Native Americans Part 1

We've been busy homeschoolers!  I wanted to take the time to journal a unit we've been working on, and one that we have big plans for: Native Americans.  We are using Evan-Moore History Pockets as a foundation, but I'm having a lot of fun planning additional activities.  I want to share what the History Pockets are like, and other ideas I've come across that'd be great for homeschoolers!

Our assembled pocket book.

The first pocket: Introduction to Native Americans.  This pocket has a map of the different tribal regions, and she adds a "shelter stamp" for each tribe that we learn about.  There is also a comparison chart to compare food, clothing, and shelter of each tribe; and a Native American Picture Dictionary.  I am really surprised, and impressed with how much she's taken part in these activities!  She even cut out all 24 sheets for her picture dictionary by herself!



The Seminoles

The tribes are presented in a certain order (as you can see on the cover of our pocket book), but I chose for us to work "backwards."  The worksheets are easily customisable so that you can study the tribes in any order that you'd like.  I chose to start from home, and work our way back; and I have another surprise reason for working backwards that I will reveal later on!

Pocket Activities

We assembled our recipe cards, and I attempted to make hominy. I probably would've stuck it out had I been feeling my best at the time; but I was sick so I demonstrated all the steps for Laken and we discussed how the women would've worked together to get it done.  We will do this again when Laken is old enough to help!  Each tribe has an informative booklet; and the headdress also fits nicely in its pocket, but it is usually out being played with right now.  Neither of us were feeling very well so she chose not to color most of her projects this time.

Seminole headdress

Laken in her headdress she finally decided to complete from her history pocket, and her finished beads.  Well, almost.  We learned that a Seminole girl would receive a strand of beads for every year of her life until middle age when she would begin taking them off again to end up with a single strand.  I read this somewhere else, but I found the info here too; and it also says here that they were given the first strand at birth so Laken needs another one still!

Additional Activities

Beaded necklaces          Working on the beaded necklaces, made with dyed penne noodles.  The black was my favorite!

Stickball

The Seminoles were originally members of the Creek Tribe; and the name Seminole means "runaway."  Stickball was a common sport at gatherings, in which a ball was thrown at a skull mounted on a stick.  Read more about stickball here. 

The Iroquois

For each tribe, we begin by placing the shelter stamp on the map, and adding the three vocabulary words to her picture dictionary.  She also writes a short definition for each.  Then, we move onto the fun stuff!

Pocket Activities

Wampum wish list                    Iroquois booklet, and wampum wish list.  The Iroquois traded wampum (beads carved from shells) for items they needed or wanted.

Three Sisters Poem

Additional Activities

Construct a longhouse                   Iroquois shelter, and vocabulary word.  We had fun looking for bark in wood piles on our nature walk, but watch out for ants!  We need a few more small pieces for our roof, but she takes them off to put people inside anyway.  Overall, very pleased with our project!

Make a wampum belt

Find the directions here



Yes, even a four year old can do this!

She liked to count them each time she finished a row.  Counting by threes practice!  We did a very simple, alternating pattern that was easy for her to follow.  She did this for a good half hour, and then I gave it a go too.  Fun for all ages!

She wanted another turn that evening when she saw that she could do a whole row at once, instead of adding the beads individually.

Completed wampum belt!  I just used some additional hemp cord to loop through both sides, and tied it in the back.

Three Sisters sensory bin Invitation to play with the Three Sisters (dried corn, beans, and pumpkin seeds)!

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope our next couple weeks are as fun as the first couple!  Next up are the Navajo of the Southwest, and the Sioux of the Plains.