Nebraska Plains Native Americans

Introduction

The country we live in was once the land that belonged to Native Americans. They lived in all regions of what we know as the United States, however, the ways in which they lived varied from region to region.

It is important to know the history of our country and learn about how we came to be the country we are today. With this web-quest you will be traveling back in time to visits the tribes that lived in the Nebraska Plains area.

 At the end of our research, you will create a presentation of a tribe and how they lived to be placed in our "museum" for the school to view.

 

Task

You are becoming historian. You will be traveling back in time to visit and learn about one of the Native American tribes from the Nebraska Plains. There are certain tribes, the Otoe, Lakota, Kansas, Ponca, Pawnee, Omaha, Arapaho, Yankton, and Cheyenne. You will be researching one of these tribes.  You will be working individually on your research, at times you may discuss research with other students who are working on the same tribe as you. 

Each historian will create an artifact. This might be a totem pole, clothing, symbol story, shelter, jewelry, artwork, or anything else that relates to your tribe to be represented in our 'Museum'.

Each historian will become an 'expert' on the tribe you choose to research. You will also be choosing an area of the tribe to focus on. The areas of research are: tribes and geographical features; food and hunting; shelter and transportation; clothing; customs and traditions. 

You must be prepared to explain the importance of the artifact and how it relates to your tribe. Be creative!! 

Your artifacts will be presented in our 'museum' for parents, students, and anyone who walks into our school view. Please take your time and do your best!

Process

You will be working to become an expert and create a newsletter about Native Americans in one of the tribes from the Nebraska Plains. Be sure that you read all of the directions carefully and use the following question to guide your research.

Have fun!!

Step 1: Have each team member choose one of the following areas to become an expert on in your region: 

  • Otoe
  • Lakota
  • Kansas
  • Ponca
  • Pawnee
  • Omaha
  • Arapaho
  • Yankton
  • Cheyenne.

Use the research questions (link below) to guide your research.

Step 2: Use the links to websites to help you in your research. You may also use library books or books from the classroom to help you in your research. Organize the information obtained from your research using Cornell notes.

"How were Native American tribes different from each other and how did they survive in their surroundings?"

Step 3: You will be working independently while doing the research portion.

Step 4: Each student is responsible for completeling their work. Remember your individual project (artifact) can be a totem pole, piece of clothing, symbol story, shelter, example of weaving, jewelry, artwork, or anything that relates to your tribe. Be creative!!

Step 6: You will be presenting the information on the Native Americans in the tribe of your choice. The research should include pictures that explain/show each area studied. The finished projects will be presented to each class and placed inside our museum window.

Evaluation
Evaluation Rubric
  Low  Nearly Meets  Meets  Exceeds  Score
Researches the chosen area of your teams assigned region. Shows knowlegde of assigned aspect of Native Americans in your region by completing your section of the newsletter. Inclomplete section of newsletter. Does not include example or picture.  Gathers and summarizes some relevant information and completes newsletter section. Uses bullets rather than paragraphs and has some convention errors. Includes 1 example or picture.  Gathers and summarizes relevant information and completes newsletter section. Uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and has few convention errors. Includes 1 example OR picture.  Gathers and summarizes relevant information and completes newletter section. Uses complete sentences, paragraphs, and has no convention errors. Includes 1 example AND picture.  20 
Produces an artifact that relates to Native Americans in their researched region.  Artifact is incomplete OR does not relate to a tribe in reseached region.  Creates original artifact using little creativity and neatness. Difficult to relate to a tribe in researched region.  Creates original artifact using creativity and neatness. Artifact relates to a tribe in researched region.  Creates more than 1 orignial artifact using creativity and neatness. Both artifacts relate to a tribe in researched region.  20 
Presents newsletter and artifact to the class demonstrating knowledge of Native Americans in researched region.  Does not present newletter. May or may not present artifact.  Presents newsletter demonstrating some knowledge of Native Americans in region. Uses limited facts and details. Explains artifact but does not explain its significance.  Demonstrates knowledge of Native Americans in region by using relevant facts and details. Explains artifact and its significance.  Demonstrates extensive knowledge of Native Americans in region by using relevant facts and descriptive details. Explains artifact and its significance.  20 
Works cooperatively with team members while completing newletter. Uses class time effectivley (works on artifact when not working on newsletter).  Does not manage time without constant re-direction from teacher. Does not work cooperatively with team.  Somewhat manages time while working independently on research, working on newsletter, and while working on artifact. Often needs re-direction from teacher.  Effectively manages time while working independently on research, manages time working on newletter, and works independely on artifact as appropriate. Needs little re-direction from teacher.  Effectively manages time while working independently on research, manages time working on newletter, and works independely on artifact as appropriate. Needs NO re-direction from teacher.  20 
Total Score: 80
Conclusion

Congratulations!!

You have successfully completed your first WebQuest. You are now an "expert" on different Native American Tribes in Nebraska. You have worked independently to create your artifact and research for your tribe. You will have a chance to learn about the Native Americans in all the tribes as they are presented by each student and class.

How were the Native American tribes different from each other and how did they survive in their environments?

All of the research projects will be placed in our Museum in the front of the office.  Be sure to visit it and share your work with your families and friends.

Credits
Credits
All images courtesy of Google Images.
Other
Lesson Objectives:
Students will... - Identify and compare historical Native American groups and settlements in the United States. - Describe how physical features influence events, movements, and adaptation to the environment. - Gather, use, and document information from multiple sources. - Work collaboratively with other members of their group. - Increase knowledge of Native Americans by investigating different aspects of their life. - Identify and locate different places and regions in the United States. - Write and speak knowledgeably about Native Americans and regions of the United States.
Lesson Extension:
- Invite other classes to hear the student presentations. - Copy newsletters and give to other classes.  - Present information in a "science fair" fashion and have students available at their presentation boards (with newlsetters) to answer questions from others. - Write a legend that relates to one of the tribes and explain significance.
Modifications:
- Students can work in pairs for additional support.
Teacher Page

This WebQuest is designed to teach 5th grade students about Native Americans in the nine (9) major tribes from the Nebraska plains. Students will learn about the different tribes, geographic features of the regions, shelter, food, clothing, customs and beliefs, and how Native Americans adapted to their environments.  

This WebQuest is designed to be an entire unit on Native Americans. You should allow about 4 weeks for this project. The research will take the longest amount of time. ONce the students are finished with their research, students will present their findings to other students and classes. Presentations could take up to a week depending on the number of students in the classes and time allowed for presentations each day.

Standards

SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS (3rd and 4th grade, Nebraska)

Historical Knowledge:
5.1 Identify and compare historical Native American groups and settlements that existed in  
North America.

Geography:
5.7 Identify, locate, and describe places and regions in the United States.
5.10 Describe how physical and political features influence events, movements, and adaptation 
to the environment.

Social Science Analysis:
5.20 Gather, use and document information from multiple sources to examine an event, issue, or
problem through inquiry and research.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS (3rd and 4th Grade State Standards)

Reading Informational Text
5.RI.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability
to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
5.RI.9 Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
about the subject knowledgeably.

Writing
5.W.4 Produce clear and coherant writing in which the development and organization are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5.W.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to
produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate 
sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single setting.

Speaking and Listening
5.SL.4 Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using 
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes, speak
clearly at an understandable pace.