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Hello 3rd Graders! Today, we will be learning about how the American Indians used their environment. We’ve discussed six regions that the American Indians settled in North America. Let’s review what those are: The Arctic, Northwest, Southwest, Plains, Northeast, and Southeast. Each of these regions has a different environment. American Indians had to use what their environment provided to get food, clothing, and shelter. For this lesson, you will be going on a Scavenger Hunt!  As you go through this website, use the handout provided, to write down the answers you find!

Good luck on your Scavenger Hunt!

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Watch this!

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Complete this scavenger hunt as you go through the web quest!

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Learn more about the different American Indian homes built in each region.

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Learn more about the different American Indian homes built in each region.

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0:00 / 3:17•Watch full video

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Epic Native American Music - Cherokee Tribe

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The Cherokee is one of the tribes who settled in the Southeast region of North America. Here is the Cherokee Welcome Song. What do you think about this song?

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Indian Calling - Cherokee Welcome Song - Native American Music

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Brookeville Schools. (n.d). American Indians Slideshow [Slides]. Google Slides. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjauLXboZ3xAhUKSzABHdQ7ARgQFjAXegQIEBAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brookvilleschools.org%2Fuserfiles%2F1073%2FClasses%2F24374%2Famericanindianslideshow2.ppt&usg=AOvVaw0SHXaZe2ZQ36-7omiaH81N

Clarendon Learning. (2020, August 3). Native American for Kids | An insightful look into the history of the Native Americans [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxNDKlh-Vjo

Derek Fiechter’s Music. (2015, July 12). Epic Native American Music - Cherokee Tribe[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MgAqnCTkSo

Maxy Sound. (2015, February 27). Indian Calling - Cherokee Welcome Song - Native American Music [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_kZWg3PIGU

Native American Homes: Wigwams, Longhouses, Tepees, Lodges, and other American Indian houses. (n.d.). Native-Languages. Retrieved June 17, 2021, from http://www.native-languages.org/houses.htm

O’Brien, C. (2021, February 16). Native People of the Arctic and Subarctic. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-arctic-and-subarctic

O’Brien, C. (2021a, February 16). Native People of the American Northwest Coast. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-american-northwest-coast

O’Brien, C. (2021c, March 5). Native People of the American Southwest. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-american-southwest

O’Brien, C. (2021a, February 16). Native People of the American Great Plains. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-american-great-plains

O’Brien, C. (2021b, February 16). Native People of the American Northeast. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-american-northeast

O’Brien, C. (2021d, February 16). Native People of the American Southeast. History. https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/native-people-of-the-american-southeast

Original Powerpoint:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjauLXboZ3xAhUKSzABHdQ7ARgQFjAXegQIEBAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brookvilleschools.org%2Fuserfiles%2F1073%2FClasses%2F24374%2Famericanindianslideshow2.ppt&usg=AOvVaw0SHXaZe2ZQ36-7omiaH81N

Prenger, J. (n.d.). Native Americans. 5th Grade Social Studies. Retrieved June 17, 2021, from http://prengerss.weebly.com/native-americans.html

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Watch this video!

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Native American History for Kids | An insightful look into the history of the Native Americans

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Comparing and Contrasting the Different American Indian Regions

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Comparing and Contrasting the Different American Indian Regions

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Create a video answering the following questions:
1.    How did American Indians in different regions use their environments?

2.    How did the environment help to affect food, clothing, and shelter of American Indians?

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Flipgrid is where social and emotional learning happens! The leading video discussion platform for millions of PreK to PhD educators, students, and families.

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American Indians had to use resources from their environment. Every region had a different environment. For this project, you must find resources from your environment (home or school) to create one of the American Indian's homes.

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Flipgrid is where social and emotional learning happens! The leading video discussion platform for millions of PreK to PhD educators, students, and families.

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Let's review with a map of the regions where American Indians settled in North America

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Let's review with a map of the regions where American Indians settled in North America

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Arctic, Northwest Southwest, Plains, Northeast, and Southeast.

