Introduction
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 Long Island Museum of Natural History, you have been assigned to travel back in time and visit the various tribes that lived in the different regions of the United States. You will research how Native American tribes are different from each other and how they adapted to and survived in their surroundings.
Task
You are a historian working at the Long Island Museum of Natural History. 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 five historians. Each team will be assigned one region to become experts on. You will create a powerpoint 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: Great Basin, Great Plains, Northwest, Southwest, Northeast Woodlands, and Southeast 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 power point presentation, 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 be responsible for presenting their power point presentation/artifacts to the class.
Process
You will be working in groups of five to become experts and create a powerpoint 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: Each team member will choose one of the following areas to help become an expert on in that 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 given you to guide you in your research.
Step 2: Use the links to websites given by your teacher to help you in your research. You may also use library books to help you in your research. Organize the information obtained from your research using 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 a Power Point presention about your Native American region.
Step 5: Each team member is responsible for completing one power point slide based on their part of the region, therefore, in all, your group should at least 5 slides along with a cover slide. Although you are working on your individual project, you will need to communicate with your group on puttling the entire slides together. Each member is also responsible for creating an individual artifact from their region. This 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 powerpoint slides and fused it together, you will present it to the class along with your artifacts. Each power point presentation should also include pictures that explain/show each area studied. Each "expert" will present on their area AND the artifact they created.
Evaluation
Please follow the rubric you received
- This is a team project, you will be graded individually based on the work you do as the expert in one area of your team's assigned region.
- Take pride in your work in both power point slide(s) and artifacts.
- Be sure to look at the rubric BEFORE you begin your research.
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 and powerpoint presentation.
Your powerpoint presentations will be posted on our class webpage and all artifacts will be displayed in our classroom for all to see.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to making this project a great one!
Mrs. Magarie
Credits
Here is a list of websites you will use to accomnplish this task:
Northwest Region (Plateau): http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/northwest/
Southwest Region http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/southwest/
Plains Regions http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains/
Southeast Woodlands Region http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/southeast/
Northeast Woodlands http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/northeast/
Great Basin Region http://native-american-indian-facts.com/Great-Basin-American-Indian-
Teacher Page
Objectives:
WebQuest By: Susan Magarie