COMPREHENSIVE NATIVE AMERICAN LESSON PLAN

GRADE LEVEL / SUBJECT/TOPIC: 5th grade Social Studies DEVELOPED BY: Melanie Lewis

STANDARDS ADDRESSED: USI.3a-b

DATE: 9/19/2006 LENGTH OF LESSON: 2-3 45 minute sessions RESOURCES:

PLANNING WHAT STUDENTS WILL:

KNOW (STANDARDS/CONTENT): First Americans (Native Americans) were on the North American continent before the first European explorers

came. The Inuit lived in the Artic. The Kwakiutl were located in the Northwest. Sioux were found on the Plains.

Pueblo were in the Southwest. Iroquois were in the Eastern Woodlands. Each of the different language groups depended

on resources from their environment to survive.

UNDERSTAND (BIG IDEAS, ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS)

A culture’s environment affects its development.

DO (SKILLS, PERFORMANCE – ACTION VERBS):

THE STUDENT WILL

• Locate where the American Indians (First Americans) settled, with emphasis on Arctic (Inuit),

Northwest (Kwakiutl), Plains (Sioux), Southwest (Pueblo), and Eastern Woodland (Iroquois).

• Describing how the American Indians (First Americans) used their environment to obtain food, clothing,

and shelter.

PLANNING PRE-ASSESSMENT:

• WHAT STRATEGY DID YOU USE? A multiple intelligence test was administered prior to lesson.

• HOW WERE RESULTS USED TO DESIGN INSTRUCTION? Students were placed at stations according to their strength.

PLANNING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE:

INTRODUCTION (HOOK):

1. Tell students they are going to play a game of Native American “Survivor.” Divide the class into six or seven

groups, and give each group one object in a bag. Tell them to carefully study their object, brainstorm as a group,

and fill out their game sheet with a number of ways they could use such an object to survive in the American

wilderness. Remind them to think about the difference between “wants” and “needs.” They can imagine the

object being larger, such as a complete animal hide, or a much longer bamboo pole. The object can be altered,

as long as only natural materials are used, such as bending a stick or using heat or water. Tell them they have 5

minutes to brainstorm and compile their ideas. Adjust the time if necessary for students to complete the activity.

2. When time is up, ask each group to show their object and explain their ideas, using specific examples of how

the object could be used. Use the transparency to compile the ideas, and compare information generated by each

group.

WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION 1. Preview the video clip, Native Americans: The First People. Lead students through video. BODY: . Pass out menu and review directions with students. Explain that products will be started during class and will

be due to Mrs. Lewis the following week.

• IF DIFFERENTIATED: o WHAT? product o HOW? Learning style o WHY? Students were given a multiple intelligence test. Much discussion has been held on

identifying personal strengths and weaknesses and how to best complete an assigned task even if learning is difficult.

CLOSURE:

Use the Smart Board lesson to review material. The Smart Board lesson is interactive.

ASSESSMENT/CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

. Each of the products has a rubric which will be used to guide assessments.

© pending: Brimijoin & Gould, 2005

NameNameNameName__________________ TTTTeachereachereachereacher ___________________ DateDateDateDate _______________

Directions: Each of us has nine smarts or multiple intelligences that we use to learn and problem solve. Some of our smarts are

strong. These strong smarts determine areas where learning is easy. Some of our smarts are weak. Learning is difficult when we

need to use our weak smarts. Unfortunately, each of our smarts is needed at some time. Therefore, we need to assure that we try to

make our weak smarts stronger but we also want our strong smarts to stay strong.

On the back is a menu of learning tasks. Each of the tasks will help you better describe how the environment affected the

development of First Americans (Native Americans).

You have taken a multiple intelligence inventory and you can identify your intelligence strengths and weaknesses. Your job

is to choose two tasks to complete which match your strengths. You must also choose one task which will match your weakness.

Please indicate your strengths and choices below.

I am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing task # ____ becausebecausebecausebecause ___________________________________________.

I am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing task # ____ becausebecausebecausebecause ___________________________________________.

I am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing taskI am choosing task # ____ becausebecausebecausebecause ___________________________________________.

Pledge:Pledge:Pledge:Pledge:

Read over the following pledge. If the pledge holds true for you, sign before your turn this sheet in:

I did my very best work. I was reflective and thought carefully about the content I put together. My work is neat. It is

visually appealing to the audience. I did not rush through the tasks I chose nor did I drag any task out too long. I am

proud of the products I am turning in and I stand behind my efforts.

__________________________________________ (my signature)

Note: All work must be in the provided folder when it is turned in.

Task Rubrics Task 1: Using Pictographs to tell a story

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Task 1 Use Native American Pictographs to

describe a time when your environment

changed your behavior or affected an

event in which you were involved. Note:

Native American Pictographs will be

provided for you to copy.

Task 2 Draw a three column T-chart. Visit

the website Sounds at

www.canyonrecords.com/sounds.htm.

Once you are there, listen to a variety

of Native American music. On your

T-chart, compare the sounds made by

three different tribes from different

regions of the country. Also identify

instruments used (flute, drum) by

each group and brain storm what

natural resources are needed to create

each instrument you hear. Don’t

forget to label each column with the

name of the Native American tribe

you listened to.

Task 3 A physical map is one which depicts identifiable landmarks such as lakes, deserts, and mountains.

a physical map of North America, and map the regions

where tribes you have learned about were located. Note on the map how the environment affected

Inuit, Kwakiutl,

Task 4 Use a Venn Diagram to compare Native

American pictographs with Egyptian

hieroglyphics and Chinese ideographs.

