Native American Cultures

Native American Cultures

A WebQuest for 4th Grade (History)

L. Cherry and L. Bosworth

Overview

This lesson is for students to describe how early Native American cultures developed in North America.

SS4H1 The student will describe how early Native American cultures developed in

North America.

A. Locate where the American Indians settled with emphasis on Arctic (Inuit),

Northwest (Kwakiutl), Plateau (Nez Perce), Southwest (Hopi), Plains (Pawnee)

and Southeastern (Seminole)

B. Describe how the American Indians used their environment to obtain food, clothing,

and shelter

The resources used will be the Internet and a word processor.

Introduction

Take a step back in time when the Native Americans were settling in this country. Can you hear their war cries? The purpose of this Web quest is to learn about the six different tribes. These tribes include the Inuit, Kwakiutl, Nez Perce, Hopi, Pawnee, and Seminole. The students will learn and experience their tribe in the way they live, where they live, what kind of clothing, food and shelter they use. At the end of this a Native American “food” party will be thrown and the best presentation gets five extra credit points and gets to wear the beautiful headdresses.

Task

The class is to break up into groups. These groups will be under the headings: Inuit, Kwakiutl, Nez Perce, Hopi, Pawnee and Seminole. Each group will use the internet to research their tribe. This will be done individually. After each student has researched their specified tribe, they will come together with the rest of the group and discuss their findings. Students should find information on the tribes’ lifestyle, like their homes, food, clothing, tribal dance, and where they have landed. After students have gathered this information, they are to create a diorama. This diorama will contain the different features they have found in their research. This diorama will be shown by each tribe (group) to the class. Also, a report will be given about their findings and told during the diorama presentation.

Native American Dioramas

· Materials

· Shoe box

· Construction paper

· Glue

· Scissors

· Markers/crayons

· Straw

· Shells

· Toothpicks

· Cloth

· Any other materials the students wish to bring for their dioramas.

The teacher explains that the dioramas should show examples of their tribe's lifestyle, for example, their homes, food, and clothing. It should also show what the terrain is like, for example, Calusas are found on the southern coast and Apalachees are found in the northern part of the state.
The students then use a variety of materials to complete their dioramas; they need to use more than just construction paper.
Students work on their own in class creating their dioramas. They should have at least two class periods to work on them. They should work individually and should be able to use their notes, textbook, and other resources (provided by the teacher) to assist the accuracy of their creation.

The Process

First you will be assigned a tribe (group) of 3 or more students. This is assigned by the teacher.
Use the Internet to search the tribe you have been assigned. Or you can click on the links that we have provided below. Also, search engines have been provided to help start the research process.

Search Engines:

www.google.com

www.msn.com

www.yahoo.com

To find information on tribes:

www.encarta.msn.com *type in tribe name at top of page and pick the information you would like to document.

Inuit Tribe: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~aye1/IFSM403/Project/Myanmar/Anth326.htm : this website gives major facts about the tribes home, culture, language, and history. http://www.houston-north-gallery.ns.ca/inuit_indians.htm : this is an art gallery of the tribe.

Seminole Tribe: http://www.seminolenation-indianterritory.org/ : this website has everything you can imagine on the tribe

Nez Perce: http://www.critfc.org/oldsite/text/NEZPER.HTM : basic information on the tribe

www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/nezperce/nezpercehist.htm : more than information for your minds cravings

Kwakiutl Tribe: http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/kwakiutl.html : this website has basic information and then gives you more optional websites

Hopi Tribe: http://www.hopi.nsn.us/ : this is the official website of the Hopi Tribe

Pawnee Tribe: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/pawnee/pawneehist.htm

Document the information found under four major headlines. These should include: home, food, clothing, tribal dance, and location.
Get together with group and discuss each others findings. Once all the information has been pulled, write a 2 page report summarizing your group findings.
Using the information create a diorama. This will be made from a shoebox and the materials listed above.
Present report and diorama to class.
The tribe that creates the best diorama will be given the headdresses to wear during the Native American party.

Evaluation

This project will be graded as a group project. Everyone must participate! It will be graded by the following:

	Beginning -1	Developing - 2	Accomplished - 3	Exemplary - 4	Score
Demonstration of Adequate research	No research.	Little research	Fair amount of research shown	A thorough amount of research shown
Group cooperation	none	some	fair	Excellent, this involves everyone taking a a role and following through with the assignment
Oral report	Shows no understanding	Shows minimal understanding	Shows understanding, but in plain terms	Shows excellent understanding. Group shows they understand the information thoroughly.
Diorama	Assignment done incorrectly	Shows the research done, but not put together well.	Has everything in it that the group describes in the report, with the some creativity.	Creativity is high, while it is also put together well

Conclusion

Students should learn by this project about the different tribes discussed. They should be learning about the differences among the tribes, and about the different lifestyles, and where they are located.

Students, I would now like you to reflect upon your projects. Did you cooperate with your group? Did you learn more about the subject?

Credits & References

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArt3NativeAmericanCraftIdeas3.htm

http://www.georgiastandards.org/socialstudies.asp

http://www.iwchildren.org/usd418.htm

Thank you to all of these websites for providing help so that this project could be possible.