Media –Rich Lesson Plan
Teacher Training Institute
Prairie Public
Name: _Dana Moffett________________
TITLE: Native American Exploration Unit
GRADE LEVEL(S); 6th grade
TIME ALLOTMENT: 5 to 7 - 48 minute class periods
OVERVIEW: This is a unit designed to go along with the 6th grade Minnesota history Northern
Lights curriculum. Through the use of ten cross-curricular learning stations, students will
explore many parts of the Native American culture, specifically focusing on the first
Minnesotans: the Dakota and the Ojibwe.
SUBJECT MATTER: Social Studies (also math, language arts, art, music, world languages,
dance)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
DGF 6th GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES ESSENTIAL LEARNER OUTCOMES AND
LEARNING TARGETS:
Students will be able to use historical thinking skills in order to understand Minnesota’s
past.
1. I can discuss how the oral traditions and artifacts of early Minnesotans (Dakota, Ojibwe)
can help us understand their cultures.
2. I can use evidence from the text to support my answers, draw inferences, and determine
main ideas.
Students will describe the experiences and interactions between Minnesota’s first peoples
and how their cultures changed upon the interactions of arriving Europeans.
1. I can describe the traditions of the Dakota before the Europeans arrived in Minnesota.
2. 2. I can describe the traditions of the Ojibwe before the Europeans arrived in Minnesota.
3. I can compare and contrast the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes before 1800.
STANDARDS:
Social Studies Standards – from the Minnesota Department of Education:
6.4.1.2 Historical inquiry is a process in which multiple sources and different kinds of historical
evidence are analyzed to draw conclusions about what happened in the past, and how and why it
happened.
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6.4.4.15 North America was populated by indigenous nations that had developed a wide range of
social structures, political systems and economic activities, and whose expansive trade networks
extended across the continent. (Before European Contact)
Language Arts Standards – from the Minnesota Department of Education:
6.5.1.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
6.5.2.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
6.5.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.
6.12.1.1 Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources.
6.12.2.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
6.12.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
6.12.7.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, maps) with
other information in print and digital texts.
DIGITAL MEDIA COMPONENTS – VIDEO AND/OR WEB:
 “Native American Exploration Unit” Prezi presentation (created by me), access at
http://prezi.com/rilhcqy47ru1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
 “Maple Syrup” video clip on pbslearningmedia.com (3:47)
 “Native-American Folktales” video on Learn360 (4 stories, total of 22:58)
 Wild Rice Harvest information from Manoomin website:
http://www.manoomin.com/Harvesting.html
This website offers information about Ojibwe wild rice.
 “Introduction: Beautiful Resistance” video on Learn360 (4:36)
 “Pow-Wow: Native American Celebration” video on Learn360 (from 1:00 to 6:25 mark)
 “The Dreamcatchers” video on pbslearningmedia.com (3:12)
 Dakota words website: http://www.native-languages.org/dakota_words.htm#pictures
This website offers a Dakota picture dictionary.
 Ojibwe words website: http://www.native-languages.org/ojibwe_words.htm#pictures
This website offers an Ojibwe picture dictionary.
MATERIALS:
 10 file folders, if desired (can laminate), to create station folders to hold supplies
 2 hula hoops
 Post-it notes or index cards – approximately 100-150 per class of 25
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“Dakota or Ojibwe?” instruction sheet – 1 for the station
Computers with internet access – minimum 6 for stations, one per student for final
glogging activity
“Sweet as Syrup” recording sheets – 1 per student
“Wild Rice Harvest Steps” recording sheets – 1 per student
Native American folktale picture books from school library – 5 or more
“Elements of Folktales” graphic organizer sheets – 1 per student
“By the Numbers” worksheets – 1 per student
“Artistic Freedom at a Boarding School?!” recording sheets – 1 per student
“Pow-Wow: Native American Celebration” recording sheets – 1 per student
“Dreamcatchers” recording sheets – 1 per student
For Dreamcatchers: a paper plate for each student, 2-3 hole punches, 2-3 scissors, also
variety of yarn, beads, feathers
“Learn the Language” recording sheets – 1 per student
“Native American Funsheet #1” – 1 per student
“Native American Funsheet #2” – 1 per student
“Native American Funsheet #3” – 1 per student
“Native American Exploration Unit Rubric” sheets – 1 per student
PREP FOR TEACHERS:
Stations can be created by putting supplies for each station in a file folder or by just placing the
recording sheets and other necessary materials around the room in designated areas. See
individual station descriptions, below, for necessary prep. Bookmark necessary websites, as
listed, make copies, and get SMARTboard ready to show introductory Prezi presentation: access
at http://prezi.com/rilhcqy47ru1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY - SETTING THE STAGE:
MATERIALS:
SMARTboard, computer
Show the “Native American Exploration Unit” Prezi presentation (access at
http://prezi.com/rilhcqy47ru1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy) to students to
introduce them to the overall process. Discuss the rubric and how scores will be calculated.
