Find some crayons and some brown paper bags. Have a grown-up cut up the paper bag. Mark the paper bag with your crayons as you repeat the sentences below. Have your adult say it first and then you can repeat after them:

We gather today in this beautiful place we call home to acknowledge the Tohono O’odham people as the traditional custodians of the land upon which we meet, live, go to school, play and where we call home.

The Tohono O’odham people are the original inhabitants of the land we live on today.

We pay our respects to the Elders of the past, present, and the future and acknowledge their spiritual connection to the land.

Choose how you want to do that:

1.    A moment of silence to think of the Elders of the past, present and future
2.    A moment of noisy joy to thank loudly the Elders of the past, present and future
3.    Now introduce yourselves by names to Mother Earth.

Say it 3 times out loud:

Hi Mother Earth! My name is _________. It’s so nice to meet you!

Say it 3 times out loud:

My name is ________ and family and I thank the Tohono O’odham people for their land. This land continues to be their land.

Say it 3 times out loud:

I am grateful to grow up on this land and promise to _________  the saguaros and the birds, the javelinas and the sky, the mesquite trees and the coyotes who roam the streets and desert of this land.

Can you draw a picture of your feelings after repeating the words above? How does it feel to acknowledge the land of the Tohono O’odham people?