CASPER — With one finger pointing up on each side of their heads, the students were ready to run through a blizzard.

The fifth- and sixth-graders at Park Elementary became buffaloes for part of a song by poet/singer Jack Gladstone. The song tells the story of how buffalo charged through snowstorms, facing their troubles head-on. Gladstone shared signs from American Indian sign language and words from the language of the Blackfeet Indian Nation of Montana.

“With American Indian sign language, we could speak with our hands,” Gladstone said. “An individual could go from one tribal language to another.”

Gladstone transforms ancient legends and Western history into song. He has performed at the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian since 2006.

Gladstone and storyteller Greg Rodgers shared parts of Native American life with the Park Elementary students on Wednesday morning. The two were joined by baseball legend Jackie Robinson, played by Gregory Gibson Kenney. Kenney was in Casper as part of the “Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience” traveling exhibit sponsored by the Natrona County Public Library.

Dressed in a faded No. 42 Dodgers jersey, cleats and baseball cap, Kenney told Robinson’s story to the children, many of whom hadn’t heard of Robinson. He paced the room, shaking hands and addressing students as “miss” or “son.”

Fifth-grader Olivia Kitterman said the presentations were a fun way to learn.

“I learned that people couldn’t change. and in the old days it was hard to reach your goals,” Kitterman said.

Gladstone, Rodgers, historian Herman J. Viola and storyteller Jim Garry traveled to schools as part of the Smithsonian Scholars in the Schools program. The program selects speakers for topics found in the Smithsonian Institution’s museums and research in art, culture and history, and Earth and space science.

The scholars planned to visit Grant, Oregon Trail, Sagewood and Southridge elementary schools. To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center will host the scholars for a free family day on Saturday.

Contact Jackie Borchardt at jackie.borchardt@trib.com or 307-266-0593.