LU Title: First Americans

Author: Julie Venezio
Grade Level: 7^th
School: Whitesboro Middle School
Subject: Social Studies
School Phone/Fax: 768-9751/9770

Content Knowledge:

Declarative

• Describe the role of Native Americans
• Define culture and show examples of American culture today
• Describe the role of an archaeologist and their importance in developing our Nation's history
• Compare/contrast various Native American cultures and their interaction with each other
• Connect geography of the United States with the migration of various Native American culture groups

Procedural

• Research Indian culture groups
• Design a pictograph that represents their individual culture
• Use the Internet to search and sort out Native American artifacts

Essential Questions:

• What is the effect of culture in American history and in our present day society?

Initiating Activity:

Students will view the 10 minute clip from Dances With Wolves that deals with a Buffalo Hunt and the celebration that occurs later on. Students will then break into collaborative groups to put together a KWL of native American Culture. A discussion of Native American stereotypes will follow.

Connection to State Learning Standards:

Content Area: Social Studies

Level: 7^th

Standards:

• Social Studies-Standard 2.1 students will understand cultures and civilizations, including an analysis of important ideas, social and cultural values, beliefs, and traditions. Performance Indicator: Students will know the social and economic characteristics such as customs. Traditions, child-rearing practices, ways of making a living, education and socialization practices, gender roles, food, and religious and spiritual beliefs that distinguish divert cultures.
• English Language Arts-Standards 1.1 Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data facts, and discovering relationships, concepts and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources. Performance Indicator: Students will use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing, and categorizing information.

Learning Experiences:

Declarative Knowledge

1. Define in collaborative pairs vocabulary words important to this Native American Unit.
2. As a class construct a mind map of various roles taken by social scientists.
3. Brainstorm what culture is and then show students examples of American culture.
4. Show students a transparency that depicts various Native American cultures on the North American continent (ex. homes, religious beliefs, role of women).
5. Show the video "Early Americans", representative of early Indian life and culture, focusing on the role of archaeologist. Worksheet with follow-up questions can be filled in.
6. Use mnemonics to show students how to memorize facts about Native Americans (ex. AIM-Aztecs, Incas & Mayas-Native Americans of South and Central America).
7. Show a video about the Iroquois and brainstorm recurring themes throughout the video (ex. mistreatment by white men, respect for nature, strength of warriors).
8. Complete a map that locates various Native American culture groups throughout America.

Extending & Refining:

Procedural Knowledge

1. Have students collaborate in groups, using notes and text as a guide, design a graphic organizer dealing with Native American culture. Each class period will vote on the most creative graphic organizer.
2. Using Native American music as a backdrop, students will read Native American folktales; using a Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast.
3. Using cooperative groups, students will participate in an artifact inquiry, where students will analyze and describe various Indian artifacts, taking on roles of an archaeologist.
4. Students will use the Internet to research a tribe of their interest using the archaeologist inquiry strategies.
5. Students will construct a pictograph or picture representation of their life, using pictures from magazines or personal drawings. Students will guess which pictograph belongs to whom.

Meaningful Use Task:

Students will be comparing, analyzing perspectives and construction support. They will be using the Investigation Model.

Munson Williams has commissioned your group to set up a display on Native American for the museum. Each member of your group has been assigned a specific culture group, along with various aspects of that culture. (ex. homes, eating habits, religious beliefs, role of men and women) The display may take on the form of a collage, diorama or PowerPoint presentation, using pictures, magazine articles or other materials. Projects must showcase the environmental influence of the particular area of the tribe along with the influence of European cultures (white man).