Native American Cultures Expedition: WebQuest

Indian people are still here. We are not going away. It is time that the newcomers to this country started paying proper respect to the elder status of the first nations.

- Otis Halfmoon (Nez Perce)

Introduction

Many misunderstandings and stereotypes exist about American Indians, or Native Americans. Not all Indians lived in tepees, and not all Indians were mainly hunters who used bows and arrows. There were hundreds of Indian nations across North America with many different cultures. They spoke different languages, had their own stories and religious ideas, and made their living in varied ways. Today, many Indian people work to keep their cultural heritage as they live in the modern world. Some Indian people live with other members of their nations on reservations, while others live in our towns and cities among people of various ethnic backgrounds.

As you participate in this expedition, including this WebQuest, you will become an expert on one Indian nation and share your knowledge not only with your teacher and classmates, but also with our guests who attend our cultural fair.

To kick off our expedition, we will attend the Indian Summer Festival in Milwaukee, on the Summerfest grounds. We then will have at least one guest speaker, view some videotapes, complete research in the IMC, read the novel, The Light in the Forest, make craft projects, prepare food, and organize a cultural fair as a way to share our findings.

Described here is the research portion of our expedition. Throughout this document, some important vocabulary words are highlighted in boldface type.

The Process

Each student will be assigned a different Native American nation to research. You will take notes as you complete your research, using the outline of topics provided in the list of tasks below. You will record bibliographic information on your works cited, or bibliography, worksheet, so that you can prepare a works cited page when you have finished your research.

As you research your Indian nation, keep in mind these guiding questions:

1. How does physical environment affect people’s culture?

2. How do humans express their beliefs and values through art? music? storytelling?

3. How does our own perspective affect how we view the cultures and behaviors ofothers?

Because the list of websites you may use for research follows the list of tasks, you will want to have a printed copy of the list of tasks.

Task 1

On the first day we visit the IMC, find at least one book about your Indian nation and complete the bibliographic information for that source on your works cited worksheet. You may then proceed to a computer and use sites provided to find information about the original location, history, and cultural group to which your nation belongs. Remember to record the appropriate bibliographic information about each Internet site used also.

Task 2

Read and take notes on the original location of your nation. Where were your people located? Describe the climate and geographic environment. What resources were available? Be able to point out the historic location of your people on a map.

To what cultural group does your nation belong? (Southeastern or Northeastern Woodland, Plains, California, Great Basin, Plateau, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Subarctic, or Arctic)

Take notes on how these people traditionally made their living (farming, hunting and gathering, trade). What kinds of technology (tools, weapons, and methods) did they use? What did they grow/hunt/gather/trade or get by trading?

Task 3

Read and take notes on the homes, family life, and education of your people.

What materials did they use to build their homes? How was their style of home well suited to their lifestyle and environment?

How were their families organized? Describe clan structure and tell whether the clan system for your nation was matrilineal or patrilineal. What were the jobs of men and women? -of children? How were children educated? What knowledge and skills were important for them to learn?

Task 4

Read and take notes on the history and government of your nation. What were the responsibilities of the various leaders? How were leaders selected? How were decisions made? What was the role of women?

Task 5

Read and take notes on the religious or spiritual ideas of your people. How did they believe earth began? Who were the first people, and how did they come to be? (Find their creation story, if you can. If not, find another legend or story to tell.)

Describe spirits, ceremonies, causes and cures of illness, good fortune, misfortune, etc. What was the role of the shaman, or medicine man? Were there any special groups or societies?

Find out about arts and crafts. How did many items these people made reflect their religious ideas? What items did they make? (-baskets, pottery, clothing, blankets, musical instruments, masks, jewelry, decoration of homes, tools, weapons, toys, etc.) What materials were used? Describe typical designs.

Task 6

Use the websites listed to find out about your Indian nation today. Does your nation have a webpage? Where do your people live? What issues concern them? Find out about regular activities, such as powwows or special ceremonies.

Task 7

Select the area that interested you the most, or about which you found the most information, and write a paragraph about it. Your paragraph will be peer-edited, revised by you, and then typed for mounting on a display panel for our cultural fair.

Task 8

Select one craft item to make. You might make a model of the type of home your people lived it, a model of a tool or weapon, or some other item used. Write a paragraph about the item you choose to make, explaining its use, how it was made, etc. This paragraph also will be peer-edited, revised, typed, and included with your craft item at our cultural fair.

Resources

In addition to the books available in the IMC or from Mrs. Fox, use the Internet. You will need to use the websites especially to find information on your Indian nation today.

Internet Resources for Native American Research for Mrs. Fox’s Class

A Good Introductory Site

Chief Seattle’s speech – This speech, given by Suquamish Chief Seattle in 1854, is considered one of the greatest descriptions of the relationship between Indian people and the land: http://www.suquamish.nsn.us/seattle.html

Sites with lists of specific Native American tribal sites

Native American Homepages, listed by tribe

http://www.americanwest.com/pages/nathom.htm

List of Native American Tribes – Webpages

http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/nations.html
This site contains a pagewhich lists links to various other sites.

http://www.kstrom.net/isk/tribes/tribes.htm

Go to this site and type in the name of your Indian nation.

http://www.yahooligans.com/

Webpages and other sites of many tribes

http://www.cradleboard.org/2000/tribal_w.html

A gateway to information about 80 western Native American tribes visited and photograhed by Edward S. Curtis, form 1890-1930

http://www.curtis-collection.com/tribalindex.html