Lesson Plan

Topic: Meeting the Native Americans

Grade 4
Social Studies Standards: History of the United States and New York
3. Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural, and religious de
velopments in New York State and United States history involves learning about t
he important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.
•gather and organize information about the important accomplishments of individu
als and groups, including Native American Indians, living in their neighborhoods
and communities
•classify information by type of activity: social, political, economic, technolo
gical, scientific, cultural, or religious
First Native Inhabitants of New York State
1.1a, 1.3a, 5.1d The First Inhabitants of New York State: Algonquians, Iroquois
1.1a, 3.1d, 3.1e, 3.2a Location of the Iroquois/Algonquian territories of New Yo
rk
Objective:
•Identify the Native American tribes
•Describe the historical and present-day locations, houses, clothing, food, and
cultural traditions of each tribe
•Learn the geographic regions of the United States that correspond to Native Ame
rican cultural bands
•Role of climate, environment, animals, natural resources in the location and de
velopment of Native
American cultures in New York
Technology Standards:
Standard 1: Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operati
on of technology systems
Standard 4: Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interac
t with peers, experts, and other audiences.
Standard 5: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use informati
on
Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas
effectively to multiple audiences
English Language Arts Standards
Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and und
erstanding.
Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response a
nd expression.
Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis a
nd evaluation.
Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.
Vocabulary Words
Tribes- groups of people who live and work together
Teepees- cone-shaped shelters make of poles and covered with buffalo hides
Natural Resources- things from the Earth that people uses
Pottery- clay bowls and pots
Traditions- way of doing things that are passed down from one generation or age
group to another
Ancestor-A person from whom one is descended
Culture- The arts, beliefs and customs of a group of people
Legend- A story passed down through the years
Reservation- an area of land that the government set aside for Native Americans
Motivation
Tell the students that there are groups of people who have lived on the land tha
t is now the United States for many years. Explain that these people have been h
ere even before the explorers. Ask the students, ‘Who do you think were the fir
st Americans? Allow the students to guess who they were.
Show an excerpt of the Native Americans from the movie ‘Pocahontas’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycgJECaM4G4&feature=related
Play a Native American song/chant
Day 1
After showing the students the excerpt from the movie, explain to the students t
hat these Native Americans lived throughout the land in tribes or groups. Defin
e the vocabulary word tribe. Then tell the students about the three important Na
tive American tribes- The Seneca (from the Iroquois tribe), Lenni Lenape, and Th
e Powhatan from the Algonquian tribes.
Show the students the map of the United States and point out the areas where the
Native Americans lived. Show the map as a Power Point presentation and go over
the location of the Native American home. As an ongoing assessment ask student
s which group lived farthest west? Which group lived farthest east? What types o
f geographical features are the Native American villages located near?
Give students copy of a blank map and have them colored the location of each Nat
ive American tribe.
Next, divide the students into 3 groups. Each group will represent a tribe. The
students will pick a tribe’s name from a bag.
Day 2
Each group/tribe will gather together.
Define the vocabulary words. Use handouts or a dictionary to define vocabulary
words. Some handouts may provide the meaning of the words using context clues o
r the detail information.
Days 3-6
Use the provided handouts and in addition, do some further research on the inter
net about your tribe. Research should cover the following guidelines. Students w
ill use the KWL chart to assist with their research. List what you know about yo
ur tribe, what more you would like to learn, and what have you learned about you
r tribe.
•Name the tribe your group is studying.
•Describe the meaning of your tribe’s name
•Explain where your are living- describe your surroundings
•Describe the climate and how does the climate contribute to your tribe’s natura
l resources.
•List some of the natural resources that are available to your tribe.
•Describe your tribe’s house, clothing, food, tools, languages, medicines, and c
ultural traditions.
•Discuss the lives of the Native American children
•Compare and contrast your life with that of a Native American child.
Links to assist with research
Seneca tribe http://www.bigorrin.org/seneca_kids.htm
Lenni Lenape tribe http://www.bigorrin.org/lenape_kids.htm
Powhattan tribe http://mal.sbo.hampton.k12.va.us/fourth/socstudies/indianwebque
st/algon.htm
Days 7, 8, 9 Sharing Researched Information
Students will regroup and share vocabulary words and researched information. Sh
ow pictures or things that represent the vocabulary words. The teacher will add
relevant information as the students share their discovery.
Fill in the Native American Chart. Show chart as a Power Point presentation. St
udents will compare and contrast the Native Americans tribes. Students will name
one way the Iroquois and the Algonquians are similar and one way they are diffe
rent. Use a Venn diagram for comparison. Allow students to think of Native Amer
icans words that are used today (canoe, pecan, raccoon, and moccasin)
Students will use the research information as a guide when working on the projec
ts.
In order to create differentiation for this class I have created 3 projects.
Day 10 Choosing a Project Projects are designed for the 4th grade class
Students will make/perform a project that represents their tribe. Each group w
ill complete the project listed for each tribe.
