Date: November 1, 1999

Grade Level(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Interdisciplinary

Description: Students select a Native American nation and research its culture. Students then complete a variety of on-line and off-line activities using the results of their research. All required links are provided for students, and there is a wealth of guidance and resources provided for teacher use.

Goals:

1. Students will learn about Native American cultures.
2. Students will use the Internet to research Native American cultures.
3. Students will be able to work cooperatively in groups.

1. Students will be able to research cultural information about a Native American nation.
2. Students will be able to write an informative letter describing found data.
3. Students will be able to develop a chart or graphic to convey information.
4. Students will create a map displaying the location of Native American groups.
5. Students will use a graphic organizer to compare two groups of things.
6. Students will be able to write an essay which compares two Native American groups.
7. Students will design a poster depicting the cultural aspects of a Native American group.
8. Students will be able to write a fictional Native American legend.
9. Students will create a replica of a Native American tool, using natural materials.

• pencils
• paper
• colored pencils
• computers with Internet access

Procedure:

Task #1: Select a Native American People
Students select a tribe from the list provided. Each of the numbers following the name of a tribe is a link to a research page. To research a tribe, students just click on one number at a time, get the data from the site, and then return to the main page to get to the next site. Most tribes have three or more sites to collect data from.

Task #2: Collect/Research information
Students research cultural information about the Native American Tribes they have chosen. Cultural information includes such things as: language, food, shelter, location, religious practices, clothing, recreation, festivals/celebrations, family organization, governmental structure, technology, and writing/number systems. Students use on-line resources, encyclopedias (on-line or in the media center or library), and books/magazines (in public or school libraries). Students use a note-taking worksheet to help collect and organize data.

Task #3: Prepare written information letter
Each student prepares an information letter, addressed to the Teacher, relating what he/she has learned about the Native American group being researched. Students need to use good grammar, write in complete sentences, and select an appropriate organizational structure. The secret to writing an effective letter is to remember a mnemonic that will help guide students in the writing process. In this letter it is helpful to use the mnemonic, FATP (Format, Addressee, Topic, and Purpose).

Task #4: Prepare a table for comparing tribes
Students prepare a matrix using the information they have collected regarding their Native American groups. The matrix should be comprehensive (containing a significant amount of details), concise (keep it short, this is not the essay), and easy to use (should be understandable to even poor readers).

Task #5: Prepare map depicting Native American tribal area
Students prepare a map marking the ancestral (original) and (if appropriate) current living area of the Native American groups they selected (North, Central, or South America).

Task #6: Identify missing information and locate data
Students will be comparing two Native American Tribes. They will exchange matrixes with another person (group or groups). Students will analyze the data comparing their Native American group with one from another area of North America. The next task requires students to write an essay about the similarities and differences between these groups.

Task #7: Analyze table and prepare written essay
Students will compare two Native AmericanTribes. Students will select three to five characteristics about the two groups and will discuss: what is similar, what is different, and what explains why these differences and similarities exist. Particular attention should be paid to proper structure, good writing technique, and completeness. Critical thinking (analysis: why are things this way?) is very important. Simply stating that there are differences is insufficient; explanations are essential. Explanations should be suppoted with specific examples. The paper should be 3-5 pages of text in length and can include pictures that make the paper longer. Pictures or charts/graphs should be clearly and properly labeled.

Task #8: Summarize researched material and draw poster
Students will use information from their research to design and draw a poster depicting the cultural attributes of the Native American group being researched.

Task #9: Read and analyze a Native American story, poem, or legend
Students will read Native American stories, poems, or legends for background information; compare the three selections; select one story for additional analysis; draw a poster depicting important events/characters in the reading selection; and write a story or legend using information about the culture of the Native American group they selected.

Task #10: Make an object using Native American Technology
Students select an object that Native Americans used and construct it using natural materials. Students write a paper (1-2 pages) comparing the techniques (method of production), materials, and utility (how well would it have functioned) of the object used by Native Americans with a similar object produced today using modern technology and materials. In their papers, students include an evaluation of the technology level of their Native American groups.

Assessment: Rubrics are provided (online) for Tasks 3-10.