Our country was once the land that belonged to the Native Americans. They lived in all regions of what we know as the United States, however, the ways in which they lived varied from region to region. It is important to know the history of our country and learn about how we came to be the country we are today. Therefore, as historians working at the Living History Museum, you have been given the ability to travel back in time and visit the various tribes that lived in the different regions of the United States. How are Native American tribes different from each other and how did they adapt to and survive in their surroundings?
Task
You are a historian working at the Living History Museum. You need to travel back in time to visit and learn about Native Americans in one region of the United States. You will work in a team of historians. Each team will be assigned one region to become experts on. You will create a newsletter to share what you have learned about the tribes in your region. There are certain areas that you will need to research in order to gain a thorough understanding of your region and how Native Americans adapted to and survived in their surroundings. The regions are: Arctic, NW Coastal, Southwest, Great Plains, Southeast Woodlands, and Northeast Woodlands. Each historian in your group will become an expert in one research area. The areas of research are: tribes and geographical features; food and hunting; shelter and transportation; clothing and technology; customs and traditions.
In addition to your newsletter, each historian will create an artifact. This might be a totem pole, clothing, symbol story, shelter, jewelry, artwork, or anything else that relates to your tribe. You must be prepared to explain the importance of the artifact and how it relates to your tribe. Be creative!!Be sure to talk with your team members to make sure no two people are doing the same type of artifact.
Each team of historians will create a presentation board which will include the following; your team newsletter, each individual artifact, and pictures with descriptions of the areas each expert researched.
You will be working in groups of four-five to become experts and create a newsletter about Native Americans in one region of the United States. Be sure that you read all of the directions carefully and use the following question to guide your research; "How were Native Amercian tribes different from each other and how did they survive in their surroundings?" Have fun!!
Step 1: Have each team member choose one of the following areas to become an expert on in your region:
Tribes and geographical features expert
Food and hunting expert
Shelter and transportation expert
Clothing and technology expert
Customs and traditions expert
Use the research questions (link below) to guide your research.
Step 2: Use the links to websites below to help you in your research. You may also use library books or books from the classroom to help you in your research. Organize the information obtained from your research using Cornell notes.
Step 3: You will be working independently while doing the research portion. Each team member should have his or her own computer.
Step 4: When everyone on your team has completed their research, you will meet as a group to begin organizing and creating your newsletter using Microsoft Pulisher.
Step 5: Eachteam member is responsible for completing their expert area on the newsletter (e.g. clothing expert produces the "clothing" part of the newsletter). Since only one person can do this at a time, you will be working on your individual project when you are not working on the newsletter. Remember your individual project (artifact) can be a totem pole, piece of clothing, symbol story, shelter, example of weaving, jewelry, artwork, or anything that relates to your tribe. Be creative!! Be sure to talk with your team members so no two people will be creating the same type of artifact.
Step 6: As a team, you will be presenting the information on Native Americans in your region. After each team member has completed their portion of the newsletter and their artifact, you will be putting together a presentation board which will include each team members artifact and your newsletter. The presentation board should also include pictures that explain/show each area studied. Each "expert" will present on their area AND the artifact they created.
Evaluation
Even though this is a group project, you will be graded individually. Be sure to work hard and be a team player during this quest.
Low
Nearly Meets
Meets
Exceeds
Score
Researches the chosen area of your teams assigned region. Shows knowledge of assigned aspect of Native Americans in your region by completing your section of the newsletter.
Incomplete section of newsletter. Does not include example or picture.
Gathers and summarizes some relevant information and completes newsletter section. Uses bullets rather than paragraphs and has some convention errors. Includes 1 example or picture.
Gathers and summarizes relevant information and completes newsletter section. Uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and has few convention errors. Includes 1 example OR picture.
Gathers and summarizes relevant information and completes newletter section. Uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and has no convention errors. Includes 1 example AND picture.
20
Produces an artifact that relates to Native Americans in their researched region.
Artifact is incomplete OR does not relate to a tribe in researched region.
Creates original artifact using little creativity and neatness. Difficult to relate to a tribe in researched region.
Creates original artifact using creativity and neatness. Artifact relates to a tribe in researched region.
Creates more than 1 original artifact using creativity and neatness. Both artifacts relate to a tribe in researched region.
20
Presents newsletter and artifact to the class demonstrating knowledge of Native Americans in researched region.
Does not present newsletter. May or may not present artifact.
Presents newsletter demonstrating some knowledge of Native Americans in region. Uses limited facts and details. Explains artifact but does not explain its significance.
Demonstrates knowledge of Native Americans in region by using relevant facts and details. Explains artifact and its significance.
Demonstrates extensive knowledge of Native Americans in region by using relevant facts and descriptive details. Explains artifact and its significance.
20
Works cooperatively with team members while completing newsletter. Uses class time effectively (works on artifact when not working on newsletter).
Does not manage time without constant re-direction from teacher. Does not work cooperatively with team.
Somewhat manages time while working independently on research, working on newsletter, and while working on artifact. Often needs re-direction from teacher.
Effectively manages time while working independently on research, manages time working on newsletter, and works independently on artifact as appropriate. Needs little re-direction from teacher.
Effectively manages time while working independently on research, manages time working on newsletter, and works independently on artifact as appropriate. Needs NO re-direction from teacher.
20
Conclusion
Congratulations!! You have successfully completed your first WebQuest. You and your fellow historians are now "experts" on different Native American Regions in the United States. You have worked independently and as a team to create your artifact, newsletter, and presentation board. You will have a chance to learn about the Native Americans in all regions of the U.S. as they are presented by each team to the class. How were the Native American tribes different from each other and how did they survive in their environments?
All of the newsletters and pictures of the artifacts will be posted on our class blog. Be sure to visit it and share your work with your families and friends.
Students will...
- Identify and compare historical Native American groups and settlements in the United States.
- Describe how physical features influence events, movements, and adaptation to the environment.
- Gather, use, and document information from multiple sources.
- Work collaboratively with other members of their group.
- Increase knowledge of Native Americans by investigating different aspects of their life.
- Identify and locate different places and regions in the United States.
- Write and speak knowledgeably about Native Americans and regions of the United States.