Once your ideas and thought are

organized on your diagram write a

comparison paper that describes

similarities and differences in the three

different writing styles. Also in your

paper tell how they were used in the

culture in which they were developed.

Task 5 In the Disney film, creators imagined

Pocahontas talking to trees, animals,

rocks, and other things found in her

environment. Their advice helped her

“save the day”. Imagine that these

can also talk to you. What would be

said? How would you change as a

result of the conversation? Write out

a conversation between you and four

things you may find your

environment. Each conversation

must be written or typed as a good

paragraph from the point of view of

the environmental elements.

Task 6 Use Excel to create a spreadsheet

showing what resources were used by

the Inuit, Kwakiutl, Sioux, Pueblo,

and Iroquois. Categories expected to

be covered are food sources, clothing

sources, shelter sources. Look over

your spreadsheet when it is complete.

Many people believe that Amherst’s

Monachans were actually Sioux which

migrated to our area. Write a

paragraph which explains what

adaptations would have been

necessary for the Sioux which were

use to living on the Plains to change to

an Eastern Wood life existence. Print

out a copy of your spread sheet to

include with your paragraph.

Class time was used wisely. Much time and effort went into the planning and design of the pictograph story. The student clearly defined a time in their life when their behavior was impacted by the environment.

Class time was used wisely; however, student could have put in more effort into the content of the pictograph story. The student used pictographs to convey ideas about themselves but did not tell about a time behavior was impacted by the environment.

Class time was not always used wisely. The pictograph story is unfinished.

Class time was not used wisely and the student did not attempt to create the pictograph story.

Task 2: Comparison of Native American Music

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Accurately describes the types of instruments used by the artist and accurately relates how the environment affected the resources used to create the instruments.

Accurately describes a couple of instruments used by the artist and accurately relates how the environment affected the resources used to create the instruments.

Describes some instruments used by the artist, but has difficulty describing how the environment affected the resources used to create the instruments.

Did not attempt to complete the assignment or left the assignment unfinished.

Task 3: Map

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

90-100% of the labels/features can be read easily. Legend is easy-to-find and contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose. Students have accurately identified each tribe and noted how the environment affected the resources available to the different tribes.

89-80% of the labels/features can be read easily. Legend contains a complete set of symbols, including a compass rose. Students have accurately identified each tribe but did not note how the environment affected the resources available to the different tribes.

79-70% of the labels/features can be read easily. Legend contains an almost complete set of symbols, including a compass rose. Students failed to label the tribes or comment on how the environment affected the resources available to the different tribes.

Less than 70% of the labels/features can be read easily. Legend is absent or lacks several symbols. Tribes are not marked and there is no mention of how the environment affected the resources available to the different tribes.

Task 4: Comparison of cultural writing styles

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1 The student compares and

contrasts the different cultural writing clearly. The paper points to specific examples to illustrate the comparison. The paper includes only the information relevant to the comparison. The Venn Diagram is included. There are many thoughts and ideas on the graphic organizer for the student to pull from in the

The student compares and contrasts different cultural writing clearly, but the supporting information is general. The paper includes only the information relevant to the comparison. The Venn Diagram is included. There are several thoughts and ideas on the graphic organizer for the student

The student compares and contrasts different cultural writing clearly, but the supporting information is incomplete. The paper may include information that is not relevant to the comparison. The Venn Diagram is included. There are few thoughts and ideas on the graphic organizer for the student to pull from in the

The student compares or contrasts, but does not include both. There is no supporting information or support is incomplete. The Venn Diagram is included but has almost no thoughts or ideas for the

completion of the paper. to pull from in the completion of the paper.

completion of the paper. student to pull from in the completion of the paper.

Task 5: Conversation

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

The writing demonstrated a clear conversation between the student and four environmental elements. Point-of-view, arguments, and solutions proposed were consistent with element’s character. Student’s conversation was clearly about how their behavior may change as a result of the conversations.

The writing demonstrated a clear conversation between the student and four environmental elements. Point-of-view, arguments, and solutions proposed were often in seen in element’s character. Student attempted to keep the conversation about how their behavior may change as a result of the conversations.

There was an attempt to write as if having a conversation. Point-of-view, arguments, and solutions proposed were sometimes seen in the element’s character. Student did not keep the conversation about how their behavior may change as a result of the conversations.

Student did not attempt to complete the assignment.

Task 6: Excel Spreadsheet

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Data in the table is well organized, accurate, and easy to read. Student then used the date to explain what adaptations would have been necessary for the Sioux which were use to living on the Plains to change to an Eastern Wood life existence

Data in the table is organized, accurate, and easy to read. Student then attempted to use the date to explain what adaptations would have been necessary for the Sioux which were use to living on the Plains to change to an Eastern Wood life existence

Data in the table is accurate and easy to read. Hower, student did not use the date to explain what adaptations would have been necessary for the Sioux which were use to living on the Plains to change to an Eastern Wood life existence

Data in the table is not accurate and/or cannot be read. There is no attempt to write a paragraph based on date collected

Comparison of Ancient Writing

How are the writing characters alike and different? How do you think writing was used in these different cultures?

Comparison of Native American Music

Remember to think about the instruments used. What natural resources are needed to create each instrument? How is

each of the styles different? How are they similar?

Taken from Barbara Moody’s lesson Tribal Survival