Resourse:
http://prengerss.weebly.com/native-americans.html

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Native People of the Arctic and Subarctic

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Native People of the Arctic and Subarctic

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Between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago, people began crossing the Bering Strait from Asia into what is now Alaska. Over time, some of those people moved into the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Today their descendants call themselves Inuit, which means "the people."

Others traveled south to the evergreen forests of Canada, and the descendants of those people now have individual tribal names but refer to themselves together as First Nations.

COOL CULTURE

Many tribes survived the cold, harsh environment by hunting caribou, musk ox, bowhead whales, and even seals through the ice. They then put all the parts of the animal to use: Caribou and polar bear fur were perfect for warm winter clothing, sealskin was used for waterproof summer garments, and furs from wolves, wolverines, and rabbits added warmth inside boots and socks.

To show respect for these animals, tribes created masks and charms in those shapes. Members of the Eyak (pronounced EE-yak) tribe wore painted wooden masks during traditional tribal ceremonies, the Yup'ik (pronounced YOO-peek) carved wooden masks with animal characteristics to ensure a successful hunt for the wearer, and the Inupiat (pronounced IN-yoop-yat) tribe carved hunting charms out of walrus tusks in the shape of seals.

But life for these people wasn't all about survival: They also knew how to have fun. Today members of these tribes still play traditional games like the knuckle hop, which tests skill and toughness when competitors hop forward on just their knuckles and toes. Another popular game still today is the blanket toss. Holding a blanket tight, people raise it up and down to throw another person into the air as she tries to land on the blanket without losing balance. Some talented jumpers can even do twists and flips midair.

LIFE TODAY

Today most of these people live in modern communities and have adapted technology to their lifestyle. Snowmobiles often replace cars when snowy roads become impassable, and GPS receivers help them navigate. But members of these tribes are working hard to keep their culture alive: The Inuvialuit (pronounced in-oo-vee-ah-LOO-it), Inuit people of the western Canadian Arctic, have even developed an app to teach kids their native language.

Text and photos adapted from the Nat Geo Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture.

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Native People of the Arctic and Subarctic

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Between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago, people began crossing the Bering Strait from Asia into what is now Alaska. Over time, some of those people moved into the Canadian Arctic and Greenland. Today their descendants call themselves Inuit, which means "the people."

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People have been living in the southeastern region of North America for at least 18,000 years. At first these groups were on the move, hunting wild game and gathering food. Then around A.D. 800, people started planting corn near the Mississippi River and settled there permanently. Their peaceful culture thrived for hundreds of years in this plentiful area.

COOL CULTURE

Southeastern people used river mud to build massive earthen mounds that formed the center of their communities. The tall mounds served as gathering places for ceremonies, platforms for temples, and homes for tribal leaders. Moundville-the ruins of an ancient city in what's now central Alabama-has 26 mounds; the tallest is almost 60 feet high. (That's like four giraffes stacked on top of each other!) About a thousand people lived in this city, while another 10,000 farmed corn nearby.

Many tribes like the Biloxi (pronounced bil-OK-see) harvested river cane-a type of bamboo-which they wove into ceremonial rattles, baskets for picking berries, and containers for storing food. Some tribes, like the Catawba (pronounced kuh-TAW-buh) made pottery by smoothing stacks of coiled clay.

LIFE TODAY

Tribal life changed after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 when the new Americans wanted southeastern tribes to adopt their dress styles, farming methods, and government. While some tribes rebelled, the Choctaw (CHOK-taw), Chickasaw (CHIK-uh-saw), Creek, Cherokee (CHAIR-uh-kee), and Seminole (SEH-min-ohl) changed their way of life to try to protect their people. They became known as the Five Civilized Tribes, but eventually almost all members were still forced to move west in the 1830s. The Cherokee called this thousand-mile walk to what's now Oklahoma the "Trail Where They Cried" because over 4,000 Cherokee members died on the journey. Now it's more commonly known as the Trail of Tears.

