Thanks - reason for including it - look back a few threads. I was reminded of the song, which I like, and we like to have a variety of material from a wide range of sources. Then we find a way to link it. The theme is, I suppose, Christmas through the ages and across the world, but we have to operate within a tight time and space limit. Basically, the intro plus three carols. The script is just a few linking sentences based on a colleague's ideas. Pre National Curriculum, we could have done a proper background topic - I still have material from one I did years back when I went into a lot of depth myself. I can't get everything wholly authentic in a very short time - you ought to see the carol singers - so we're just suggesting the identities with a few improvised items. That being said, I want them to be an appropriate few items. We've got a good drum accompaniment on a large tambour, which deals with the drum part, but we could manage rattles and scarves fairly easily. I've picked up some good ideas above. Also on a site posted during Thanksgiving.

Incidentally, can anyone let me know of a book which has biographies of various Indian characters from history? I read one once which included Joseph Brand, Sequoia, Hiawatha (the real one) and others who are more difficult to find out about than the later Plains leaders, and in some cases had nothing to do with white settlers. I read one once, but am miles and years away from access to it.

What I really don't want to do is any of those negative things mentioned above, to be quaint. It is important to teach about diversity with respect.

Penny