Object Box: Native Americans

Object Box 1: Powwow Celebration Box (Native American Powwow book, stamps which represent pictographs, bones, rubber drum, and dancing bells)
NCSS Thematic Strand: Culture
IL Social Science Standard: 16.D.1.W-Identify how customs and traditions from around the world influence the local community. 16.B.1b (US)-Explain why individuals, groups, issues and events are celebrated with local, state or national holidays or days or recognition (e.g. Lincoln’s Birthday, Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Pulaski Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving).

Activity: Arrange the items from the Powwow celebration box at center. Have the students interact with the items by looking through the book, looking at the stamps, and using the musical instruments. Have the students write down what they think the items represent, and what culture they belong to. Have a Powwow celebration with the class. Have students compare and contrast the types of celebrations today compared to the Powwow celebration.

Resources: Powwow Celebration Box rented from Morris Library. Call number: IMC 3-D SOCI 354

Object Box 2: Products of Native Americans

NCSS Thematic Strand: Individuals, groups, and institutions IL Social Science Standard: 16.C.1a (W) Identify how people and groups made economic choices (e.g., crops, products to make, products to trade) to survive and improve their lives. Activity: Students will observe the tipi and Native American figures. Students will explain why they think some Native Americans lived in tipis while others did not and why some Native Americans wore lighter clothing while others wore heavier and warmer clothing. Students will explain why people don’t have homes like that today.

Resources: Objects obtained from the Morris Library. Call number: IMC 3-D SOCI 409

Object Box 3: Image of Crazy Horse, brief biography, blank timeline

NCSS Thematic Strand: Culture
IL Social Science Standard: 16.B.1 (W)-Explain the contributions of individuals and groups who are featured in biographies, legends, folklore and traditions.

Activity: Students will analyze a picture of the famous Native American, Crazy Horse. They will write what he is wearing, how he may have gotten his name, and why they think he was well known. The students will then read a brief biography on him. The information given to them in their biography will help create a timeline of his life. Students can type their timelines on a computer.

Resources: Biography from http://www.mahalo.com/crazy-horse

Image from http://littlebighornproject.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/crazy-horse-1.gif

To create a timeline go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timeline/

Object Box 4: Native American map and simply a worksheet with various tribe names.

NCSS Thematic Strand: People, Places, and Environments

IL Social Science Standard: 17.A.2b- Use maps and other geographic representations and instruments to gather information about people, places and environments.

Activity: Have students look at the map of the different Native American tribes. Give students a handout with the names of some of the tribes that are listed on the map. Have the students locate the tribes, write the states where the tribes lived, write the region of the United States where the states are located, and write the different types of climate the various tribes endured.

Resources: Native American map obtained from the Morris Library. Call number: Hist 104.

To create a timeline go to: http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timeline/

Object Box 5: Native American map and images of trade items
NCSS Thematic Strand: Production, distribution, and consumption

IL Social Science Standard: 15.D.1a-Demonstrate the benefits of simple voluntary exchanges.

16.C.1a (W) Identify how people and groups in the past made economic choices (e.g., crops to plant, products to make, products to trade) to survive and improve their lives

Activity: Have students pick a tribe listed on the poster. After, the students pick a tribe listed on the poster have them predict the items that their tribe may have traded. Show the students images of what the tribes actually traded. Have the students pick an item that they want to make to trade. Have the students create the items by drawing them or by using crafts. After the students have created their items, have the students trade with each other and discuss the items and their importance to the tribes that they chose.

Resources: Native American map obtained from the Morris Library. Call number: Hist 20. Images and descriptions found on http://www.mountainsofstone.com/rendezvous.htm#Fur%20Trade%20History