzstan.

Teachers were able to bring their lessons to life using authentic artefacts and the mass of photographs, stories and other printed material provided with the tents.

During the day, all the classes at the school in Back Lane were given the chance to sample first hand what it was like to live in the tents and find out more about the people who would have called them home in the past - including their costumes, customs, meals, names and music.

The children's literacy lesson revolved around traditional folk tales from the native Indians and nomads.

Cllr Wyatt said: "For the children it all seemed like a lot of fun to be in their own wigwam dressing up and hearing exciting tales. But it was a great way of inspiring them to learn lessons in literacy, history and geography, with them looking at old photographs and poring over maps to see where people would have lived in these sorts of tents in the past. This is just one of the ways our schools look for opportunities to capture children's imaginations and really bring their lessons to life."