Go through directions for rotating through stations by not running, taking turns, waiting for
stations to become available, and to stay focused. Show students where each station is located
and briefly read through directions.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
MATERIALS:
*listed above
1. Students will move around the room and choose which of the following ten Native American
learning stations they would like to complete in order to earn the grade of their choosing.
2. Some stations are required while others are optional. Students will use a rubric to determine
their final score: stations are worth varying amounts of points, so final scores are dependent upon
which optional stations are completed.
3. The ten Native American stations are listed below:
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“Dakota or Ojibwe?” station (social studies): Students will use their textbooks to compare and
contrast the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes. Students should write each similarity or difference on a
post-it or index card and place it in the corresponding place in a Venn diagram created by using 2
overlapping hula hoops.
“Sweet as Syrup” station (social studies): Students will watch the video clip entitled, “Maple
Syrup” on pbslearningmedia.com (3:47) and answer questions on corresponding recording sheet.
Students will use an answer key in the back of the station folder to self-check their answers.
“Wild Rice Harvest” station (social studies): Students will review the steps in the wild rice
harvest by reading the information at the website http://www.manoomin.com/Harvesting.html
They will then draw the steps of the wild rice harvest on the “Wild Rice Harvest Steps”
recording sheet. Students will use an answer key in the back of the station folder to self-check
their answers.
“Native American Folktales” station (language arts)*: Students will choose a Native
American folktale to read and summarize the story using the “Elements of Folktales” graphic
organizer sheet.
*Special Needs Modification (or could be used by all students if enough computers are
available): Have students watch one of the 4 segments of the “Native-American Folktales” video
on Learn360.
“By the Numbers” station (math): Students will complete the worksheet regarding which
states have the highest populations of Native Americans. Students will use an answer key in the
back of the station folder to self-check their answers.
“Artistic Freedom at a Boarding School?!” station (social studies, art): Students will watch
the video clip “Introduction: Beautiful Resistance” on Learn360 (4:36). While watching they
will complete the “Artistic Freedom at a Boarding School?!” recording sheet. Students will use
an answer key in the back of the station folder to self-check their answers.
“Pow-Wow: Native American Celebration” station (social studies, dance, music): Students
will watch the video on Learn360.com entitled “Pow-Wow: Native American Celebration” (from
the 1:00 mark to the 6:25 mark only. While watching they will complete the “Pow-Wow: Native
American Celebration” recording sheet. Students will use an answer key in the back of the
station folder to self-check their answers.
“Dreamcatcher” station (social studies, art): Students will watch the video “The
Dreamcatchers” on pbslearningmedia.com (3:12). Students will use an answer key in the back of
the station folder to self-check their answers. Then they will use the simple instructions and
basic art supplies to create their own dreamcatcher.
“Learn the Language” station (world languages): Students will visit the websites
http://www.native-languages.org/dakota_words.htm#pictures and http://www.nativelanguages.org/ojibwe_words.htm#pictures to explore some Dakota and Ojibwe words. They will
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record and illustrate 3 words from each language in each of 3 categories (animals, body parts,
and color words) in a table.
Independent stations (social studies): Students will complete the additional “Native American
Fun Sheets.” These might be worked on at times when they are waiting for their partner/groups
to finish up a station.
CULMINATING ACTIVITY:
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MATERIALS:
computer/internet for each student
Students will make a glog at edu.glogster.com that demonstrates the knowledge they
learned from the stations.
*Note: This website requires the teacher to set up a class and is not free. If a free option
is desired, students could create a Prezi presentation, Google presentation, PowerPoint,
etc.
Guide students through logging into edu.glogster.com and explain that a “glog” is like an
online poster that includes text, pictures, videos, etc. They will have a login code to use
so the teacher can access the finished glogs.
Tell students to make a glog using any of the knowledge they learned about Native
Americans from the stations they completed. Guide them through the basic process and
let them work.
Have students share their glogs with the class.
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY:
MATERIALS:
*See specific content areas addressed listed behind each station name above
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS:
As an extension activity, students may interview local Native American families or share glogs
with members of the community.
STUDENT MATERIALS:
Northern Lights textbook
pencil
other teacher provided materials, as listed above under “Materials”
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