4th Grade
Native American Unit: Plains
Indians
Jenifer (Darling) Duden
TE 804-02
Fall 2011
Introduction
Fourth Grade has social studies everyday all school year long. The object of this Unit is
to cover the Plains Indians. I will use the Nebraska Standards for Social Studies to cover topics
as well as standards form ISTE NETS for their final project.
Unit Objective
Working in groups of 3-4 students will research a Native American Tribe from the Plains
Indians. Students will use information from class and during research time to make a PowerPoint
about their Tribe. At the end of the unit each group will be required to present their PowerPoint.
Social Studies Objective – NE Dept of Education Standards
4.2 Students will describe the contributions from the cultural and ethnic groups that made
up our national heritage: Native Americans
• Identify regional characteristics
• Identify important men and women from different cultural and ethnic groups.
4.4 Students will describe the interaction between Native Americans and their
environment on the plains prior to European contact.
• Explain how Native Americans used the resources for daily living.
• Identify different types of shelters used by Native Americans.
• Describe the daily life of a Native American.
ISTE NETS1.Creativity and Innovation
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
2.Communication and Collaboration
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media
and formats.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3.Research and Information Fluency
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media.
Unit Design
Anticipatory- Ask students questions about their background. Any Native American’s in class?
What do they know about Native Americans?
Objective/goal- To have students investigate Plains Indian Tribes.
Purpose- To have students to become aware of Native American Tribes focusing on the Plains
Indians. To acquire information about the Tribes from our region.
Input- Model research techniques and PowerPoint computer skills.
Check for Understanding- Monitor student’s progress. Have students work in groups.
Modeling- Demonstrate skills/techniques using the interactive board as well as the overhead,
showing PowerPoints.
Guided Practice- Help students individually, and modify if needed.
Closure- Have students complete the assessment forms. Display student’s work for others to
view. Students will present PowerPoints to the class.
Independent Practice- Students will each have individually projects to complete during the
unit.
Evaluation- Each lesson will have a rubric/assessment check-off for the students to evaluate
their work.
Unit Plan at a Glance
Lesson
Lesson 1
Plains Indians
Time
1 day
Lesson 2
Housing
Lesson 3
Food
1 day
Lesson 4
Horses
1 day
Lesson 5
Buffalo
1 day
Lesson 6
Women
1 day
Lesson 7
Men
Lesson 8
Children
Lesson 9
Communication
1 day
Lesson 10
Government
1 day
Lesson 11
Power Points
3-5
days
Lesson 12
Presentations
2-3
days
1 day
1 day
1 day
Goal and Project
Students will learn the Names of the different tribes of
the Plains.
Project: Students will Map out the Plains Tribes.
Students will learn what the Plains Indians Lived in.
Project: Make a model of a Teepee or an earth Lodge
Students will learn the Importance of Corn to the Plains
Indians.
Project: Students will make a poster: products from corn.
Students will learn of the Importance of Horses to the
Plains Indians.
Project: Student will write a brief essay on how that a
modern invention has changed daily life.
Students will learn of the Importance of the Buffalo to
the Plains Indians.
Project: Bison Economy Word Search
Students will learn what daily life was like for women.
Project: Crafts- Beaded Jewelry, Dream Catcher
Students will learn what daily life was like for men.
Project: Crafts- Drum, Totem Pole, Shield
Students will learn what daily life was like for children.
Project: Crafts- Native American Doll (Boy Or Girl)
Students will learn how Native Americans talked and
wrote.
Project: Students will write their own stories with the aid
of pictures. Will use clipart and the word to type story.
Students will learn how the Native American’s governed
each other.
Project: Students will divide up into “Tribes” and
determine who the chief and other leaders will be. This
will be used for final projects.
Students will review Power Point and Research basics.
Project: Students will use “Tribes” Formed during lesson
10 to work in groups. Research and make Power Point
about their tribes.
Students will present their PowerPoint presentations to
class. They will “Teach” the class about their Tribe.
Multi-Intelligence
Lesson
Ling Spatial
Bodily
Musical Interpersonal Naturalist Logical Intrapersonal
uistic
Visual Kinesthetic
Math
Verb
al
1.Plains Indians
X
X
X
2. Housing
X
X
3. Food
X
4. Horses
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
5. Buffalo
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
6. Women
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
7. Men
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
8. Children
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
9.Communication
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
10. Government
X
X
X
X
X
11. PowerPoints
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
12. Presentations
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Blooms
Knowledge- The students will acquire knowledge from research and from listening to other
students presentations.
Comprehension- Students will demonstrate comprehension through use of knowledge in their
projects.
Application- Putting the knowledge into their projects.
