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People of the Plains: Native Americans in Kansas - Extension

Ideas for using this trunk with other ages and youth groups.

The teaching manual for this trunk is designed for use in a classroom with students in grades one through three.  The materials contained in the trunk can be used with other ages and in other settings in a variety of ways as highlighted below.

 

Classroom Use

The following curricular standards are from other ages and included in the 2004 Kansas History and Government; Economics and Geography Standards.

Fifth Grade

History, Benchmark 1, Indicator 1: Explains how various American Indians adapted to their environment in relationship to shelter and food (e.g., Plains, Woodland, Northwest Coast, Southeast and Pueblo in the period from 1700-1820).

  • The lessons in the sections on "Housing" and "Food" explore the cultures of the Plains Indians. The historic background information in each lesson will be useful in putting the photographs and objects into context and adapting the lesson to a fifth grade level.

Designing with beadsHistory Benchmark 1, Indicator 2: Shows how traditional arts and customs of various American Indians are impacted by the environment (e.g., Plains, Woodland, Northwest Coast, Southeast and Pueblo cultures in the period from 1700-1820).

  • The lessons in the "Clothing and Crafts" and "Spiritualism" sections of the manual explore traditional arts and customs of Plains Indians. The historic background information in each lesson will be useful in putting the photographs and objects into context and adapting the lesson to a fifth grade level.

Seventh Grade

History, Benchmark 1, Indicator 1: Compares and contrasts nomadic and sedentary tribes in Kansas (e.g., food, housing, art, customs).

  • The introductory lesson, "An Overview of Native Americans in Kansas" compares various tribes.

 

Girl Scouts

Girl ScoutJunior Girl Scouts

My Heritage: 4.  Celebrate Your Heritage – Find a way to celebrate your heritage.

  • The entire trunk offers ideas about how to learn about and celebrate the heritage of Native American tribes from the Great Plains.

My Heritage: 5.  From Yesterday to Today – Make a toy, cook a special dish, or learn a game, song or dance that one of your ancestors might have enjoyed.

  • Games lesson

 

Cub Scouts

Boy ScoutWolf Cub

Elective 10 - American Indian Lore:  a) Read a book or tell a story about American Indians, past or present.

  • This trunk contains expository and fictional books about Native American life in addition to objects and information for creating your own stories about Native American life on the Great Plains. A tipi story starter worksheet is included.

Elective 10 - American Indian Lore:  c) Make traditional American Indian clothing.

  • Lessons in the "Clothing and Crafts" section will provide information. A moccasin pattern is included.

Elective 10 - American Indian Lore:  d) Make a traditional item or instrument that American Indians used to make their lives easier.

  • The entire trunk provides information. Patterns are included for a moccasin, parfleche, and tipi model while instructions and information are given for other crafts.

Elective 10 - American Indian Lore:  e) Make a model of a traditional American Indian house.

  • Lessons in the "Homes" section will provide information and a pattern for making a paper tipi model.

Bear Cub

Elective 24 - American Indian Life - a) Find the name of the American Indian nation that lives or has lived where you live now. Learn about these people.

  • Introductory Lesson - An Overview of Native Americans in Kansas

Elective 24 - American Indian Life - b) Learn, make equipment for, and play two American Indian or other Native American games.

  • Games Lesson

Elective 24 - American Indian Life - c) Learn what the American Indian people in your area (or another area) used for shelter before contact with the Europeans.

  • Lessons in the "Housing" section of the trunk.

 

Boy Scouts

Merit Badges

Archaeology Badge -11a. Research American Indians who live or once lived in your area. Find out about traditional lifeways, dwellings, clothing styles, arts and crafts, and methods of food gathering, preparation, and storage. Describe what you would expect to find at an archaeological site for these people.

  • Entire trunk.

Indian Lore
1. Give the history of one American Indian tribe, group, or nation that lives or has lived near you.
2a. Make an item of clothing.
2b. Made and decorate three items.
2c. Make an authentic model of a dwelling.
2d. Visit a museum to see Indian artifacts.
3a. Learn three games.
3b. Learn and show how food was traditionally cooked or prepared.
3c. Demonstrate how a tribe traditionally hunted.

  • This trunk includes information on Indian tribes that lived in Kansas historically. Lessons included in the trunk focus on five themes - housing, food, clothing & crafts, spiritualism, and the American buffalo. Historic photographs, objects, activities, and more provide information to learn about the Native American people who have lived in Kansas. The trunk includes recipes; games; reproductions of tools and equipment; historic photographs; patterns for making a moccasin, tipi model and parfleche; books; video; and more.

 

4-H - Foods and Nutrition Project

Use the People of the Plains: Native Americans in Kansas traveling resource trunk to explore the foodways of the Native Americans who lived, and continue to live, in Kansas and which have become an important part of our state's and nation's heritage.

Return to People of the Plains: Native Americans in Kansas Traveling Resource Trunk