Today tribal members are trying to rebuild their communities: Each year tribes such as the Creek and Miccosukee (pronounced mik-uh-SOO-kee) continue to celebrate the first ripe corn of the harvest in the Green Corn ceremony. Part of the three-day event includes the Stomp Dance: Starting after dark, a male elder sings while men and women move in a counterclockwise circle around a fire, shaking rattles worn on their legs.

The Seminole tribe of Florida runs businesses that include citrus and cattle farms, and the Tunica (pronounced TOO-nih-kuh) tribe of Mississippi and Arkansas are working with Tulane University in Louisiana to create children's books, recordings, camps, and other projects that help keep their language alive.

Text and photos adapted from the Nat Geo Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture.

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Native People of the American Great Plains

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Native People of the American Great Plains

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Stretching from Canada to Texas, the Great Plains region was too dry to support large groups of people around 10,000 years ago. But over time the climate became warmer and rainier, allowing grasses to grow. That brought herds of bison-and people weren't far behind. Starting around A.D. 1200, tribes from the north, east, and southeast regions of what's now the United States and the Canadian prairies moved to this area to hunt bison for food, shelter, tools, and clothing.

COOL CULTURE

Many tribes, including the Crow and Arapaho (pronounced uh-RAH-puh-hoh), survived by following bison herds as they migrated from place to place. These groups needed homes that could be quickly taken down and rebuilt again, so they lived in tent-like structures made of buffalo skins called tepees. (The Wichita people and a few other Plains tribes stayed in one place to farm the land, living in beehive-shaped houses made of grass.)

In the mid-1700s, Plains tribes started riding horses that had been brought over from Europe. Groups such as the Blackfeet, Sioux (pronounced SOO), and Comanche (pronounced kuh-MAN-chee) became master riders and warriors, and they controlled huge hunting grounds that supported thousands of members. For instance, at one point, the powerful Comanche tribe had more than 40,000 people.

Because the Plains tribes were spread across so much land, they spoke many different languages-so they developed a single sign language for people of all tribes to communicate with. They also shared a tradition of dance: Different tribes practiced ceremonial dances. The Cheyenne (SHY-an) performed the Animal Dance, meant to send luck to hunters so they would bring back enough food for the tribe. The Caddo (CAD-oh) performed the Turkey Dance, which celebrated the return of warriors from battle; and several tribes performed the Sun Dance, in which dancers prayed for spiritual healing and the welfare of their communities.

LIFE TODAY

Plains tribes didn't hunt more bison than they needed to survive, so the population of these animals remained stable-that is, until European settlers arrived. By the 1880s these newcomers had hunted the bison almost to extinction. Once these tribes lost their main source of food, the U.S. government forced many of them to move to reservations, which are lands reserved for Native Americans. These were often located far from their traditional homelands in present-day Oklahoma, North Dakota, and South Dakota believed to be unsuitable for farming or settlement.

Today the Plains tribes are keeping their culture alive. Many host traditional celebrations for the public to watch, and some have created apps to make sure their languages aren't forgotten. They're also helping preserve their natural resources: Tribes in Texas are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore the region's longleaf pine forests, and other Plains tribes are trying to bring back bison to the region.

Text and photos adapted from the Nat Geo Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture.

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Native People of the American Great Plains

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Native People of the American Great Plains

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Thousands of years ago, ancient people first settled in the deep canyons of present-day New Mexico. The members of these ancient civilizations-the Pueblo (PWEB-loh), the Mogollon (moh-guh-YOHN), and the Hohokam (huh-HOH-kum)-built cities carved into the cliffs and created complex canals to water crops in the desert. Almost all of the Southwestern tribes, which later spread out into present-day Arizona, Texas, and northern Mexico, can trace their ancestry back to these civilizations.

Two powerful Southwest tribes were the exception: the Navajo (NA-vuh-hoh) and the Apache (uh-PA-chee). These people moved into the region from the Arctic between the 1200s and 1500s. They were hunters who followed their game across a wide territory and who often raided the other tribes in the area for food.

