Model Native American Homes

Name:  Anna Edge

Grade Level:  4th

Teacher Materials Needed:  Picture books on Native American homes
            A sample model home
            Venn diagram transparency

Student Materials Needed:  Picture of the home they choose to recreate
            All materials needed to create the model

My Goals for This Lesson:
Students will research various homes that Native Americans lived in.
Students will present their model and any information they gathered about the Native American group they chose.
Students will choose two model homes and compare them using a Venn diagram.

Related NC Standard Course of Study Goals/Objectives:
  1.1:  Identify, locate, and describe ways of living of the major Native American groups in North Carolina, past and present.
  1.3:  Analyze similarities and differences among North Carolina’s people, past and present.
  5.1:  Explain how North Carolinians in the past used, modified, or adapted to the physical environment.
  11.1:  Identify and describe changes, which have occurred in ways of living in North Carolina.
  12.1:  Identify people, symbols, and events associated with North Carolina’s heritage.

Launch:
Ask students to write in their journal about what they think Native Americans used to build their houses since there was no metal available.  Discuss some of the students’ ideas in whole group.  Then show some examples of Native American homes (provide pictures for students to see).
Pair the students and have then choose a home to build.  There may be more than one of a particular home, but there should be a good variety.  Show the students a model of a Native American home and explain to them that their grades will reflect their work, so do a good job.

Explore:
Students should spend a class period or two researching their homes.  Once research has been collected, five class periods will be set aside for students to bring in the necessary materials and work on the activity with their partner.

Summarization:
When projects are completed, the partner groups will present their home and some of the research they found.  In whole group, the class will discuss differences and similarities in the Native American model homes.  It should be emphasized that this is not a time to criticize and discount students’ work.
Present the Venn diagram and model how it works by randomly choosing two model homes to compare, using the transparency.  Have students use a Venn diagram to compare two model homes.

Assessment/Evidence of Learning:
Students will be assessed on their models.  Quality, accuracy, and effort will be noted.  They will be assessed on the deliverance of their presentation and the quality of the information provided to the class.  The Venn Diagrams will be used to assess students’ observational and listening skills.

Ticket out the door:
Have students write down the English name of the Native American group they chose and then write the name of that group in their language (i.e., Cherokee= Tsalagi).

Adapted from:
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArtLACreateModelNativeAmericanHome56.htm
 
 
 

Native-American/Writing Lesson
Meredith A. Macon

GRADE: 4

TEACHER MATERIALS:
Board or chart paper to write details

STUDENT MATERIALS:
Pencil, paper, materials for illustration (colors)

GOALS:
For students to become describe the of the role the environment for the Native Americans of North Carolina.
Practice narrative writing.

NCSCS OBJECTIVES:
  1.1 Identify, locate, and describe ways of living of the major Native-American groups in North Carolina, past and present.
  2.1 Describe traditional art forms and aesthetic values in North Carolina.
  3.3 Suggest some influences that location has on life in North Carolina.
  5.1 Explain how North Carolinians in the past used, modified, or adapted
        to the physical environment.
  4.03 Make oral and written presentations using visual with an awareness of
         purpose and audience.
  4.05 Use planning strategies to generate topics and organize ideas (e.g.,
         brainstorming, mapping, webbing, reading, discussion).
  4.06 Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on
         the topic with specific, relevant, supporting details by using
         preliminary plans.
  4.07 Compose fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using self-selected
         and assigned topics and forms (e.g., personal and imaginative
         narratives, research reports, diaries, journals, logs, rules, instructions).
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/Curriculum/

LAUNCH:
“Today class, we are going to be writers of historical fiction, just like the authors of the books we have read in the literature circles.  What have we been reading about? Right, Native Americans.  In the books that we have read what type of food to these Americans eat?  [write the food on the board]  These are all different types of food did all the Native-Americans eat the same food?  Why not?”

· Continue to list different characteristics that the environment effects like homes, clothing, hunting, leisure activities.
· Have the students explain why the environment effects the people.
· Review the different regions of North Carolina and have the students describe the area (what grows there, what types clothes you would wear their…)

EXPLORE:
Have the students pick a region and write a Narrative:
You wake up to find yourself a Native-American in one of the three regions of North Carolina (Mountains, Piedmont, & Beach).  Describe your day from when you wake up to when go back to sleep that night.

· Review with the class that they are to describe the homes, land, clothes, food, and activities using the list on the board for reference.

SUMMERIZE:
Have the students trade papers when finished and have the students illustrate the story that they read.
Share at least one story from each region and discuss the effect of the environment on the people.

ASSESSMENT:
By reading the stories I can assess the individuals understanding and communication of how the region effects the people and how well they write.  By looking at the illustrations I can assess the ability to understand the reading.
 
 
 

Native Americans
Names:  M. Derek Compton
Grade Level:  5th

Teacher Materials Needed:
1) Overhead Projector
2) Example Native American Mask

Student Materials Needed:
1) Paper and pencil
2) Construction paper
3) Scissors
4) Glue

My Social Studies Goals for This Lesson:
1) To assess prior knowledge of Native Americans
2) To address the idea of Stereotypes
3) To promote the idea of Citizenship Education through diversity in this country

Related NC Standard Course of Study Goals/Objectives:
Anthropology/ Psychology/ Sociology
  1.1 Identify, locate, and describe major groups of people, past and present, in the United States, Canada, and Latin America
  1.2 Describe similarities and differences among the people of the United States, Canada, and Latin America
  2.1 Describe evolving art forms and aesthetic values and assess their influence on life in the United States, Canada, and Latin
       America
  2.2 Evaluate the influence of beliefs, individuals, and practices associated with major religions in the United States, Canada, and
       Latin America
  2.3 Analyze economic, social, and political situations which involve ethical and moral dilemmas
History
  11.2 Identify examples of cultural transmission and interaction within and among regions of the Western Hemisphere
  12.1 Identify people, symbols, and events associated with the heritage of the    United States, Canada, and Latin America
 

Launch:
Have a couple of video-clips from several movies.  Have kids write down what characteristics that that movie portrayed. List ideas on overhead projector.

