Instruction Plan — Week 9: Early American Indians in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Social Studies Practices:Read Critically and Interpret InformationSourcesAnalyze and Address Authentic Civic Issues

Strand: History

Standards:1.A.2-3.2 Describe and offer examples of how people have improved theircommunities in the past and present.3.2 The student will examine Oklahoma’s geography and how people ofOklahoma interact with their environment.3.2.2 Examine the interaction of the environment and the peoples of Oklahoma3.2.2.A Describe how early American Indians used Oklahoma’s natural resources,such as bison hunting, fur trading, and farming.3.4.2 Summarize how the factors of scarcity and surplus and the laws of supplyand demand of natural and human resources require people to make choicesabout producing and consuming goods and services.3.A.2-3.1 Explain the difference between a primary and secondary source ofinformation and gather basic information from such sources.5.B.2-3.3 Create a simple presentation, using audio, visual, and/or multimediatools to communicate ideas and thoughts.

Vocabulary:primary source: photo or other source from someone who was actually there(noun)secondary source: something written or told by someone who was not at theactual event (noun)livestock: animals used for food (noun)foraging: gathering food that is growing wild (verb)pelt: animal fur (noun)

Summary of Week: Students will examine the interactions between early peoplesof Oklahoma and the environment.

Literature:● The Very First Americans by Cara Ashrose and Bryna Waldman● The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola● Bison: Amazing Fun Facts and Pictures About Bisons for Kids by Gaia Carlo● Where the Buffalo Roam: Bison in America by Kate Waters● The Littlest Voyageur by Margi Preus and Cheryl Pilgrim

Essential Questions:1. Who were the early American Indians of Oklahoma?2. How did they interact with their environment?

Student Edition for Week 9

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

Lesson Plan:1. Show the video “Learn Who Your Ancestors Are … It’s Genealogy.”2. Explain to the students that they are going to read about how people

learn about their ancestors. Ask them to look for the different types ofsources that they can use to learn about people from long ago.

3. Read the article.4. Ask the students:

a. What is a primary source? (a document, a photograph, a journal, oreven a video from someone who was actually at an event when ithappened)

b. What are some examples of primary sources? (documents, letters,photographs, autobiographies, journals, videos, etc.)

c. What is a secondary source? (written or told by someone who wasnot at an event)

d. What are some examples of secondary sources? (biographies,articles, textbooks, reviews, dictionaries, etc.)

5. Have the students build family trees. Give each student a large piece ofdrawing paper. Have the students draw the trunk of a tree and write theirname on it. Instruct students to draw two branches coming out of the trunkand write the names of their parents on the branches. Have the studentsadd additional branches to include grandparents andgreat-grandparents.

6. As an extension, invite students to collect primary and secondary sourcesfrom their homes to add to their family trees or to learn more about theirancestors.

7. Have the students present their family trees and tell the class about theirancestors.

Article Assessment:1. Which of the following is a primary source?

a. biographyb. photographc. dictionaryd. textbook

2. What is a secondary source?a. an interview with an eyewitness to a historical eventb. a photograph of a historical eventc. a diary entry which was written by someone who witnessed a

historical eventd. a story written or told by someone who was not at an actual event

3. What primary sources can help you create your family tree?a. seeds you can plantb. birth and marriage certificatesc. eyewitness accounts of an eventd. family jokes

Materials Needed:“Learn Who Your Ancestors Are … It’s Genealogy” video

Early Agriculture in Oklahoma

Lesson Plan:1. Have each student divide a piece of paper into four sections. Label each

section with one of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.2. Explain to the students that they are going to read about early agriculture

in Oklahoma. The seasons and weather had a big impact on life backthen. Ask the students to pay attention to how daily tasks changed foreach season as they read.

3. Read the article.4. Invite students to make a list (using either words, pictures, or both) of the

tasks that early American Indians did for each season.5. Based on the information given in the article, have students make

predictions about what early peoples in Oklahoma did in the wintermonths.

