LESSON PLAN
Prepared by Hannah Friedman, Teacher: Mrs. Kindley at Magruder Elementary
Title: Native American Hide Paintings
Content Area/s: Social Studies/ Visual Art
Grade Level: 2
Time Frame: 1 day-(50
Date: TBA (early November)
minutes)
SOLs:
Social Studies: 2.2 The student will compare the lives and contributions of three American Indian
cultures of the past and present, with emphasis on the Powhatan of the Eastern Woodlands, the Lakota
of the Plains, and the Pueblo peoples of the Southwest.
Visual Arts: 2.11 The student will identify symbols from various cultures.
2.16 The student will express opinions with supporting statements regarding works of art.
2.17 The student will interpret ideas and feelings expressed in personal and others’ works of art.
2.20 The student will describe the meaning communicated and feelings evoked by works of art.
Lesson Objectives:
Resources (Texts & Technology):
By the end of the lesson, the student will demonstrate
The Legend of the Indian Paint Brush ,
how Native Americans used hide paintings to
retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola
communicate and tell a story by creating a hide
Classroom computer and overhead projector
painting of their own that includes at least 4 symbols
Copies of Lone Dog for each group
(from either the guides given or made up) and at least
Copies of Symbol Dictionary sheet for each
one sentence explaining their final product, as assessed group
by rubric.
Background information on hide paintings(see attached information)
http://wintercounts.si.edu/index.htmlwebsite for viewing Lone Dog online
Pre-cut “hide canvas”
Pre-assessment
Rubric
Content:
Students will learn that hide painting is one form of art the Native Americans use for a variety of
reasons including celebration, record keeping, and story telling.
Students will learn that Lone Dog is one example of one form of hide painting called “Winter Counts”
Students will learn that Native Americans used various symbols to represent words, each symbol has a
meaning behind it, and symbols can be put together to tell a story.
Instructional Procedures: Include Introduction, Focus, Student Engagement and Closing. State
estimated time for each category.
Introduction: Have students gather on carpet and read The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush out loud
(10 minutes)
Content Focus: Students will be sitting in groups of 4. Distribute a picture of Lone Dog- Lakota
Winter Count to each table. Bring up the Lone Dog Winter Count interactive visual from the
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Ask the following questions from Nelson’s critical
thinking questioning categories, give students a minute to think about it and/or talk to a shoulder
partner, and then ask for one or two volunteers for each question to share answer.
1. What do you see in this picture? (Objective)
2. What kinds of symbols are shown? (Objective)
3. How many symbols are in the image? (Objective)
4. How does this image make you feel? (Reflective)
5. What does this image make you think of? (Reflective)
6. Have you seen anything like this before? (Reflective)
7. What do you think the purpose of this image is? (Interpretive)
8. What do you think the meaning behind the symbols are? (Interpretive)
9. How is this kind of art different from other paintings you have seen? (Decisional)
10. Did the artist accurately depict things/events in the painting? (Decisional)
Explain that one of the main ways that Native Americans communicated was through the use of
symbols because they didn’t have an alphabet. Each symbol has a meaning, and put together, a string
of symbols can be used to convey an idea, tell a story, or record an event. Then explain that the image
in front of them is a hide painting and reference the different uses that Native Americans had for hide
paintings (ceremonial, story telling, record keeping). Briefly talk about how/why Native Americans
created hide paintings, and how they were great contributions to the Native American culture. Talk
about how The Lone Dog is a winter count, and explain what a winter count is/how it is made. Using
the interactive Lone Dog site from the Smithsonian, ask a student to pick a symbol on the hide painting
to click on- and read the event description to the corresponding symbol. Point out how the Lakota
picked important events in their lives to record for that year. On the same site, briefly show students
other winter counts. (20 minutes)
Closure:
Tell students that they are going to be creating their own “hide painting” but that in the interest of time
and cleanliness, they will not be using paint but instead their crayons/colored pencils/markers. Hand
out “hide canvas” cutouts to each student on which they are to make their “Hide painting” story.
Explain directions, and requirements: Think about important events in your life. Create your own
winter count, or tell a story using at least 4 symbols (labeled) and at least one sentence describing what
they drew (see rubric). Remind students that just like the Lakota drew symbols that depicted what was
important in their lives, they too need to be conscious of what symbols they are choosing to put on
their hides. Address any questions students may have. Walk around the classroom to observe students
during activity. If there is extra time left over once all students are finished and cleaned up, ask for
volunteers who would like to share their hide painting. To close, tell students that maybe some day in
the future somebody will find their hide paintings and try to make guesses about the lives of the artists.
(20 minutes)
Assessment/s:
Extension Activities/
Formative:
Interdisciplinary Links:
-Observe students as they discuss with a
-Pick a friend/relative/famous person and think
shoulder partner the answers to the 10 questions about what might be included in their winter count.
asked- identify students who stay on topic and
-Challenge students to include more than 4 symbols
provide insightful answers and those who have
and more than 1 sentence in their hide painting
nothing to contribute
Differentiation Strategies/Activities (State nature
- Listen to student answers as they share with
of differentiation):
the class their answers for the Nelson questions. -For students who struggle to read and write, ask
Summative:
them to draw their hide painting and to orally
-Hide painting- must include at least 4 symbols
describe what each symbol means and how they fit
that are on the guide sheet or that the student
together to create a record or story of the student’s
made up, including at least one sentence
life.
describing final product
-Give students who struggle with writing a sentence
frame to help scaffold their writing
-Challenge higher-level students to include more
than 4 symbols and more than 1
- Have students who finish early explore the
interactive website further
Reflection/Recommendations for Future use [this part is completed after the lesson
Background information:
In the past, Native Americans did not have the same alphabet that we do to create written
stories and accounts or records of the past. They relied on oral tradition which meant that their stories
were only spoken, and information had to be remembered and passed down by word of mouth from
generation to generation. Some Native American tribes such as the Lakota, however, used pictures and
symbols to represent ideas- more commonly known as a pictogram. (National Museum of American
Indians)
Many Indians of the Northern Plains also used buffalo hides for various practical and
ceremonial purposes. Some hides were used as clothing; others were used as canvases for painting.
