Project Name: Native American Totem Pole Lesson Plan
Team: Joe Riley & Martha Harris
Grade Level: 4th Grade - 8th Grade
Overview:
To discover traditions of the Pacific Northwest Native American culture through the
arts
Learning Objectives:




Demonstrate knowledge of the Totem Poles in Native American cultures
Identify own personal story or family crest using a Totem Pole
Produce a Native American totem and refer to visuals to inspire their own
versions of totem animals
Present story and Totem Pole to the class
Equity Objectives:


Work cooperatively to complete the activity
Collaborate and negotiate the creation of a class community symbol
MI/Art Modalities in Lesson:


Linguistic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Natural, Spatial, Logical, Musical
Storytelling, Visual Arts, Music
State Standards:
Fourth & Eighth Grade:

4. HISTORY The student understands and applies knowledge of historical
thinking, chronology, eras, turning points, major ideas, individuals, and
themes in local, Washington State, tribal, United States, and world history in
order to evaluate how history shapes the present and future.

1. ART The student understands and applies arts knowledge and skills.

2. ART The student demonstrates thinking skills using artistic processes.

3. ART The student communicates through the arts.

4. ART The student makes connections within and across the arts to other
disciplines, life, cultures, and work.
Procedures:
Anticipatory Set:
1. Prior Knowledge: Pacific Northwest Native Americans Tribes
2. Content related to lives: Totem Poles are like family trees to us, by using animal
figures. They are also a way of recording legends. They had no formal language so
they are like our books. Show pictures of totem poles. Northwest Indians constructed
and carved totem poles depicting the animals that represented their family. Several
animal allies were stacked up, carved, and painted onto a long log, which was
erected in the village to remind their tribe of the important connection that the
animal spirits had to the generations of their family members. They told stories about
these animals who lived amongst them.
You have at least three animals that lend their power and wisdom to help you on
your journey through life. They bring you closer to your heart and help you through
the toughest lessons of your life. Although you might have other animals that come
to you from time to time these three are at your side to remind you of the fun journey
you have taken with them.
3. Children are then told what today's lesson will be: Today's lesson will be to
construct your own story and/or family crest in a Totem Pole. When you are
finished, you will share your story and Totem Pole with the class.
B. Continuation of Lesson:
4. Show the Totem Pole Animal Animoto
5. Pass out and present copies of animal descriptions:
Bear = symbol of strength;
Beaver = symbol of wealth and gives "medicine power";
Frogs = bring good fortune;
Raven = guardian spirit;
Salmon = symbol of wealth, fertility, immortality;
Snake = brings power of magic;
Thunderbird = chief of all guardian spirits, causes thunder and lightning;
Whale = bad spirit who brings destruction;
Wolf = helpful spirit who also brings skill in weaving and woodcraft.
6. Tell students they will make their own Totem Pole based on their family traits.
Give students 5-10 minutes in a quiet place outside to think about animals and to
choose 3 that represent their family or life and why. (writing this down might help with
presentation)
7. Students then cut the totem shapes from construction paper and draw their 3
animals that represent their family totem pole. They can use the copy of animal
description as a reference. Students then glue animals to cardboard tubes to create a
Totem Pole that tells their story.
C. Closure:
Let students share their Totem Poles and tell their stories. Display Totem Poles on a
flat surface where they can be freestanding as an ongoing exhibit.
Assessment Strategies:
Authentic Tasks - making of a Totem Pole and story
Writing project - writing a story
Observation of cooperative group work, i.e., fair sharing of work, enjoying helping
other classmates
Anecdotal records
Observe brainstorming techniques for storyline
Ask questions, i.e. why pick a certain animal for a certain character in the story
Portfolios - save some samples of work, i.e. Totem Poles and stories
Adaptations:
This lesson could be adapted to 8th grade U.S. History during the time period
of early explorers in the West (Lewis and Clark) and the Louisiana Purchase. Some
modifications and adaptations would be that instead of performing this task alone
students would create a story and totem pole in a group of four to five students. They
will be responsible for brainstorming and writing out the story together, as well as
creating props needed during their performance, and their totem pole to go along
with their story. They will be turning in their written story, and acting out the story
as a group. The performances should be no more than 15 minutes long. Afterwards,
the rest of the class will discuss their story and try to come up with the meanings and
symbols represented in the story and match them to the symbols/meanings on the
totem pole that the group had created. The group will be graded on group
cooperation, presentation, effort, and their totem pole.
Resources: (APA Format)
Tantlinger, E. (1999, September 14). Totem Pole. Retrieved June 25, 2009, Web site:
http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Interdisciplinary/INT0143.html
Greene, A. (2005). Animal Tribe: Build your own totem pole. Retrieved June 17, 2009, Web site:
http://www.animaltribe.com/TotemPole-LessonPlan.pdf
Lesson's Multiple Intelligence Chart
Linguistic
Verbal presentation to the class on totem pole animals
Logical-Mathematical
Deciding the animals purposes and laying out the totem
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Changing location to outside
Musical
Native music during work time and Animoto
Intrapersonal
Selecting process of personal symbols and meaning
Interpersonal
Presenting to class and discussing totem poles
Naturalist
Going outside to work, deciding which animals correlate
to their lives
Spatial
Pictures on totem poles
Teacher's Reflection on critical pedagogy and multicultural arts approach to the
curriculum.
Martha’s Reflection: This lesson plan has a gradual release format, which I find to
be very helpful in my classroom of lower level learners. With a classroom of 5-8
Native American students, this lesson would not only be influential to them
culturally, but it allows the students to integrate the arts into the classroom. Learning
about totem poles can be carried out in many formats. Rather than just reading about
the totems, this lesson allows the multiple intelligences to be experienced in many
ways. By integrating many different forms of art into this lesson, I believe the process
learning will be more successful for every student.
Joe’s Reflection: This lesson seems to be very adaptable for more than just the
grade levels that we represent. I feel that it is a great way to explain the cultures of
the Pacific Northwest Native American tribes. Since I am fortunate enough to teach
in this area of the country many of the students in my classroom have seen totem
poles, but never really knew what they were, or why they are there. It would be very
easy for a teacher to just hand out the information on totem poles and read through it
with their students. This lesson allows the students to experience the idea of the
totem pole through different aspects. It includes different art forms and uses different
intelligences so that there will be a little something for everyone. Students will be
able to create their own totem pole for their own life, which allows them to take
something that they are learning and tie it to their lives. It gives the students more of
a sense of ownership in their work. By integrating the arts in this lesson, students will
greater expand their knowledge and understanding of other cultures.