(by 5 people)
This is a list of projects and ideas that I will be using with my children as we study the Native Indian tribes of North America. If you have additional resources to recommend, please leave me a note in the comments section. Enjoy your adventure!
Tools of Native Americans: A Kid's Guide to the History & Culture of the First Americans (Tools of Discovery series)
Amazon Price: $13.73 (as of 10/12/2008)
We will use this book as an outline for our study. Although the first several chapters contain evolutionary content, the rest of this book provides a good overview of Native American history. It also has some nice project ideas.
You can read this book for free at Wowio.
Papercraft Models, Clipart and Printables
- Native American Homes
- Free teacher's resources in downloadable PDF format. Iroquois Longhouse Paper House Kit, Tipi Diorama, Prehistoric Ohio Paper House Kits, and Coast Cedar House Model.
- Native American Costume
- Paper model of a man dressed in native outfit.
- Native American Clipart
- Free Native Americans from North, Central and South America Clip Art by Phillip Martin to use on notebook pages, reports, minibooks, etc.
- Native American Regions eBook
- Includes maps and info on each geographical region. Would be great for notebooking or lapbooking.
- Native American People and Languages eBook
- Includes maps and list of languages and peoples of each geographical region. Would be great for notebooking or lapbooking.
- Native American Homes eBook
- Pictures and rhymes telling about different types of Native American homes. Would be great for notebooking or lapbooking.
- Native American Transportation eBook
- Pictures and rhymes telling about different types of Native American transportation. Would be great for notebooking or lapbooking.
- Book of Indians
- Notebooking Pages and Unit Study
- Native American Paper Doll
- Makes a nice decoration for your notebook or lapbook cover.
Craft Books
Traditional Crafts from Native North America (Culture Crafts)
Instructions for making authentic crafts such as dreamcatchers, beadwork, cornhusk dolls, baskets, and more using easy to find materials.
The Kids' Multicultural Art Book: Art & Craft Experiences from Around the World (Williamson Kids Can! Series)
This book includes crafts from all around the world and is one of the books we check out of our library the most often. Native American crafts include a brown bag vest, power shield, charm bag, finger masks, and more. These are more crafty and don't look as "real" as the projects in the book listed above. But they are good enough for adding a little atmosphere to your study and they are easy for young children to complete.
The Science and History Project Book
Wow! This very hefty book is full of wonderful projects. Native American projects include food, clothing, crafts, and home reproductions. This is an excellent book for all your science and history studies.
History Pockets: Native Americans, Grades 1-3
This book is full of great paper projects which can easily be added to a lapbook. It is perfect for those who aren't really "crafty", but still want to add some hands-on projects to their study. Projects involve very little writing, so they are especially nice for young learners. You can also purchase this product as a digital download from Currclick which is handy if you need to print multiple copies.
Indian Corn Necklace
Remove the kernels from several ears of Indian Corn. Place kernels in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least an hour. Using a strong needle, string the corn onto heavy thread or dental floss. Knot the ends of the string together and allow the necklace to dry before wearing.
Key For Project Lists
* Tools of Native Americans= TNA
* Traditional Crafts from Native North America= TC
* The Kids' Multicultural Art Book= MAB
* The Science and History Project Book= SHPB
* History Pockets: Native Americans= HP
Northeast Woodland & Great Lakes Tribes
Algonquian, Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Tuscarora), Pequot
Buy at AllPosters.com
Make projects for Iroquois Pocket HP
Do Algonquian Art TNA
Make glass bead jewelry SHPB
Grow corn
Make an Iroquois Corn Husk Doll
Make your own arrows and arrowheads
Make a Bark Canoe
You might also want to add a diagram showing a cut-away view of a traditional canoe or some pictures of different types of canoes to a notebook or lapbook.
The Sign of the Beaver
Amazon Price: $6.50 (as of 10/12/2008)
This book is the story of Matt, 12 year old boy living in 18th century Maine. When he is left alone to guard the new homestead while his father goes to get the rest of the family, Matt is befriended by the Beaver tribe. My sons love this book and have read it over and over.
You can find a free unit study on this book at HomeschoolShare.
Southeast Tribes
Cherokee, Catawba, Creek, Seminole
Make projects for Seminole Pocket HPMake Seminole Patchwork TC
Play Native American Lacross SHPB
Learn Some Cherokee words
Great Plains Tribes
Cheyenne, Lakota Sioux, Comanche
Make projects for Sioux Pocket HPMake Lakota-Sioux charm bag MAB
Make Native American anklets SHPB
Make Tribal headress SHPB
Make Native American necklace SHPB
Make Native American robe SHPB
Make Native American tepee SHPB
Make a brown bag vest
Make a model Comanche Tipi
Make a Lakota Dreamcatcher
Read When Buffalo Ran
The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
You can find a free unit study on this book with printables at HomeschoolShare.
Southwest and Mesoamerican Tribes
Maya, Aztec, Pima, Papago, Hopi, Navajo, Apache, Hohokam, Mogollon, Anasazi, Caddo
Learn about irrigation TNA
Draw some hieroglyphics TNA
Make some Navajo jewelry TNA
Make a tankard SHPB
Pacific Northwest Tribes
Nootka, Makah, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Tillamook, Chinook, Älsé, Coos, Coquille, Chinook, Washo, Wishram
Make a totem pole TC
Make X-ray art TNA
Arctic Tribes
Eskimo, Inuit
Make an igloo SHPB (You may also want to read more about igloos.)
Make an Arctic purse SHPB
Make an Arctic oil lamp SHPB
Make a model dogsled SHPB
Make fingermasks MAB
Make snowgoggles
Make an Inuksuk
Read about Inuit inventions
Plateau Tribes
Nez Perce, Blackfoot
Where the Buffaloes Begin (Picture Puffins)
Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
You can find a free unit study on this book with printables at HomeschoolShare.
Additional Crafts and Information
- Native American Crafts
- Kindergarten, preschool, and elementary school crafts. Make wonderful, simple crafts with things found around the house.
- Native American Language Net
- Organization dedicated to American Indian language preservation provides vocabulary lists, links, and online information about each Native American language and the indigenous people who speak it.
- NativeTech
- Native American Technology & Art: An internet resource for indigenous ethno-technology focusing on the arts of Eastern Woodland Indian Peoples; providing historical & contemporary background, technical instruction & references.
- Learn About Native Americans
- Many different Native American groups lived in North America. Different groups living in the same region shared the same culture because the land they lived on shaped their way of life. Click on an area of the map to learn about life in that region.
- Toys and games
- Historically, games were an integral part of traditional Native culture.
- Native American Activities
- Free Native American activities for kids. A collection of Indian games, Indian names, plays, skits, songs and dances for children.
- Long Night Moon
- Free Unit Study
- Native Americans
- Use the chart or the map to navigate through the reports on Native Americans, learn about many famous Native Americans such as Sitting Bull or Pochontas, make your own Native American crafts.
Leave me a message!
|
CrypticFragments
great way to introduce youth to these cultures... 5* and lensrolled you to my Pueblo Culture and Pottery pages Posted September 22, 2008 |
|
beeobrien
Another great lens on an important topic. I'm telling teacher friends about your work. Wonderful! Posted June 20, 2008 |
|
poddys
Good lens. I think all children should learn a lot about their American Heritage and the native peoples. Great idea. Posted June 14, 2008 |
|
Jimmie
Oh, Melissa, this is fantastic! I'm lensrolling this on my WP AS1 lens! I can't wait to explore all these links! Posted June 13, 2008 |