Then ask kids to draw a picture of what a Native American might look and act like.
 

Explore:
(Groups of 4)
· Ask the group members to share their ideas with the group
· Assign tasks to each group member
- Leader  (Person in the group who will make sure the sharing is organized and flows fell)
- Presenter (Person in the group who will present the group ideas to the class)
- Transcriber (Person in the group who will record the ideas from the group)
- Illustrator (Person in the group who will draw a new picture based on a Consensus of what the group came up with)
· While in these groups the Transcriber will take down differences and similarities of what the group came up with (Pairs)
· Allow each pair of students to do research of masks of a particular tribe
· Be sure to allow them to have a word or phrase associated with what each masks represents (Individual)
· Allow the students to make their own Native American mask
· Be sure to include this information on the back of the mask

Summarize:
Introduce the word:  Stereotype
· Talk about what a Stereotype is (A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception or image)
· Have a list of stereotypes of Native Americans and Have a list of comparison of accurate facts about Native Americans
· Have a list of tribes that were explored and the region that they lived in the United States

Assessment/Evidence of Learning:
While the students are working individually I will look for:
· The ability to accurately label and identify what the masks are for
While students are in groups I will look for:
· The ability to look for good group cooperation
· The ability of the students to recognize stereotypes
While students are in pairs I will look for:
· The ability to look up in a particular tribe using different resources
 

Closure Activity
Homework Assignment:  Have student(s) write an essay about how not to stereotype people or some strategies on how to not judge a person by stereotypes.
Other Activities
1) Provide knowledge about contemporary Native Americans to balance historical information.  Teaching about Native Americans exclusively from a historical perspective may perpetuate the idea that they exist only in the past.
2) Prepare units about specific tribes, rather than units about "Native Americans." For example, develop a unit about the people of Nambe Pueblo, the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, the Potawotami.  Ideally, choose a tribe with a historical or contemporary role in the local community.  Such a unit will provide children with culturally specific knowledge (pertaining to a single group) rather than overgeneralized stereotypes.
3) Locate and use books that show contemporary children of all colors engaged in their usual, daily activities playing basketball, riding bicycles as well as traditional activities. Make the books easily accessible to children throughout the school year. Three excellent titles on the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico are: Pueblo Storyteller, by Diane Hoyt- Goldsmith; Pueblo Boy: Growing Up in Two Worlds, by Marcia Keegan; and Children of Clay, by Rina Swentzell.
4) Obtain posters that show Native American children in contemporary contexts, especially when teaching younger elementary children.  When selecting historical posters for use with older children, make certain that the posters are culturally authentic and that you know enough about the tribe depicted to share authentic information with your students.
5) Use "persona" dolls (dolls with different skin colors) in the dramatic play area of the classroom on a daily basis.  Dress them in the same clothing (t-shirts, jeans) children in the United States typically wear and bring out special clothing (for example, manta, shawl, moccasins, turquoise jewelry for Pueblo girls) for dolls only on special days.
6) Cook ethnic foods but be careful not to imply that all members of a particular group eat a specific food.
7) Be specific about which tribes use particular items, when discussing cultural artifacts (such as clothing or housing) and traditional foods.  The Plains tribes use feathered headdresses, for example, but not all other tribes use them.
8) Critique a Thanksgiving poster depicting the traditional, stereotyped pilgrim and Indian figures, especially when teaching older elementary school children, Take care to select a picture that most children are familiar with, such as those shown on grocery bags or holiday greeting cards.  Critically analyze the poster, noting the many tribes the artist has combined into one general image that fails to provide accurate information about any single tribe (Stutzman, 1993).
9) At Thanksgiving, shift the focus away from reenacting the "First Thanksgiving." Instead, focus on items children can be thankful for in their own lives, and on their families' celebrations of Thanksgiving at home.

Practices to Avoid
1) Avoid using over-generalized books, curriculum guides, and lesson plans; and teaching kits with a "Native American" theme.  Although the goal of these materials is to teach about other cultures in positive ways, most of the materials group Native Americans too broadly.  When seeking out materials, look for those which focus on a single tribe.
2) Avoid the "tourist curriculum" as described by Derman- Sparks.  This kind of curriculum teaches predominantly through celebrations and seasonal holidays, and through traditional food and artifacts.  It teaches in isolated units rather than in an integrated way and emphasizes exotic differences, focusing on specific events rather than on daily life.
3) Avoid presenting sacred activities in trivial ways.  In early childhood classrooms, for example, a popular activity involves children in making headbands with feathers, even though feathers are highly religious articles
for some tribes.  By way of example, consider how a devout Catholic might feel about children making a chalice out of paper cups and glitter.
4) Avoid introducing the topic of Native Americans on Columbus Day or at Thanksgiving.  Doing so perpetuates the idea that Native Americans do not exist in the present.

Interesting Fact
An Accurate Picture of Native Americans in the 1990s:
- Native Americans make up less than one percent of the total U.S.  population but represent half the languages and cultures in the nation.  The term "Native American" includes over 500 different groups and reflects great diversity of geographic location, language, socioeconomic conditions, school experience, and retention of traditional spiritual and cultural practices.  However, most of the commercially prepared teaching materials available present a generalized image of Native American people with little or no regard for differences that exist from tribe to tribe.

Conclusion
Much remains to be done to counter stereotypes of Native Americans learned by young children in our society.  Teachers must provide accurate instruction not only about history but also about the contemporary lives of Native Americans.