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Primary Sources and Protagonists: A Native American Literature Unit
Introduce your middle schoolers to the lives of past Native Americans. First, learners work together to put photographs in a sequence. Then, using their sequence, they create stories to share with the whole class. No matter how old your...
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In the Footprints of Lewis and Clark: 19th Century Artists -- Depictions of Native Americans
Eighth graders read excerpts of "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose. As a class, they view slides of artwork from the time period of westward expansion and Native Americans, write their reactions and share them with the class. To...
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A River, Dead or Alive: Native Americans and European Colonists' Treatment of a River
Students write an expository paragraph about the uses of the Nashua River for the Native Americans and the European Colonists. For this river uses lesson plan, students determine the causes and effects of both parties using the river.
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Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas-Dancing With the Indians
Students read Dancing With the Indians by Angela Shelf Medearis. They complete a variety of cross-curricular activities surrounding the study of Native American festivals and traditions. Included are reading, art, math, science, writing,...
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Be An Expert
Part of a series of lessons about bring Native American stories into the classroom, this plan suggests having kids research and take notes on one group of Native Americans and then complete a project that they present to the class. Pull...
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James Welch's Fools Crow
Learners explore the history of Montana's Native Americans by reading James Welch's Fools Crow. Set shortly after the Civil War, the novel focuses on a young Blackfoot Indian and his tribe. Over the course of several weeks, class members...
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Go Native!
Students explore the five Native American regions. They compare and contrast the dwellings, clothing, and tools of the Native American groups. Students research one group of Native Americans. They build totem poles, pueblos, weave...
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The First Americans
Students participate in theatre activities to study American history. In this American history and theatre lesson, students work in groups to research a specific Native American group to investigate their lifestyle. Students then create...
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How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun
Students explore U.S. history by reading a Native American tale in class. In this cultural storytelling lesson, students read the story How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun and discuss the characters and themes of the Native American...
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The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
Second graders use literature journals and discussion groups to summarize and improve their reading comprehension. In this reading skills lesson, 2nd graders discuss animals they've loved and read the story The Girl Who Loved Wild...
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Native Americans
Students are introduced to the culture of a variety of Native American tribes through literature and related activities.
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Making Rose Petal Beads
Learners make homemade beads from flower petals while exploring Native American history, culture, and art.
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Beauty of the Harvest
Students collect information from Beauty of the Harvest and Native American culture to determine what women accomplished in their daily lives. After organizing and thoughtfully considering this information, students create their own...
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Maskmaking
Students examine masks from various cultures focusing on the Native Americans. Using the internet, they research the purpose of the masks and various designs. They create their own mask showing their own culture and personality and...
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They Put On Masks
Eighth graders examine Native American art. In this mask making lesson, 8th graders compare mask making traditions among different cultures. Students watch a demonstration of mask making and construct a mask of their own.
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They Put on Masks
Students discover Native American culture by creating masks. In this customs lesson, students create their own masks in class from plaster and paint. Students perform a skit in front of their school showcasing their mask making efforts.
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Selling of the West, or The Portrayal of Emigrant Travel on the Oregon Trail
Students compare and contrast the realistic and romantic art and literature about experiences on the Oregon Trail. Using this information, they compare their viewpoints and write messages on what they believe it was like on a trip down...
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The Telling: A Thanksgiving Story
students use literature to compare and contrast different points of view on the first Thanksgiving.
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Imagen e ldentidad/Image and Identity: Multiple Voices, Violations and Victories
Students spend a year involved in a project researching the diversity of Native Americans.
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The History of Maple Syrup
Students explore the process of harvesting maple syrup. In this science and history lesson plan, students make their own maple syrup and create a picture book that shows the Native American and American pioneer methods of making the syrup.
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Rock Speaks
Young scholars create primitive forms and caricatures to represent meaningful figures and/or events in their own lives, present their own works to the class, and attempt to interpret the relevant meaning from other students' work.
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Comparative Folktales
Young scholars analyze Mongolian and Native American folktales and compare the two types. They discuss the importance of storytelling in nomadic cultures and read a story in small groups. Following the story, they answer questions and...
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Shoes and the Backyard Landscape
Your shoes get a lot of mileage in familiar places. Represent the places you have traveled the most with an art project based on a print of Indian People Wear Shoes and Socks by Juane Quick-to-See Smith. Kids trace their shoes and draw...
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Native American Poetry
Fourth graders locate the poetry section of the LMC. They produce a hand written transparency based on the poem Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Students illustrate a poem from their poetry section. It is a mystery to them what...