6. Hand out a copy of the Early American Indians and Their Crops graphicorganizer to each student.

7. Tell students to reread the article and underline information about thethree sisters.

8. Have students complete their graphic organizers.

Article Assessment:1. Who brought horses to the Great Plains?

a. French explorersb. Italian explorersc. British explorersd. Spanish explorers

2. What was important about the corn plant in “three sisters” farming?a. It gave special nutrients to the soil.b. It kept raccoons away.c. It provided a structure for the bean plant to climb.d. It kept weeds away.

3. How did horses change the lives of American Indians?

a. They had to find food for the horses.b. They now had pets.c. They could travel faster.d. They could follow the animals they hunted.

Materials Needed:Paper and writing instrumentsEarly American Indians and Their Crops graphic organizer

The American Indian Way [Activity]

Lesson Plan:1. Explain to the students that they are going to learn more about how

American Indians used their resources. Ask them to think about ways thatthey can use resources and be “green.”

2. Have the students read the article and complete the activity as they read.3. Ask the students:

a. What does it mean to be “green”? (using things in nature withouthurting or polluting the environment)

b. Can you think of ways that you and your family are “green”?(Answers may vary. Possibilities include: not using plastic bags,composting, etc.)

4. Hand out a copy of the Upcycling graphic organizer to each student.5. Have students work with a partner to brainstorm ideas for the organizer.6. Create a class list with ideas generated by the students.7. Discuss other things that can be upcycled.

Article Assessment:1. Any naturally made material from Earth that a person can use is called a

__________.a. human resourceb. capital resourcec. secondary resourced. natural resource

2. The American Indians used things in nature, but they didn’t __________.a. use everything upb. hurt or pollute the environmentc. share with othersd. use things made by people

3. How did American Indians thank Mother Nature?a. They danced and celebrated.b. They prepared lots of food.

c. They gave her “thank you” cards.d. They spent time in the woods.

The American Indian Way Activity Answer Key:Part 1(Answers will vary. Possible responses)- trees- coal- oil- rocks and minerals- salt- water – groundwater, waterways- animalsPart 2(Answers will vary. Possible responses)- use real dishes and silverware instead of paper and plastic- use cloth grocery bags instead of paper or plastic- reuse boxes and containers- dispose of paints, oils and chemicals at an approved location- put school paper, cardboard and magazines in the recycle bin, not the trashcan- use a non-disposable water bottlePart 3(Answers will vary. Possible responses)- beaver, hares, raccoons- deer, bear, elk- guns, knives, metal

Materials Needed:Upcycling graphic organizer

Farming and Foraging

Lesson Plan:1. Show students the video “Economics.”2. Ask the students:

a. What is an example of economics in our class?b. What is an example of economics in your life?

3. Explain that trading was an important part of American Indians' lives.

Article Assessment:1. What are some things grown in Oklahoma?

a. wheat, hay, soybeans, and cottonb. flowers and treesc. fruits and vegetablesd. pigs and chickens

2. What is the definition of livestock?a. things that are aliveb. lively animalsc. animals raised for foodd. active stock

3. Some American Indian tribes traded for __________.a. horsesb. foodc. cropsd. fun

Materials Needed:Video “Economics”

American Indian Farming

Lesson Plan:1. Have the students look at the table. Explain how to read it.2. Have students write one sentence about how a piece of evidence

supports a fact on the left. For example: “If we find evidence of weapons(bows, arrows, and spear points), this shows that the American Indianshunted animals.”