Some were used as both; for example, individuals who were sick may have worn buffalo hides that
were painted with symbols to promote healing, or a chief may have worn buffalo hides that suggested
heroism and strength. The pictures and symbols were painted on the underside of the buffalo hide with
(Smithsonian Museum of American History)
The Lone Dog is an example of a hide painting. This particular hide painting is an example of
a winter count. Winter counts are physical records of events that happened over a period of time,
usually measured from one snowfall to the next snowfall- or from winter to winter (1 year). Winter
counts are typically done on buffalo hide, which allow them to be categorized as hide paintings. Each
year was named for a particular important event that happened during that year, and were memorable
and widely known within the community. Each year and had a corresponding picture/symbol to
represent it. These pictures allowed people to refer back to previous years and keep track of the order
in which important events happened. (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History)
Each Lakota band designated one person to be in charge of the winter count. The
responsibilities of this community historian included: recording the band’s history at various events
throughout the year and adding new images to the winter count after each year. However, the keeper
could not simply pick any event that he wanted. Events for which years were named and depicted
were selected by a group of individuals which was usually made up of a council of the band’s elders.
Traditionally, only men were able to serve as winter counter keepers, and the title was often passed
down within a family. Winter counts are typically named after the last known keeper of the winter
count. The Lone Dog is named such because a man named Lone Dog was the last known keeper of
this winter count. The Lone dog is thought to be a record that documents 70 years of Yanktonais
history, beginning in 1800 and ending in 1871. It contains events such as run ins with other Native
American people, disease, and war. The symbols on the hide begin in the center of the buffalo hide
and spiral outward in a counter clockwise direction. (National Museum of American Indians)
The symbols and pictures on the winter counts were typically not detailed and ornate. They
tended to be simple depictions that served as mnemonic devices- a simple reminder. As a record of
history, the winter count was an important piece of Native American culture because it helped remind
the people of the community of who they were, and where they had come from. This, in turn, helped
unite the community and strengthen their ties because it served as a connection to each other and to
their past. (Smithsonian Museum of Natural History)
Sources include:
-Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Lakota Winter Counts
http://wintercounts.si.edu/html_version/html/
-National Museum of the American Indian: Lone Dog’s Winter Count: Keeping History Alive
http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/poster_lone_dog_final.pdf
-Smithsonian National Museum of American History
http://americanhistory.si.edu/buffalo/about-hides.html
Artform: Lone Dog Winter Count
Retrieved from: http://wintercounts.si.edu/index.html
Make 6 copies- one for each table, display on overhead projector during class discussion
Pre Assessment (To be used as “morning work” at least 2 days before lesson)
Name: _________________________
Date: _________________
What is a contribution?
*Answer in Post Assessment looking for something along the lines of: Something that is added to
society by an individual or group of individuals
What are some contributions of the Native Americans?
* Answer in Post Assessment looking for something along the lines of: hide paintings, winter counts,
pictographs, and symbols.
How did the Native Americans keep track of important events?
* Answer in Post Assessment looking for something along the lines of: recording events in pictures
and symbols using a winter count on buffalo hide.
Symbol Guide Sheet:
Rubric for Hide Painting
P= 10-20 pts N=0-10 pts.
Exceeds
Meets
Below
Total points
expectations
expectations
expectations
Student uses
Student uses 4
Student uses less 5 points
Symbols
more than 4
symbols, labels
than 4 symbols,
symbols, labels
each symbol with fails to provide
each symbol with corresponding
labels with
the
meaning, symbol corresponding
corresponding
may be created or meaning,
meaning, symbol may be taken
symbols are
is original and
from symbol
messy and
creative, symbols guide, symbols
difficult to read
are neat and easy are neat and easy (0-2 points)
to read
to read
(5 points)
(3-4 points)
Student writes
Student writes 1
Student does not 5 points
Sentence
more than 1
sentence that
write a sentence
detailed sentence includes details
or sentence is not
to describe hide
about hide
detailed in
painting
painting
describing hide
(5 points)
(3-4points)
painting (0-2)
Student’s choice Student’s choice Student’s choice 5 points
Symbol Use
of symbols
of symbol reflect of symbol
reflect deep
some thought and displays no
thought and
accurately
personal
insight and
represent aspects connection to
chosen carefully of student’s life
aspects of
to represent
(3-4 points)
student’s life,
important aspects
symbols
of students life
randomly chosen
(5 points)
(0-2 points)
Student remains
Student remains
Student does not 5 points
General
focused during
remain focused
participation/behavior focused during
entirety of
activity, keeps
during entirety of
and effort
activity, engages conversation on
activity, needs to
and participates
topic, completes be reminded to
in conversation
work
complete work, is
with others about individually,
disruptive to
activity, is
shares with
others, is clear
respectful and
others, is
that best effort
non disruptive,
respectful and
was not put
best effort is
non disruptive,
forward
apparent
best effort is
(0-2 points)
(5 points)
apparent
(3-4 points)
______/20