Summary
Students will understand how American Indians adapted
and interacted with other ethnic and cultural groups.
Materials
A variety of books, poetry and excerpts about American Indians and their
culture after or during the reservation era. These can be very short. It
would be best if each student had a copy of all the material.
Background for Teachers
This is the second of five lessons in the Seventh Grade American Indian History Lesson Plan Unit:
Ideas for material:
- Littlefield, Holly. Children of the Indian Boarding School
- Grutman,
Jewel and Gay Matthaei. The Ledgerbook of Thomas Blue Eagle
- Slapin,
Beverly and Doris Seale. Through Indian Eyes: The Native Experience in
Books for Children
- Works by Leslie Marmon Silko, Laura Toke, Lucy Tapahonso
Instructional Procedures
Essential Question 1: To what extent were Utah's
American Indians forced to adapt and interact with non-Indian cultures?
Students will study and evaluate a variety of pictures of American Indians
interacting with other cultures.
- Hand out photo
analysis sheets and picture of the Mandan Tribal Chairman crying after signing away tribal lands to the Bureau of Land Management, one to a group,
and have students analyze the picture. Provide a large photocopy of a picture
for every three or four students (each group has its own photo). Photos
of American Indians interacting with other cultures work well. A good
source book is
Native American Testimony by Peter Nabokov -- ISBN# 0-14-028159-2
- Have groups present their picture
and analysis to the class. Teacher uses overhead transparencies as students
present.
- Teacher will lead discussion of questions generated by each
group.
- Invite a tribal member or tribal community leader to discuss
with the class an analysis of the photo. The resource tribal person should
begin with "This
is my story and my experience…" because each person will not represent
an entire tribe or community, but only his or her perspective.
- Through Indian Eyes -- Reader's
Digest
Essential Question 2: How did
the non-Indian culture influence or impact the American Indians and their
cultures?
Students will be able to understand how
forced adaptation to the non-Indian culture affected the American Indians and
their culture.
- Divide students into small groups. Assign each
group one selection.
- Each group will read the material together and
discuss.
- Have groups fill in the adaptation
worksheet -- one for
each selection.
- The group will illustrate the main idea of their selection
on chart paper. An explanation of the drawing should be at the bottom.
- Each group will share their drawing with the entire class, explaining
how the picture represents the main ideas of the selection.
Essential Question 3: What kinds of current issues
are Utah's American Indians facing today?
- Have each student select a teacher-approved,
relevant topic.
- Give students the Current
Event Form and explain the background needed.
- Have students research on the Internet or use other media sources to find
current news articles.
- Interview an older community member about his or her education.
Contact Title VII Coordinator in your district for assistance in identifying
community member. Use Interviewing
Tips as a help.
- Students will present
information to the class.
Assessment Plan
Essential Question 1: Assessment
- Have students in their groups write individual reflections on photos
after the discussion and completion of the lesson.
- Teacher monitoring for understanding during discussion of questions.
Essential Question 2: Assessment
- The
illustrations and presentations are the assessment.
Essential Question 3: Assessment
- Completion of Current Event Form
- Presentation
Bibliography
Utah State Office of Education
Social Studies Enhancement Committee
American Indian History
Lesson Plan Writers:
- Gloria Thompson - Ute
- Nanette Watson
- Jeanette Badback - White Mesa Ute
- Don Mose - Navajo
- Merrillee Chamberlain - Paiute
- Venita Tavepont - Ute
- Rebecca Bennally - Navajo
- Tauna Christianson
- Gayle Buxton
- Judith Hegewald
Under the Direction of the Indian Education Specialist, Shirlee
Silversmith. Special thanks to Dolores Riley.
Created: 01/28/2005
Updated: 02/03/2018
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