Native American
Tribe Project
Title: Native American Cultures (Tribes)

Purpose: Students will better understand the unique ways of life of various Native American tribes.

Grade Level(s): 4-8

Subject Area(s): Social Studies, Language Arts, Computer Technology

Student Work Samples: Vinci Park 5th Grade Projects (Nov. 2002)

Description: Activities are designed to have students learn about Native American culture. Each group researches a single tribe, completes a data collection sheet, and write at least 1 paragraph for each section. The group then refers to the matrix (chart) to see what areas need to be further developed and worked on. Native American groups/nations (tribes), researches for missing information, prepares a map displaying the ancestral range of the tribe and prepares a written analysis of data in the in the form of an essay. Activities are also included for drawing a poster about Native American culture. As a final task, each group will create a Power Point presentation on their tribe and do an oral class presentation.
Objectives:   California State Standards for History/Social Studies

4th Grade
4.2 Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods. 

  • 1. Discuss the major nations of California Indians, including their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs; and describe how they depended on, adapted to, and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and use of sea resources. 
5th Grade
5.1 Students describe the major pre-Columbian settlements, including the cliff  dwellers and pueblo people of the desert Southwest, the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the nomadic nations of the Great Plains, and the woodland peoples east of the Mississippi River. 
Time Frame:This project requires approximately 10 classroom hours to complete, including a couple of guided sessions on the computer.

Materials/Technology: 
  • Computer with appropriate software (MS-Word, Power Point and perhaps Netscape Composer )
  • Computer printer
  • Internet access
  • Worksheets (available in this web site)
  • Paper & writing instruments
  • Art materials

Assessment/Evaluation: A scoring rubric is provided for each task. The rubric is available to both students and teachers.
Additional Activities: 
  1. Students compare ancestral conditions with those of present day tribe to identify social, economic, and health challenges.
  2. Create a web site based on the student work.  To learn how to do that, I suggest looking into National Semiconductor's Global Connections program, offered through RAFT or online at  http://www.nsglobalonline.com/

Teacher Preparation:
  • Read through and print out the needed resources linked to on the web version of this project <http://www.everyschool.org/u/global/rdcurry/5th_nativeam1.html>.  I also suggest that you practice locating key words for each group's tribe and show them how to best locate the best links.
  • Ask Jeeves For Kids (A recommended WEB search engine)
  • Acknowledgements: This course was designed based on learning and materials I got from taking 

    • Intel's Teach to the Future course theough the BUSD, taught by Katherine Everett.

    Graphics: Graphics are from public domain sources and from www.webshots.com


     


                       Native California Tribes                   
    4th Grade 












     
    Pomo
    Chumash
    Maidu
    Miwok
    Yuma
    Klamath

    For images, checkout www.webshots.com

     
    In this Project-based learning unit, students will learn to do cooperative group research and develop several different media to to pass on what they have learned.

    Be sure to show where images came from in your Bibliography

    North American Tribes  5th Grade

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Eastern Woodland   (Mohawk, Huron, Ojibwe)            

    Great Plains   (Mandan, Sioux, Dakota)                 
    Southeast  (Seminole, Cherokee)                   
    Pacific Northwest  (Haida, Makah                , 
    Chinook)                   
    Southwest   (Apache, Hopi, Navajo,                
    Zuni, Utes)                        
    Meso-America  (Aztec)                       
  • Web Search Engines for North American Tribes
  • Research Tools 
    		•
    Expectations of Prior Student Knowledge
    • General knowledge of North and Central American Georgraphy (resource)
    • General knowledge of North American Climates (resource)

      • General knowledge of the variety of Native American People
    StudentTasks: You can get to the tasks (their descriptions, requirements, grading, and explanations) just by clicking on the blue title beside each task below.

    Developed by: RDCurrysetstats1  Last updated 09/27/03