COOL CULTURE

Between A.D. 900 and 1150, the ancient Pueblo people built hundreds of multistory sandstone buildings in canyons. Many tribes including the Hopi (HOH-pee) continued this building tradition, creating stone houses that were five stories high.

The American southwest has a dry climate with little rain, so tribes had to be creative to grow crops like beans and squash. For instance, the Quechan (kwuht-SAN) people planted crops in narrow valleys that would sometimes be covered in river water, and the Hopi people grew different types of corn to suit the arid climate, including white, red, yellow, blue, and speckled varieties. People also gathered prickly pear cactus and wild berries, and women and children of some tribes like the Havasupai (hah-vah-SOO-py) and Mojave (moh-HAH-vee) helped to hunt, stamping their feet to drive rabbits from their burrows.

Southwestern tribes are well known for their art and crafts. Artisans create turquoise and silver jewelry, finely woven baskets, clay pottery with geometric patterns, and colorful blankets.

LIFE TODAY

Many Southwest tribes were affected by the California Gold Rush in 1849, when settlers, mining companies, and U.S. soldiers invaded ancestral homelands. By the end of the century, many tribal members had moved onto reservations. But some tribes managed to keep hold of at least some areas of their native lands because the landscape was too rugged for settlers.

Some tribes, like the Cocopah (koh-koh-PAH) and Maricopa (MAH-ree-KOH-pah) in Arizona and the Zuni (ZOO-nee) in New Mexico, run museums that teach people about their history. In the Grand Canyon region of Arizona, the Havasupai operate a campsite and lodge, and many tribal members work as guides for tourists to the national park. The Hualapai (WAH-luh-py) tribe built the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass platform 4,000 feet above the gorge.

Text and photos adapted from the Nat Geo Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture.

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About 10,000 years ago, people began living on North America's Northwest Coast, a narrow area along the Pacific Ocean that stretches across parts of modern-day Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Yukon and British Columbia in Canada. By 3,000 B.C., people had set up permanent villages along the rivers, peninsulas, and islands of this region.

COOL CULTURE

The ocean and the lush coastal forests provided the Northwest Coast people with everything that they needed to survive. Tribes carved huge canoes made from cedar or spruce trees. The boats could fit up to 30 people, who paddled into the sea to hunt otters, seals, and whales. Salmon was such an important food source that these fish featured in many of their stories, and many tribes held a First Salmon Ceremony to celebrate the salmon's return to freshwater rivers from the ocean.

Many tribes, such as the Tlingit (KLIN-kit) and Haida (HY-dah), showed off their status with totem poles. These carved and painted poles represented a family's history or honored a chief or other important person. The totem poles featured carvings of animals or supernatural creatures associated with family clans. Thunderbirds (a mythical animal that caused thunder when it opened its wings), ravens, and bears stared down from many totem poles.

In the spring and summer, many tribes lived in temporary shelters that could be moved around while they hunted, fished, and gathered berries and roots. During winter, people moved into cedar houses that were large enough for many families to share. Often these homes had totem poles outside. Sometimes the totem poles were used as posts to support the house's roof.

LIFE TODAY

Today the native people of the Northwest Coast have lives like many Americans: They live in modern homes and send their kids to school. But many also remember their heritage by doing things like carving totem poles, hosting traditional feasts, and sharing their culture with others. For instance, the Puyallup (pyoo-AH-lup) tribe has a YouTube channel with videos of events such as the Puyallup powwow. Fish have become part of many of modern tribal businesses: The S'klallam (SKLAH-lum) and the Stillaguamish (stil-AG-wa-mish) operate fish hatcheries.

Many tribes participate in Canoe Journeys, an event hosted by the Lummi (LOO-mee) people. Each year, participants sail oceangoing canoes to a different destination, sometimes taking a month to complete the journey.

Text and photos adapted from the Nat Geo Kids Encyclopedia of American Indian History and Culture.

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Native People of the American Northwest Coast

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Native People of the American Northwest Coast