Native Americans were the first people to live in North America many thousands of years ago. They formed many different tribal groups into at least 501 nations.

TASK
 

Each student will write a paragraph comparing and contrasting at least two native American tribes. Tell about how important the land, climate and resources from the environment helps to explain the similarities and differences.

PROCESS
 

Step 1: Go to the following web site: Native American Navigator

Step 2:Pick a tribal region from the map and click on the color coded pattern.

• Select the tribal group in one of the black boxes that appear.
• What tribe have you selected?

Step 3: Using Internet sites as well as the National Geographic CD-ROM, 501 Nations to research this tribe.

• Find out where this tribe lives.
• What kind of land, climate and resources are found there?
• How have the landforms, climate, and natural resources affected this tribe's ways of living?

• Food
• Shelter
• Clothing
• Beliefs and ceremonies

Step 4:  Along with a partner, do this again for a tribal group from at least one other part of the map.  Summarize the information gathered in the data chart.

Step 5:  Fill in the attached web diagram to show what 2 tribes have that is the same and what is special about each tribe alone.

Step 6:  Use other data charts and diagrams to compare and contrast more tribes.

Step 7:  Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting at least two groups.Tell about how important the landforms, climate, and resources from the environment help to explain the similarities and differences.

RESOURCES

Native American Information Links

ILTweb: LiveText: SS: Native American Navigator
http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/k12/naha/maps/nausa.html

http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/mapmenu.html

http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/cultmap.html

http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/maps/houses/housingmap.html

http://indy4.fdl.cc.mn.us/~isk/mainmenu.html#mainmenutop

Native American Resources  http://www.cowboy.net/native/index.html

Other Native American Information  http://www.princeton.edu/~naap/internet/

Native American Online, serving all Native American Tribes and First Nation Communities
http://www.native-american-online.org/.

Southwest Culture
http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/southwest.html#sister

Native American Culture
http://www.west.asu.edu/achristie/istudy.html

Climate and landform information links state-by-state

http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/states/states.html
 

National Geographic CD-ROM, 501 Nations

Library Books

Coming soon at this site...
 

EVALUATION

• Were you able to find information to fit all the topics on the data chart for two tribes from different parts of the map?
• Did you fill out the web diagram for at least two tribes from different parts of the map?
• Did you write a paragraph which tells how the landforms, climate and resources influence the houses, clothes and other things about the lives of Native Americans?

CONCLUSION

You have discovered, through different resources on the Internet and CD-ROM, that the many different tribes of Native Americans have lived very differently depending on the geography of the land where they lived. Geography has a big effect on the way everyone lives.

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Link to Standards Page Comments or Questions?   plinden@wsd.k12.pa.us  

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Based on a template from The WebQuest Page