Article Assessment:1. What are three foods that most American Indians grew?

a. corn, beans, and squashb. hay, wheat, and soybeansc. apples, strawberries, and raspberriesd. potatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini

2. Where did American Indian farmers build their villages?a. in grassy fieldsb. in mountain valleysc. along riversd. close to each other

3. What evidence supports that American Indian farmers used grain?a. corn husk dollsb. buried baskets of cornc. stone bread ovensd. sandstone grinding basins

Materials Needed:N/A

Foraging

Lesson Plan:1. Have each student write the word “forage” in the middle of a piece of

paper to begin a word web.2. Explain to the students that they are going to read about a way to gather

food called foraging. Ask them to add types of food that AmericanIndians would have foraged. As they read, have them put a star next toeach type of food listed in the article.

3. Read the article.4. Have students write the definition to forage under the word on their word

webs. (to gather foods that grow wild)5. Allow students to add types of food listed in the article around the word

“forage” to create a word web. Encourage them to draw picturesalongside the words.

6. Ask the students:a. What was something the American Indians had to be careful of

when they were foraging? (They had to be careful about how theyharvested the plants so that they would continue to grow andprovide more food.) Have students add this information to their wordwebs.

Article Assessment:1. What does foraging mean?

a. going to the forestb. gathering foods that grow wildc. hunting for deerd. growing the three sisters

2. Some foods that American Indians foraged were __________.a. chocolate and sugarb. apples and orangesc. wild rice, nuts, and seedsd. corn, beans, and squash

3. Why did American Indians only forage small amounts of things?a. They wanted the plants to replace themselves.b. They didn’t need more.c. They could only find a little bit.d. They needed to share.

Materials Needed:N/A

Fur Trading

Lesson Plan:1. Read the article.2. Allow the students to research online or in books to complete the activity.3. Lead a discussion about the information that the students found.

Article Assessment:1. American Indians trapped __________.

a. grizzly bearsb. insectsc. small animalsd. wild birds

2. Europeans traded items for __________.a. beads and copperb. fursc. corn, beans, and squashd. fish

3. When American Indians couldn’t find larger animals to hunt, they__________.

a. ate vegetablesb. traded food for furc. went further to huntd. used small animals for food

Materials Needed:N/A

Bison

Lesson Plan:1. Read the article.2. Have students write five sentences to summarize the main ideas of the

article’s paragraphs.3. On a separate piece of paper, have students write a summary paragraph

about “The American Indian Way” using their five sentences. Havestudents add an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence.

Article Assessment:1. How many bison were on the Great Plains long ago?

a. millionsb. a fewc. too many to count

d. a few hundred2. What parts of the bison did American Indians use?

a. the hide and hornsb. nearly everythingc. the meat and furd. the meat and bones

3. Why did bison become nearly extinct?a. They got a disease.b. They began to be hunted for sport.c. They ran out of food.d. The climate changed.

Materials Needed:N/A

A Thriving Resourceful Trade

Lesson Plan:1. Explain to the students that they are going to read about the value of

trade for early American Indians in our nation. As they read, ask them tolook for things that were valuable to American Indians at the time and tothink about the things that are valuable to them today.

2. Read the article.3. Have students circle or mark the different items that had value for the

American Indians.4. Lead a discussion about the American Indians’ valuable items. Ask the

students:a. What things were valuable back then? (bison, vegetables, shells,

stones, tools, etc.)b. What things are valuable to you today? (Answers may vary.)c. What do people trade for things that they find valuable? (money,

time, other things)5. Have students look at the map in the article.6. Ask the students:

a. What is something you can learn from this map? (Answers mayvary.)

b. What is something you are still wondering about after looking at thismap? (Answers may vary.)

Article Assessment:1. What parts of the bison did American Indians use for trading?

a. hides and jerkyb. bison horns

c. bones and sinewd. tails and feet

2. What mineral was used to create sharp tools?a. turquoiseb. copperc. cinnabard. obsidian

3. Why might scientists think that seashells were traded across the country?a. because there are legends about seashellsb. because seashells have recently been found on the Great Plainsc. because American Indians from California told the scientistsd. because seashells are not naturally found on the Great Plains

Materials Needed:N/A

The Bison — A Bountiful Resource

Lesson Plan:1. Before reading, draw, trace, or print a picture of a bison onto a large

piece of paper so that students can record information about bison on it.2. Divide the class into 8 groups.3. Assign each group one part of the bison: meat, hide, horns, hooves,

bones, sinew, intestines, and stomach.4. Explain to the students that they are going to read about how bison was a

bountiful resource for American Indians. Ask them to look for the way thattheir assigned part was used so that the class can create a poster with theinformation.

