Students can tell stories using Indian picture writing.
Many fifth graders study the history of the American colonial period so social studies projects on Indians provide a hands-on way to explore the interaction between the old world and the new. Students explore village life, language, culture, food, clothing and entertainment to better understand Native American ways and the impact of white settlers on their traditions. Through active participation in the creative process, students gain a closer appreciation of the history and culture of the American Indians.
Village Life
Use twigs, craft sticks or pipe cleaners and paper, cloth or craft foam, to build American Indian dwellings such as a teepee, a longhouse or a wigwam. Make several and arrange them on a sturdy base of cardboard or plywood to create an Indian village scene, complete with campfires, landscape, flora, fauna and small toy Indian figures to people the village.
Clothing
Plan a celebration of Indian cultures and let students make costumes to lend a festive air of authenticity to your event. Cut a series of slits in a long strip of tan cloth to make fringe and sew the fringe down the outside leg seams to make buckskin pants. To make a tunic or dress, fold a piece of brown or tan cloth in the desired length. Trim out a head hole and stitch up sides, leaving enough room at the seams to cut fringe slits on both sides. Decorate the garment with rickrack, ribbons, feathers. Complete the look with an Indian headband made of paper or cloth, or stick feathers in the edge of a narrow strip of corrugated cardboard.
Language and Culture
Hold or attend a pow-wow and learn American Indian dance. Make an illustrated dictionary of some basic vocabulary in at least one Indian language. Practice holding simple conversations in the language of the tribe you are studying.
Food
Plan an Indian feast day. Have students make Native American recipes and bring them from home to share at the feast. Native Languages of the Americas suggests wild rice and cranberries, a Sioux fruit pudding called a blueberry wojapi, corn cakes, tamales or fry bread.
Crafts and Games
Foot races and ball and hoop tosses are just two traditional Indian children's games that students can take turns teaching one another for a Native American field day. A stick toss game was popular with various tribes. Decorate a set of four sticks on one side and leave it blank on the other. Use three different designs, putting the same design on two of the sticks. Take turns tossing the sticks and counting up points depending on the combination of your throw. Six points for three blank and one design, four points for all four designs showing, two points for two blanks and two different designs, zero points for any other combination. Native American craft projects such as making a corn husk doll, peace pipe or Indian drums may interest artistic students.
Related posts
American Indian clothes show off bright colors and natural fabrics.American Indians make up the spirit of the southwest United States and beyond. American Indian art ranges from intricate bead wor...
Kids can craft pseudo adobe dwellings using clay and paper."Pueblo," the name referring to southwestern Indian tribes and the Pueblo-specific Indian tribes of the United States, can insp...
Native American studies expose students to a different world view.Students of middle school age benefit from a variety of activities that will increase their understanding of Native American cultu...
Make a Native American dream catcher as an educational extension project.Native American children's crafts can be used as extension activities for educational textbook units. Students can create a...
As part of Kindergarten curriculum, teachers are required to introduce their students to different cultures. One of the most popular is the Native American culture and legends, which children ofte...
