Nature, A Pawnee Means of Survival
Guided tour—Pawnee Indian Museum, Republic
Grades—Third
Where better to study the Pawnee Indians than at the authentic site where more than 2,000 members of the Kitkahaki band lived nearly 200 years ago? By visiting the site, seeing the remains of one of their earth lodges, and walking the nature trail students will learn about the Pawnee and their dependence on nature. The experience allows the students to use their visual/spatial along with their bodily/kinesthetic intelligences. Each student will be given an opportunity to create their own “Ledger Art” to depict what they believe life was like when the Kitkahaki lived in this village. They will also be given a postcard size reproduction of a painting illustrating the village with forty earth lodges, women returning from the fields along the Republican River and men returning from a successful horse raid.
The tour consists of three stations - the earth lodge itself, Kitkahaki nature trail, and ledger art activity at the lodge depressions. For large groups it will be necessary to divide into three, with teachers conducting the guided nature tour and art activity portions. Complete instructions will be provided for each of the teacher guided activities. Teachers will also receive the Read Kansas! cards lesson P-17, Historic Places in Kansas. For further classroom study of American Indians, teachers may be interested in the educational resource trunk, People of the Plains: Native Americans in Kansas.
Kansas standards addressed:
Economics: Benchmark 1, Indicator 1: The student knows that there are not enough available resources to satisfy all wants for goods and services.
Geography: Benchmark 2: Places and Regions, Indicator 1: The student identifies the physical characteristics of the local community.
History: Benchmark 2, Indicator 2: (A) The student retells the history of the community using local documents or artifacts.
History: Benchmark 3, Indicator 2: (K) The student locates and explains the importance of landmarks and historical sites within the local community or his/her region of Kansas.
History: Benchmark 3, Indicator 3: (A) The student describes various cultures by studying dance, music, folklore, and arts of ethnic groups within his/her community or region of Kansas.
History: Benchmark 4, Indicator 2: (A) The student locates information about communities from a variety of sources.
Visual Arts - Standard 1, Benchmark 1: Basic Level Indicator 1. The student manipulates a variety of media, such as paint, dough, clay, crayons, paper, and fibers.
Visual Arts - Standard 4, Benchmark 3: Basic Level Indicator 1. The student creates art that uses art techniques from other cultures.
Length of tour: 90 minutes
Cost per student is $2. One adult enters free for every 10 students,. Additional adults pay the student rate.
Number of students in a group: This tour can handle up to 90 students.
Registration and scheduling: contact the site administrator at 785-361-2255; piv@kshs.org. Tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
Other guided tours available at Pawnee Indian Museum:
American Indian Homes in the Central Plains
When Smoke Curled Upward from Earth Lodges
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