5. Read the article.6. Allow the groups to draw and write descriptions of how their part of the

bison was used by the Plains Indians.7. Have groups attach their information to the large bison poster. Ask them

to draw lines connecting their information to the part of the bison that itdescribes.

8. Display the poster for the class to review.

Article Assessment:1. Bison sinew was used for __________.

a. tipi coveringsb. clothesc. bow string and threadd. pouches

2. Why did the Plains Indians consider the bison sacred?a. They used bison hides to make religious clothing.b. The bison provided for so many of their needs.c. The bison was a beautiful animal.d. The bison provided cures for diseases.

3. What could be made out of bison hooves?a. rattlesb. toolsc. ladles and spoonsd. glue

Materials Needed:Large bison poster

Make an American Indian Cornhusk Doll [Activity]

Help students to follow the directions correctly. Model if necessary.

Teacher Notes

Sequencing of Articles: The sequencing of the articles this week was designed toboth scaffold and build upon each other.

Think Deeply (Think & Review):1. What were the "Three Sisters" plants and the value of each? The bean

plant made the soil rich. The corn plant gave the bean plant something togrow on. The squash plant kept pests like raccoons away.

2. What are some early American Indian uses for bison? Give at least fiveexamples. Answers will vary. Examples: meat used for food; fur used forblankets and coats; skins used for clothing and painting canvases; hornsused as holders for liquid or powders; bones used for tools; tendons usedas string; intestines and bladders used as bags; brains used to softenleather.

3. What does it mean that the American Indian way of life was "green"? Thismeans the American Indians used things in nature without hurting orpolluting the environment

4. According to legend, why did the cornhusk doll lose her face? Thecornhusk doll thought she was more beautiful than any other creature andalways admired herself in a pool of water. Mother Earth took the cornhuskdoll’s face away.

5. What are some examples of the different ways American Indians used thebison? Answers will vary. Accept any answers mentioned in the text. For

example, the bison provided, food, shelter, clothing, tools and other usefulitems.

6. Compare and contrast how your life is “green” versus how the AmericanIndians were “green”? Describe your results. Answers will vary

Let’s Write Prompt:● How did the early American Indians in Oklahoma use natural resources to

survive? Give at least three examples in your writing response.● If you were to plant 3 plants to replace the Three Sisters, what would they

be and why?

Weekly Assessment:1. How did horses change the lives of American Indians?

a. They had to find food for the horses.b. They now had pets.c. They could travel faster.d. They could follow the animals they hunted.

2. Why did the Plains Indians consider the bison sacred?a. They used bison hides to make religious clothing.b. The bison provided for so many of their needs.c. The bison was a beautiful animal.d. The bison provided cures for diseases.

3. Why might scientists think that seashells were traded across the country?a. because there are legends about seashellsb. because seashells have recently been found in the Plainsc. because American Indians from California told the scientistsd. because seashells are not naturally found on the Great Plains

4. How did American Indians thank Mother Nature?a. They danced and celebrated.b. They prepared lots of food.c. They gave her “thank you” cards.d. They spent time in the woods.

