Lesson Plans

American Roots Music - Lesson Four-The Strength of Native American Music -- The video segment used in this lesson deals with how Native American music was repressed as part of an effort to "convert" Native Americans to Anglo U.S. culture.
Subject(s): Foreign Language, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month -- This page from EDSITEment features resources relating to Native American Heritage Month, and presents information and activities about the culture and art of the first Americans.
Subject(s): Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Lewis and Clark: Native American Contributions -- In this lesson, from Xpeditions, students learn about specific instances in which Native Americans helped the Lewis and Clark expedition overcome obstacles.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

Make a Wampum Belt - In this lesson, from ARTSEDGE, students learn about the cultural and visual art traditions of coastal American Indian tribes. They discuss the Native American barter system of economics and explore wampum as a form of exchange. Students make a wampum belt using plastic straws and beads.
Subject(s): Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2, 3, 4

Native American Chants and Movement -- This lesson, from ARTSEDGE, challenges students to create expressive movements inspired by traditional Native American chants and poetry. Background information on Native American tribes and their music and oral traditions precedes the reading of the poetry.
Subject(s): Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2, 3, 4

Native American Cultures Across the U.S. - This unit of two EDSITEment lessons discusses the differences between five Native American tribes within the U.S. Students learn about customs and traditions such as housing, agriculture, and ceremonial dress for the Tlingit, Dine, Lakota, Muscogee, and Iroquois peoples.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2

Not "Indians," Many Tribes: Native American Diversity -- In this unit of five lessons, from EDSITEment, students heighten their awareness of Native American diversity as they learn about three vastly different Native groups in a game-like activity using archival documents such as vintage photographs.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5

Reading Rainbow - The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush -- After viewing program students create reproductions of Native American artwork using modern story themes.
Grade Level(s): 3, 4, 5

Reservation Controversies: Then and Now -- Students engage in a two part experience using Problem Based Learning (PBL), in which they are confronted or faced with two different, but related real world problems regarding Native Americans, which have no preconceived right or wrong answers.
Grade Level(s): 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

The Living Edens - Yellowstone: Native American Myths -- Explore Native American mythology through online and print resources, research Yellowstone's first human inhabitants, and create myths of your own that "explain" Yellowstone's natural phenomena.
Subject(s): Foreign Language, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 1, 2, 3

The People ... Native Americans -- Community Center, The Learning Page -- offers more than 30 collections of photos, essays, and other resources for learning about American Indians. Topics include daily life for Native American women in the late 1800s, the Wounded Knee Massacre, Custer's Last Stand, and Pocahontas.

Weaving the Threads: Integrating Poetry Annotation and Web Technology -- This lesson, from ReadWriteThink, engages students in meaningful research using poetry as a focal point. Students identify words and phrases in a poem by a Native American and in the process, learn about Native American culture and history.
Subject(s): Educational Technology, Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8

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Activities

Exploring the Chesapeake (Chesepiooc) -- Before the colonists arrived in Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay was called Chesepiooc by the Native American tribes in the area.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

First People of our Land -- Have you ever thought about the people who inhabited this continent before Christopher Columbus arrived?  The first people of North America were the Native Americans, divided into many unique tribes. 
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 5

Native American Powwow -- Bring your students to a Native American powwow and introduce them to the traditional music, dress and dance. In this activity, students examine both the technical and symbolic aspects of a powwow.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 5

Native American Storytelling -- Do you like to listen to stories? Stories are an important part of the Native American culture. In this activity, students will learn about the tradition of Native American storytelling.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 2, 3, 4, 5

Piscataway Indian Museum -- Introduce your class to the history of the Piscataway Native Americans, the native population that used to live in the Maryland and Delaware region.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 7

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Video Clips

Giving Thanks (RealVideo) -- The Native American "Thanksgiving Address" is a message of peace and giving thanks to the bounty of the Earth. Learn about it in this story based on the address.
Subject(s): Language ARts
Grade Level(s): K, 1, 2

Hiawatha (RealVideo) and (Windows Media) -- An excerpt from teh poem, focusuing on Hiawatha's childhood. Overlayed with authentic Native American music.
Subjects: Language Arts, Library Media, Social Studies
Grade Level(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Native Americans and Settlers (RealVideo) or (Windows Media) -- When Europeans first arrived in Maryland, they did not know how to survive in such unfamiliar surroundings. In this excerpt, learn how Native Americans taught colonists survival skills such as farming, making clothes, and catching wild game.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Piscataway Indian Museum (RealVideo) or (Windows Media) -- Natalie Proctor, co-founder of the Piscataway Indian Museum and the Native American Cultural Center, extends her heritage to others by providing educational tours, hands-on exhibits, and workshops about Native American art and culture.
Subject(s): Arts, Social Studies

Pow Wow (Real Video) or (Windows Media) -- A Native American Pow Wow is held annually at the Frederick County fairgrounds. The Pow Wow festival features colorful dancers who move to beating drums.
Subject(s): Social Studies
Grade Level(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Sacred Symbols Sacred Trusts (Real Video) or (Windows Media) -- Native American heritage and culture is celebrated through traditional dancing. Learn the importance of eagles to this tradition as you watch a family preparing their son’s bustle.
Subject(s): Arts
Grade Level(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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Tech Tour

From Native Americans to the New Millennium -- This TechTour guides students through a learning experience in which they investigate various aspects of Native American culture including shelter, recreation, religion, food and clothing.

Native American Origins -- The purpose of this Tech Tour is to help students understand the relationship between the physical characteristics of a region and the culture of the people within that region.

Well, That Settles It! -- During this TechTour, students will research the differences and similarities between the settlers of the 13 colonies and the Native Americans who were already living in those regions.

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