1. Storytelling- students from the Seneca tribe will dress as Native Americans a
nd share a Native American myth or legend story to the class.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/MclMyth.html
2.Make clay pottery - Students from the Lenni Lenape tribe will create a product
from one of their Native American resources
Clay Pot Instructions http://www.makingfriends.com/na/pinch_pots.ht
m
3.Dance- Students from the Powhatan tribe will demonstrate a dance from their tr
ibe.
Storytelling Objectives
Objectives:
•Describe how stories reflect a way of life and preserve the history of a people
.
•Students will learn the components of effective communication: visualization, s
ummarization, identification of emotions and mood,
• Addition of voice and gestures, question development, and connection to real l
ife.
Students will watch a video about a Native American storyteller.
PREPARATION EXERCISES
(Before Viewing)
1.Talk with students about stories that they have read or heard that explain nat
ural events, which may include the Indian legends. Ask why people created storie
s like these and how they are handed down.
2.Give students some examples of stories from Native American history. Discuss h
ow and why these stories began and why we repeat them today.
3.Ask students to relate family stories about things that happened long before t
hey were born. Discuss what those stories mean about the history of their family
and how they approached life.
4.Explain to the students that Native Americans created stories which helped the
m to understand and to live in harmony with the natural world. They also told st
ories about things that happened in their past to help young people understand a
nd remember. Ask students, while they are watching the video, to see what they c
an learn about the way these people lived.
See link for list of Myths and Legends Stories http://etext.lib.virgini
a.edu/toc/modeng/public/MclMyth.html
Students will also view the following link to get helpful tips on how to tell a
story. The teacher will go over with the students the different ways one can tel
l a story. Teacher will model one way for the students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6E6saZ0zIgg&feature=PlayList&p=CAE5466057938DD4&i
ndex=1
View videos 1, 3, 7, 11, 14, 17, and 20
Skills to use when practicing for storytelling
•Visualize familiar things in the story.
•Use gestures, but only if they come naturally. Don t inhibit or force their use
.
•Practice out loud. Practice before a mirror.
•Tell the story as if you are talking to just one friend. Be sincere, enthusiast
ic, and convincing. Vary the pitch of your voice. Don t label the feeling of spe
aking before an audience as "fear." Tell students to think of it as their body s
reaction to doing something special. Compare it to the excitement of doing some
thing new or the anticipation of receiving a gift. It is something they can over
come. And remind them that everyone has the same reaction.
Standard 4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts
Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that
shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures
of past and present society.
•Learning Standards for the Pottery Making
Visual Arts Standard:
1. a Experiment and create art works, in a variety of mediums (drawing, painting
, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, video, and computer graphics), based on a ra
nge of individual and collective experiences
1. b develop their own ideas and images through the exploration and creation of
art works based on themes, symbols, and events.
1. c create art works that reflect a particular historical period of a culture
.
Dance (K-4) Standards
Standard3 : RESPONDING TO AND ANALYZING WORKS OF ART
Students will express through written and oral language their understanding, int
erpretation, and evaluation of dances they see, do, and read about. Students wil
l acquire the critical vocabulary to talk and write about a variety of dance for
ms.
•demonstrate knowledge of words and symbols (kinetic, visual, tactile, aural and
olfactory) that describe movement (a)
•express to others their understanding of specific dance performances, using app
ropriate language to describe what they have seen and heard (b).
•
Dance Strand: Developing Dance Literacy
•Describe how dance communicates and expresses feelings, a story or an idea.
•Identify the participants in and audience for dance in various cultures and his
torical periods
•Recognize the ways that dance can celebrate or mark an important event.
Dance Objectives
To explore, create, replicate and observe dance,
Students build their technical and expressive skills
Develop their artistry and a unique personal voice in dance, and experience th
e power of dance to communicate.
Students understand dance as a universal language and a legacy of expression i
n every culture.
Materials and Resources
The Girl Who Loved Horses by Paul Goble
Hawk, I m Your Brother by Byrd Baylor
Children Tell Stories: A Teaching and Using Storytelling in the Classroom by Mar
tha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss (Richard C. Owen Publishers, Inc., 1990)
Secrets of Native Americans Herbal Remedies by Anthony J. Chichoke, D.C., Ph.D.
Pocahontas movie, Modeling clay, Computers, Videos and Digitals cameras, CD, Han
douts, Internet links, Software Photo Story 3, YouTube links, Myths and Legend s
tories
Projects
Student Product/Performance (description and mock work sample)
Students will use the paint feature to create their Native American pottery. Stu
dents will use modeling clay to make bowls and plates, use digital cameras to ta
ke photos and load to photo story3 with narration.
Students can draw pictures as they retell a story. See a YouTube sample of story
telling.
See link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlHtzU133NI&feature=related
Students in group will view and learn some dance forms and movements to present
to the class. Students will view samples of Native American dances.
Assessment- Teacher made short answers test, rubrics for storytelling, rubric fo
r dance, rubrics for pottery.
Modifications/accommodations for any special needs students in the class
Differentiating for each project:
During storytelling, the auditory learners/ students in the group can draw the m
ain characters in the story on paper. The kinesthetic students have the opportu
nity to use modeling clay to create bowls and pots. During dance the kinesthetic
students have access to perform a dance