5. What are some things grown in Oklahoma?a. wheat, hay, soybeans, and cottonb. flowers and treesc. fruits and vegetablesd. pigs and chickens

6. Where did American Indian farmers build their villages?a. in grassy fieldsb. in mountain valleysc. along riversd. close to each other

7. What evidence supports that American Indian farmers used grain?

a. corn husk dollsb. buried baskets of cornc. stone bread ovensd. sandstone grinding basins

8. Europeans traded items for __________.a. beads and copperb. fursc. corn, beans, and squashd. fish

Integrated Standards:

English Language Arts:3.6.R.2 Students will use graphic features including photos, illustrations, captions,titles, labels, headings, subheadings, italics, sidebars, charts, graphs, and legendsto define a text.3.1.R.2 Students will ask and answer questions to seek help, get information,orclarify about information presented orally through text or other media to confirmunderstanding.3.6.R.3 Students will locate information in visual and text reference sources,electronic resources, and/or interviews.3.6.W.2 Students will organize information found during group or individualresearch, using graphic organizers or other aids.3.4.R.3 Students will use context clues to determine the meaning of words ordistinguish among multiple-meaning words.

Fine Arts3.CHP.1.2 Explore ways that people have created artwork using accessibleresources.

Additional Answer Keys:

Upcycling Graphic OrganizerAnswers will vary.

Early American Indians and their Crops Graphic OrganizerThe three crops: beans, corn, squash

Matchingbeans - Make the soil rich by adding nutrientscorn - Structure to grow onsquash - Keep water in soil and keep away pests

Observe dependency through coloring of illustration.

 

   

Oklahoma: Our State    

Week 9 Assessment      

1. How did horses change the lives of American Indians?  a. They had to find food for the horses.  b. They now had pets.  c. They could travel faster.  d. They could follow the animals they hunted.  

 2. Why did the Plains Indians consider the bison sacred?  

a. They used bison hides to make religious clothing.  b. The bison provided for so many of their needs.  c. The bison was a beautiful animal.  d. The bison provided cures for diseases.  

 3. Why might scientists think that seashells were traded across the country?  

a. because there are legends about seashells  b. because seashells have recently been found in the Plains  c. because American Indians from California told the scientists  d. because seashells are not naturally found on the Great Plains  

 4. How did American Indians thank Mother Nature?  

a. They danced and celebrated.  b. They prepared lots of food.  c. They gave her “thank you” cards.  d. They spent time in the woods.  

 5. What are some things grown in Oklahoma?  

a. wheat, hay, soybeans, and cotton  b. flowers and trees  c. fruits and vegetables  d. pigs and chickens  

 6. Where did American Indian farmers build their villages?  

a. in grassy fields  b. in mountain valleys  c. along rivers  d. close to each other  

Name ___________________________________________________________   Date _____________  

Oklahoma Studies Weekly–Our State    

 7. What evidence supports that American Indian farmers used grain?  

a. corn husk dolls  b. buried baskets of corn  c. stone bread ovens  d. sandstone grinding basins  

 8. Europeans traded items for __________ .  

a. beads and copper  b. furs   c. corn, beans, and squash  d. fish   

 

Upcycling

Name: Date:

upcycling (v.) – a process for recycling something into something better. When you upcycle, you recycle and reuse something for a new purpose.

You have read about how early American Indians used Oklahoma’s natural resources to survive. They used bison, traded fur and farmed. The American Indian way has always been “green.” This means that they used things in nature without hurting or polluting the environment. They used every part of an animal, vegetable or other food source and did not waste anything.

So what does that have to do with upcycling? Take a look at the following items that are usually thrown in the trash. Think about how you could upcycle them into useful things kids will like! The fi rst ones are done for you. Use your imagination and be creative! (Just be sure to check with a responsible adult before digging for recyclables, and clean the items well!)

Juice boxes can be made into:

a pretend cell phone

Tissue boxes can be made into:

a guitar (with rubber bands)

Milk cartons can be made into:

a rocket ship

Egg cartons can be made into:

a jewelry box

Notebook paper can be made into:

a ball to practice shooting baskets

Tin cans can be made into:

stilts with string (an adult can help punch holes in the cans)

Here’s a real-world example: A student saved her juice pouches for about a month. She cleaned them and sewed them together to make a great new purse! She gave it to her aunt as a gift.

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