Native Americans Day 23: Native American: Homes

Native American: Homes

1. Review: Northwestern Native Americans lived in longhouses with totem poles. Plains Native Americans lived in teepees to move easily. Pueblo Native Americans lived in pueblos as a type of defense. Woodland Native Americans lived in longhouses with a palisaide around the village.

2. Map Skills: Look at a map of the U.S. And have the child point to each area, northwestern, plains, southwestern, and woodland. Have the child tell you something that they remember about that region.

3. Discuss: Talk about each region reviewing the tribes that lived in each region and what they lived in.

4. Read: The Very First Americans by Cara Ashrose or North American Indians by Marie and Douglas Gorsline

Native American Play

The boys played with the Indian houses that they had made throughout this unit study (except the igloo, the ants found it).  They used their Playmobil pirates to live in the houses.  The pueblo is definitely a favorite!

Native American Homes

Materials:

• White Poster Board
• Pencil
• Sharpie
• Scissors
• Brown Construction Paper
• Tape

Directions:

1. Use the pencil to draw an outline of the U.S. Onto the poster board. Trace the pencil line with the sharpie.
2. Cut out the U.S. Outline.
3. Use the pencil to draw an outline of a Southwest pueblo, Plains teepee, Northwest lodge, and Woodland longhouse onto the brown paper.
4. Use the sharpie to trace the outline and then cut them out.
5. Have the child tape them in the proper spot on the U.S. Map and then use the sharpie to write the Native American region name.
   
   
   

Cahokia Mounds

 We visited Cahokia Mounds in IL.  We spent some time in the museum and then went out to climb Monks Mound.  We happened to be there for archeology day so the boys got to participate in some hands on activities.

 In the museum there were all kinds of old Indian items.

 There was a dig site set up for the boys to see what an archeologist does.

 The boys learned what raw materials the Indians used to make useful items.

 The coil pot method that we tried earlier in this unit study.

 There was an Indian village set up for the boys to walk through.

 An Indian catch the ring game.

 Another game like the basket game that we made earlier in the unit study.

 They got to feel different animal fur and see the skulls that went with each animal too.

 Sifting through actual rock, bone, and pottery that was found at the dig site.

Flintknapping, they tried to make an arrowhead but it took way too long to keep them interested.

 A girl showed them how to mix clay with water to make face paint.

 Then she painted J's face for him.

 He was loved having the face paint on and we even gave him an Indian name "Chief Talks-a-lot".

 Looking at some of the different plants from the area.

 Getting ready to climb Monks Mound.

 There it is!

 Up, and up, and up!

We made it to the top!