Subject/Course:
Grade 4 social studies
Title: Iroquois Lives
Stage 1- Desired Results
Goals: to meet NY State Social Studies Curriculum Standards and key instructional goals related to
information literacy.
Enduring Understandings:
Essential/Guiding Questions:
Students will understand that…
How did the early Native Americans survive?
o Native Americans in New York State were
dependent on their physical surroundings for
survival.
o For Native Americans, the food they ate, the
homes they lived in, the clothes they wore and
their means of transportation were shaped by
their physical environment.
o How people lived in the past and in the present is
affected by their physical environment.
How did the environment impact the choices
Native Americans made concerning food,
clothing, shelter and transportation?
How does geography influence the way people
live?
Students will know…
Students will be able to…
Where Native Americans, the first inhabitants of our
state, lived, as well as where their descendants live
today.
Key facts about how the Native Americans in New
York State lived.
How geography impacts lifestyle.
Identify on a map where various Native American
Tribes lived in New York, as well as where they
are known to reside today.
Identify and use authoritative resources to
research how these Native Americans lived
including food, clothing, shelter and
transportation.
Work together to develop a presentation on a day
in the life of their Native American Family.
Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Other evidence:
In the 1600’s the Iroquois lost a substantial number
of their population to fighting and the influx of
European diseases. To increase their numbers they
adopted outsiders into their tribes to replace those
who had died from violence of illness. Six families
in the class prepare presentations explaining what
their life will be like to their new family member.
Completed graphic organizer
Participation in independent and group activities
Completed Map
Visual Aide approved by teacher
End of class reflections
Final online reflection survey
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
Template adapted from “The Big Ideas of UbD” by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2004.
Learning Activities:
Roles:
Students are Native Americans assigned to the Mohawk, Onondaga, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga or
Tuscarora tribes. Each student is part of a “Tribal family” comprised of four or five members. Each
student in his/her family group has a specific role: Mother, Father, Grandmother/ Grandfather, son or
daughter.
Scenario:
Your family has lost a beloved family member to either fighting another tribe, small pox or even the
common cold. Now your family is prepared to follow Iroquois tradition by adopting a recent captive into
your family and treating him/her as if they were that lost loved one. Your family is going to introduce
itself to its new family member by explaining to him/her what daily life is like: where you live, how you
get around, what you eat, what you wear etc. so he/she will understand and have an easier adjustment to
life in their new family. Use a visual aide to help present one aspect of your life.
 Spend two days in the library researching your tribe and family life. First, answer key questions:
Where does my tribe live? What is the climate? What are the geographical features of the area we
live (ie, forest, plains, mountains, dry, wet, etc.) What type of shelter does my family have? What
food do I eat? What do we use for transportation? Research where descendants of your tribe live
now. Family members can divide these research tasks. As a group, record answers on graphic
organizer and discuss how physical location resulted in use of particular shelter, food,
transportation etc. Second, research your own role in the tribe: as a woman, man, girl, boy, how
do you spend your days?
 Using Google Earth, locate where your tribe lived in the 1600s, then locate where their
descendants live now. Similarly, on the map of New York State, each family member should
indicate where he/she lives and where his descendants will reside.
 Create a brief presentation to be given as part of your group explaining an aspect of daily life in
the family.:
 1. As the Father, you are a hunter, show one of your expeditions accompanied by a short video of
your hunting trip or talk about your canoe employing a model made from clay or display an
animal hide from the expedition or use a primary source to show weapons used in the hunt. etc.
 2. As the Mother, explain about the “Three Sisters” using a short Powerpoint or describe your
Wedding Day using primary sources to illustrate.
 3. As the Grandfather, give your new family member important information regarding a practical
aspect of life or an important tradition, for example, explain about wampum by displaying a
necklace, use a primary source to talk about music or demonstrate tribal dancing.
 As a Grandmother, discuss your role as Clan Leader. Through drawing or creative common
images provide information about the Clans or talk about the roles of women in the tribe.
 5. As a son or daughter provide information about your shelter, the Longhouse, or talk about a
game or sport you play. For example, use Powerpoint to compare today’s Lacrosse to the game
the Native Americans played.
Remember, no matter what role you have and what aspect of your life you choose to describe,
your presentation must explain how where you live affects your life (ie, The food you consume,
what you use for currency, etc.
Template adapted from “The Big Ideas of UbD” by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2004.
*After the presentations are over, transport yourself back to the present in the role of a descendant of
your tribe. Based on your research, where do you live and given that it’s now 2010, how does that
environment affect your life: shelter, food, clothes and transportation? Write a journal entry about
what you think remains of 17th century Native American life and what has changed.
Time required: Eight to nine 45 minute periods.
Two days for library research, one day for graphic organizer and Google Earth, one day for family
discussions and decision-making., two days to prepare visual aide and individual part of group
presentation, one or two days for presentations, one day for final reflection and on-line survey.
Template adapted from “The Big Ideas of UbD” by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2004.