Cultural Lit. 22: The Anasazi

Summary

Students will investigate and determine the origins of the ancient Anasazi who inhabited present-day Utah and the Four-Corners-Region, after receiving direct instruction and carrying out activities in cooperative group settings, in 1-2 class periods.

Materials

1. Indians of the Mesa Verde. Don Watson. 1961. Mesa Verde Museum Association. Mancos, Colorado.
2. American Indian Contributions to the World: 15,000 Years of Inventions and Innovations. Keoke and Porterfield. 2003. NY, NY: Facts on File.
3. Cultural Awareness Text: Social Studies. SJSD Media Center.
4. Large map of Dine' Bikeyah. Class set of 5 desk size maps of Dine' Bikeyah.
5. Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock. 2001. Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
6. Paper, pencil, journals.

Background for Teachers

Guarded Vocabulary:
New words pre-taught/sustained in lesson:

Ancient, ruins, artifacts, archeology, agricultural society

Intended Learning Outcomes

To know the origins of the Ancient Anasazi.

Instructional Procedures

Introduce lesson to capture student's attention:
Teacher will ask students if they know what the word Anasazi means. Teacher will write student responses on the board, on a projection device or on a flipchart, and brainstorm the idea of 'Anasazi.' Teacher will ask students if they have visited any ancient Anasazi sites in SE Utah and the Four-Corners-region. Teacher will write student responses on the board, on a projection device or on a flipchart, and brainstorm the sites, e.g., Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Edge of the Cedars, local sites that are not tourist attractions, and sites on private property.

Problem/Prediction:
How can you get the students really thinking?

Teacher will ask students to describe the Anasazi sites and Anasazi artifacts they have seen. Teacher will ask Native American students to tell about the Anasazi from their cultural perspective.

Teacher Instruction:
Using selected texts, teacher will read aloud to students, selected passages explaining the origins of the Anasazi. Teacher will ask comprehension questions throughout reading--stopping to clarify and embellish as necessary.

How will you end your lesson?
Students in groups will share website information and briefly tell what they found.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

How will you help ELL students?
Teacher will ask comprehension questions of ELL students throughout reading and embellish information read to scaffold and clarify concepts as needed.

Help students' master new concepts:
1. Sitting in groups of four during reading, each table group will have a desk size map of Dine' Bikeyah. Teacher will have large map of Dine' Bikeyah at the front of the class and refer to Anasazi sites throughout reading.
2. Students will work in pairs and take notes into a journal, or using a teacher generated note-taking frame. Students are to write the main ideas of the reading (see Marzano, Pickering and Pollock p. 46, Informal Outline).

Extensions

Working in pairs or groups of three, students will utilize computers and the www and go online and search for websites about the Anasazi. Students will choose two or three websites and look up "origins of the Anasazi," cite the website address, and write a paragraph about each site.

Assessment Plan

Observation of student participation. Complete student notes in journal and citations from the www.