Analysis- Analyzing the research for their projects.
Synthesis- Comparing the different tribes to each other.
Evaluation- Rubrics, final presentation, and assessment sheets.
Lesson 2: Housing Lesson Plan
Teacher: Jenifer Duden
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Level: 4th grade
Focus of Content: Students will learn what the Plains Indians Lived in.
Duration: 40 min for lesson- 40 min for Project: Total of 80 min.
Objective:
Standards/Benchmarks:
4.2 Students will describe the contributions from the cultural and ethnic groups that
made up our national heritage: Native Americans
4.4 Students will describe the interaction between Native Americans and their
environment on the plains prior to European contact.
Materials: Notes on types of houses. Teepee Kits, Construction Paper, empty Kleenex boxes,
glue, craft sticks, computer lab.
Rational: Students need to be able to identify different types of homes for Plains Indians.
Target Skills: To learn about the different types of housing the Plains Indians lived in.
Instructional Strategies: See Chart for full details.
Accommodations: Students with visual impairments will be seated close to the front of the
room. Students with physical or learning impairments will be included in heterogeneous groups
that work together. Students with hearing impairments will rely on the written information to
work through the labs. The activities already access the learning styles of all students: visual,
auditory, and tactile kinesthetic learners. Students with IEP’s or 504 will have adaptations as
necessary according to their plans. Higher learners can make both types of models. Lower levels
can use pre- cut out kits.
Resources:
http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/plains/teepees.html
http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/earthhomes.html
http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/indians-mm.htm
http://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/curriculum/nativeamericans/plains.html
Students will go to the resource websites to learn more about the different types of homes the
Plains Indians lived in.
Project: Paper Teepees

Make a miniature teepee using craft sticks and construction paper. Gather five craft sticks about onefifth of the way from one end and secure them with a rubber band. Wrap the rubber band around the
sticks several times, making it tight enough to hold the sticks in place, but loose enough to allow you
to arrange them in a circle. Measure the triangular sections between the sticks and cut five paper
triangles to that size, adding 1/4 inch on the right and left long edges for joining. Decorate the paper
triangles using markers, crayons, paints, stickers or photos. Glue the paper sections together by
overlapping the long edges, leaving the last one open on the bottom to a point about halfway up for
a door flap. Put a line of glue along each join on the inside. Drop the paper covering over the frame,
making sure that the joins are resting on the sticks, and press them into place.
Read more: Kids Indoor Teepee Crafts | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5497376_kids-indoor-teepeecrafts.html#ixzz1gWwaCVD7
MAP Of Tribes:
Will give students a blank Copy to fill in during class discussion.
Power Point Rubric
Student Name:
________________________________________
CATEGORY 15
10
5
1
Originality
Presentation shows
considerable originality
and inventiveness. The
content and ideas are
presented in a unique and
interesting way.
Presentation shows some
originality and
inventiveness. The
content and ideas are
presented in an
interesting way.
Presentation shows an
attempt at originality and
inventiveness on 1-2
cards.
Presentation is a rehash
of other people's ideas
and/or graphics and
shows very little attempt
at original thought.
Content Accuracy
All content throughout the
presentation is accurate.
There are no factual
errors.
Most of the content is
accurate but there is one
piece of information that
might be inaccurate.
The content is generally
accurate, but one piece
of information is clearly
flawed or inaccurate.
Content is typically
confusing or contains
more than one factual
error.
Sequencing
of
Information
Information is organized in
a clear, logical way. It is
easy to anticipate the type
of material that might be
on the next card.
Most information is
organized in a clear,
logical way. One card or
item of information seems
out of place.
Some information is
There is no clear plan for
logically sequenced. An the organization of
occassional card or item information.
of information seems out
of place.
Cooperation
Group delegates tasks
and shares responsibility
effectively all of the time.
Group delegates tasks
and shares responsibility
effectively most of the
time.
Group delegates tasks
and shares responsibility
effectively some of the
time.
Group often is not
effective in delegating
tasks and/or sharing
responsibility.
Project includes most
material needed to gain a
comfortable
understanding of the
material but is lacking
one or two key elements.
It is an adequate study
guide.
Project is missing more
than two key elements. It
would make an
incomplete study guide.
Project is lacking several
key elements and has
inaccuracies that make it
a poor study guide.
Presentation has 1-2
misspellings, but no
grammatical errors.
Presentation has 1-2
grammatical errors but
no misspellings.
Presentation has more
than 2 grammatical
and/or spelling errors.
Effectiveness Project includes all
material needed to gain a
comfortable
understanding of the topic.
It is a highly effective
study guide.
Spelling and Presentation has no
misspellings or
Grammar
grammatical errors.
Score