Native American Tribes
Throughout North America
Created by: Karyn Weimer
Northern Illinois University
This teacher manual includes two lessons that can be done using the Geo Quest posted on
ArcGIS. Through the activities, students will explore different websites that will give them
information on various tribes. The students will use the worksheets attached to write their
information down for future use.
Intended grade level: 4th – 5th
National Geography Standards (Geography for Life, 2nd edition):

Geography Standard 12: The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement
1. People benefit from living in settlements
2. Settlement occur where locations provide opportunities and therefore
advantages

Geography Standard 15: How physical systems affect human systems
1. The physical environment provides opportunities for and imposes constraints
on human activities
3. People adapt to the condition of the physical environment
Lessons include:
 A detailed map showing the regions in which the tribes lived
 Information on how the tribes lived and survived in certain geographical locations
 Pictures of the tribes, their homes and ways of life
 Worksheets for students to complete
 Assessment ideas
Websites to be Used:
 http://www.bigorrin.org/sioux_kids.htm
 http://www.ducksters.com/history/native_american_sioux_nation.php
 http://www.bigorrin.org/nez_kids.htm
 http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/powerpoints/northwest.html
 http://www.bigorrin.org/cherokee_kids.htm
 http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/southeast/cherokee.html
 http://www.bigorrin.org/comanche_kids.htm
 http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains/comanche.html
 http://www.bigorrin.org/pueblo_kids.htm
 http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/southwest/pueblo.html
 http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/polar/inuit_culture.html
 http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/arctic/inuit.html
Materials needed:
 Computers for all students
 Poster boards
 Markers
 Pencils
 Glue
 Construction paper
 Scissors
 Flash drives
Lessons I: Locations, environments, and resources
Description of the geographical concept/spatial information to be taught:
This lesson will focus on the particular geographical location of the tribes, what type
of environment it was, and what resources they had.
Objectives
a. Students will be able to identify the geographical location of the various Native
American tribes.
b. Students will be able to describe the environment the Native American tribes lived in
and the resources they had within their environments.
Activities
a. While doing the Geo Quest, students will complete a worksheet by filling out
information on each tribe. See attached worksheet.
b. Seven groups are made; each group is assigned one of the seven tribes to study. The
group is responsible for creating a presentation (PowerPoint or poster board) using
their completed worksheets, to describe how their tribe lived. Students will present
their information to the class about their tribe. The information included should
discuss location, environment, resources, food, shelter, clothing, etc.
Assessment Methods
1. Students will be assessed on the worksheet based on completeness and accuracy of
the facts pertaining to the tribes.
2. Students will be assessed on their presentation based on their ability to identify and
discuss the location, environment, resources, food, shelter, clothing, etc. of their
assigned tribe.
Lesson II: Compare and Contrast Two Native American Tribes
Description of the geographical concept/spatial information to be taught:
This lesson will focus on identifying the differences between the tribes because of the
tribes’ geographical location. The students will learn how the tribes’ environment
influenced their lives. By doing so, the students will discover the human-environment
relationship and how they are inter-dependent.
Objectives
a. Students will compare and contrast two different Native American tribes.
b. Students will analyze the relationship between humans and their environments.
Activities
a. Students will complete a graphic organizer (see attached) to compare and contrast two
tribes.
b. After completing the graphic organizer, student will select one main difference and one
main similarity and write an essay discussing those two things and illustrating the role
environment played in the differences and similarities.
Assessment Methods
1. Students will be assessed on the graphic organizer being complete with accurate
information on the two tribes.
2. The teacher will assess the students understanding of how environment played a role
in how certain tribes lived, noting the ability of the students to compare and contrast
the two tribes.
Procedures:
1. Have student log into computers and open the internet.
2. Have students access the website below
http://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=065dd12e3c894d71bc92126e6ef43db9
3. Students will see the map of North America
4. Have students click on open and then click open in ARCGIS.com map viewer
5. The students will then see the map with seven highlighted areas
6. Have students click on a colored area and follow the links given (see example below)
7. The students will follow directions on the Native American information worksheet to
complete this activity.
8. The remaining lessons and activity can be done with the information the students
have on the worksheet.
9. The compare and contrast sheet can be done using the Geo Quest if the students
would like to look for more specific information on the two tribes they are comparing
and contrasting. Directions are given for that worksheet as well.
10. Teachers can decide how to group their students and how to assign tribes for the
presentation.
Native American Information Sheet
Complete the chart below while working on the Geo Quest. When reading the information on
the websites you visit, pay attention for details about the tribe’s way of life especially their
geographical location, type of shelter, food, clothing, and resources. List the information you
find in the correct box. Make sure that you complete the chart and have at least 3 items in each
box for all of the tribes. This information will be used to complete other assignments in this
unit.
Geographical Shelter
location/
environment
Inuit
Nez
Pierce
Sioux
Iroquois
Pueblo
Cherokee
Comanche
Food
Clothing
Resources/lifestyle
Directions for compare and contrast worksheet
Complete the attached graphic organizer while comparing and contrasting two of
the tribes from the Geo Quest. Be sure to find useful and
interesting facts, as you will be using this sheet to write an essay
about the two tribes and how their geographical locations
affected their ways of life. You should have many facts and
details about the tribes in each column, but the minimum allowed is
three ways they were alike and four ways they were dislike.
Compare and Contrast
Names of the Native American Tribes:
How do they use
geographical resources
similarly?
How do they use
geographical resources
differently?