Fourth Grade Social Studies Research/Web Quest
California Regions and the Native Americans that Lived There
Adapted by Manya Myers from Ms. Zeiger & Ms. Jacobsen
Introduction
You and a team of other time travelers are on a special mission for the president. The
world has lost much of its natural resources due to overproduction and waste. We need to look to the past to help
rebuild our future. The president is looking for teams of time travelers to go back to time when people lived solely off
the land.
You will be sent back in time to research the lives of the earliest settlers of California, better known as Native
Americans. Each team will be assigned a California Regional set of tribes to gather information about:
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Northern Coastal Region
Southern Coastal Region
Central Valley & Mountain Region
Desert Region
Teams will research the way of life of each California Native American region. You will gather information about their
homes, food, clothing, traditions, and their use of natural resources. Each team will present information in the form of a
written report. In addition, your team will create an artifact that your California Native Americans may have used. This
will help our government rebuild our country by using the information gathered.
Task
You will be divided into teams. Each team will be assigned one of the following California Native American
Regions Cultural areas to research:
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Northern Coastal Region
Southern Coastal Region
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Central Valley & Mountain Region
Desert Region
Teams will gather information on their assigned California Native American Region culture. You will use
classroom textbook, other classroom resources, as well as internet resources. Each team will research the following
topics:
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Food
Homes
Clothing
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Natural Resources
Traditions and Beliefs
Artifacts
One person on each team should select one topic to research and discuss. Once the information has been collected,
each member will write up a research report and draw a picture on their topic and then the teams will put together a
complete picture book report discussing all topics related to their cultural region. You will work in groups to research
the following questions:
1. FOOD: Discuss the types of food eaten by your California Native American region culture. Explain why that
particular food was eaten and how it was obtained. Examine ways the food was preserved and describe other
ways in which the food was used.
2. HOMES: Identify and describe a typical home in your region’s tribes. Explain how it was constructed, what it
looked like, and how many families lived in it. Discuss what kinds of things were found in the home and why
they were there.
3. CLOTHING: Examine the types of clothing worn by your California Native American culture. Discuss the
materials used to make the clothing. Differentiate between the clothing of men and women. Evaluate whether
the clothing was practical for the climate your California Native American culture lived in.
4. NATURAL RESOURCES: Identify the natural resources found in your culture’s area. For example: trees, animals,
vegetation, and water supply. Summarize how the California Native Americans used these natural resources in
their daily lives.
5. TRADITIONS AND BELIEFS: Explain the traditions and beliefs commonly found in your culture’s area. What
ceremonies did they participate in? What did they worship or believe in? Describe the rituals commonly
practiced by the tribes in that region area.
6. ARTIFACTS: California Native Americans used natural resources around them to make items they wanted or that
helped them in daily life. Describe artifacts that your region culture made. Explain what resources they used to
make them, how they made them and used them, and how it made their daily life easier.
Resources
Our classroom text book, in class resources and internet sites will be your main resources for this project. Here is a list
you can use to help you with your research:
INTERNET WEB SITES
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http://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-indians/california-native-americans.htm
http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/california.html
http://www.nahc.ca.gov/califindian.html
www.WorldBook.com
BOOKS
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Textbook: Reflections California: A Changing State, Chapter 2
Life of the California Coast Nations, A Bobbie Kalman Book
We will also visit the computer lab and library to help find additional resources as necessary. Feel free to visit websites
and city library on your own if you want to.
Process
Step 1: Meet with your team and locate your California Native American region area on the map of California.
Step 2: Decide which topic each team member will be researching (example: food, clothing, homes, natural resources,
traditions/beliefs, and artifacts).
Step 3: Each team member will research his/her topic using the internet, textbook, and other classroom or outside
resources.
Step 4: After gathering information, each team member will be responsible for a written report and drawn picture on
their topic. Remember your Works Cited/Bibliography entry at end of report.
Step 5: Your team will then put together all research and pictures into one picture book report.
Step 6: Your team will create a historical artifact representing their team’s cultural & regional area.
Step 7: Your team will present an oral presentation of your report and artifact.
Format for individual report on topic:
picture
At the top half of an 8 ½ by 11 paper, students are to draw and color a picture
that represents their topic of research. On the bottom half of the paper and
onto the back or another paper, students write/type their report. Remember to
follow the Project Quality Expectations.
Due Dates
Monday, December 8: All research should be gathered and notes taken.
Friday, December 12: Individual written report of assigned topic due. (See attached for format directions)
Thursday, December 18: Artifact and Oral presentations due.
Evaluation
Here is the rubric that will be
Used to grade each individual’s
report and the team report and
presentation.
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________
I have received the California Native American Project instructions and are aware of the deadlines.
Parent Signature: _____________________________________________________ Date: ______________________