Lenape Indians
of New Jersey
A Webquest for
4th Graders
Family History
Hello boys and girls. I need your help.
I’ve been researching my family tree (my ancestors) and found the
following stories told by one of my great aunts. These are stories
that were handed down in my family from my great-great-great
grandmother Sara who lived from 1799-1854. She named one of
her children Peter.
Here is a picture of her daughter, my great-great grandmother
Catherine.
I need to find out if the stories could be true. Can you help me?
Family History
I found the following written account of her stories:
Story 1:
Once when the Indians were on the warpath, coming down the
river, the settlers fled to the Pennsylvania side to take refuge in
a stockade. But they had abandoned a boy who they thought
was dying from smallpox, and expected the Indians to kill him.
But at night, they looked down the river and saw a great fire,
and watched the Indians take the boy and grease his body with
lard or something, and then they held the boy up to the fire,
and kept turning him around so that all parts of his body were
baked by the heat. After a while, the Indians left, and in the
morning when the white people returned to the Jersey side,
they found the boy much better, and he soon became well.
Story 2:
When a chief died the Indians all left the region but the Chief’s
son, called Peter by the white people, had become very friendly
with my grandmother’s folks, and spent much of his time with
them. A delegation of Indians came to get Peter to head their
tribe, and go with them, but he refused and remained with the
white settlers.
Could these stories be true?
Through this WebQuest you will try to decide if these
stories could be true based on what you discover.
After the class presentation, you should be able to
answer the following questions.
1.
Who were the Lenape? When did they live in New Jersey? What
happened to them? Do the Lenape still exist today?
2.
What language did the Lenape speak?
3.
Did the Lenape like music and dancing? What instruments did they
use? What dances did they do? Why did they dance and sing?
4.
What did the Lenape do if someone was sick? Who would they go
see? What would that person do to cure them? What plants/rituals
did they use?
5.
Do you think the story of Peter marrying into my family could be true?
Why or why not?
6.
Do you think the story of the Indians curing the boy could be true?
Why or why not?
Task: Groups
• You will be divided into four groups to answer
questions in the following areas:
–
–
–
–
Language
Medicine
Music and Dance
Lenape Migration
• After researching your topic, you will answer the
questions and create a presentation for the class.
• The requirements and scoring of your presentation
and worksheets can be found on the Presentation
page and the rubric on the evaluation page.
• Please note all presentation must include a picture.
• At the end of the presentations, you should be able to
answer questions about the presentations and make
an informed decision about whether the family history
story can be true and give yours reasons.
Lenape Migration
Your task is to research where the Lenape lived in New Jersey, where
they went and where they live today.
The worksheet will provide you with the questions to be answered and
the tasks for your group.
Use the following links to find the information you need.
Lenape leave NJ (map)
Lenape Lifeways (map)
Events of Lenape History
Lenape Today
US Map link
NJ Map link
See the Evaluation page for the rubric.
Language – Part I
Three members of your group will be responsible for teaching the class
a few words in Lenape by making flashcards and presenting them.
Each person in the group will be responsible for teaching 3-4 words
from one of the following groups:
•
•
•
Animals
Colors
Body parts
If you do not see the word you want, you may use the Lenape
Talking dictionary.
You may use the following tools to create your flashcards:
•
•
•
PowerPoint (one word per slide) – How to sheets are available
Word (one word per page) - How to sheets are available
Paper and Colored Pencil - we will scan them into a digital format
You may use your own drawing, ClipArt or Google Images (free for
reuse).
Your flashcards should include a picture, the Lenape word, and the
English word for that picture. (This part will be handed in and
graded)
You will present your words to the class using the Interactive
Whiteboard. You should be able to pronounce the word in Lenape.
Some of the words are hard to say so just do the best you can.
Remember no one else in the room speaks Lenape either.
Use the Lenape Talking dictionary for help
Language – Part 2
Two members of the group will prepare a short conversation
in Lenape.
Use the talking dictionary to create a brief conversation using
at least 6 phrases or sentences. Remember in a
conversation, you may be using one word or a few words
together.
You will each choose 3 sentences or phrases for the
conversation.
You may look at the Lessons tab in the dictionary for help.
Write out your conversation in English then write it out
inLenape. (You can write out how the lenape words sound
underneath them to help you in your presentation.)
The written conversation will be turned in. Remember to put
BOTH your names on the paper.
You will then present your conversation to the class with each
person speaking their sentences.
See the rubric and presentation page for information about
your presentation and worksheets.
Medicine
Part I
Read the articles below and find out how the Native Americans
cured the sick.
Each person will read about a different aspect of Native
American healing and the answer the question(s) that
follow.
Then come together to share your information and do the group
activity on the next page.
1.
Skillful Healers (each person will research one of the two
types of healers)
Herbalist (article and video segment 2:30-4:50)
Shaman (article and video segment 4:50-end)
Who were the healers and what did they do?
2.
What plants and herbs did they use and what did they use
them for?
3.
What was a sweat lodge and why was it used?
Also view video segment 0:00-1:42
Medicine
Part 2
In the story, the Native Americans cure the boy.
Discuss what you learned with the group.
Answer the following questions as a group based on what you have
learned: You may choose one person to record your answers on
the worksheet.
1.
Do you think the story could be true? Why or Why not?
2.
What do you think the Native Americans were trying to do?
3.
Who would have been at the ceremony?
(Discuss your ideas among your group.)
EACH MEMBER OF THE GROUP MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
ANSWER )
You will make a presentation of your findings to the class. (See rubric
and presentation page for what is expected in the presentation)
Music and Dance
Part I
Your group is responsible for telling the class about the music
and dance of the Lenape.
Not much is known about this subject. You will need to
make some inferences and draw your own conclusions.
Read the articles below and watch the videos. Then answer
the questions on the worksheet to help guide you.
2 members will be in charge of music and 3 members will
learn about dance. (use the links below)
After viewing your video or reading your article, the group
will come back together.
Each member of the group will share what they have
learned with the rest.
Together you will answer the questions on the worksheet to
present to the class.
MUSIC:
Lenape Lifeways
Powwow Songs
Red Blanket Singers2
Red Blanket Singers
Dance:
Honoring the Lenape: Shawl Dance view 0:00-1:34
Honoring the Lenape: Traveling Song view 4:20-end
Butterfly Dance & Straight Dance
Music and Dance
Part 2
Now you’ll get to try out your musical and dancing talent.
Using the drum and sticks provided practice playing along with
the Red Blanket Singers. No, you don’t have to sing.
Dancers will try to imitate one of the dances they have seen in
beat to the music.
You may use either song below.
You’ll present your version along with the video to the class.
Use one of the videos below to practice.
Red Blanket Singers2
Red Blanket Singers
See the rubric and presentation page for information about your
presentation and worksheets.
Task :
Presentation: Requirements
Each person/group has a written assignment to hand in and a group
presentation to make.
Worksheets may be hand written or typed.
Be sure to include the names of everyone of the group on the group
assignments and your individual name on the individual assignments.
Presentations may be made using any of the following presentation tools :
•
•
•
PowerPoint
Word
Paper and Pencil
Do not just read off the paper, worksheet or slide:.
Be able to tell in your own words what you found.
All presentations must include pictures. Pictures can be used from the
following sources:
•
•
•
ClipArt
Google Images (licensed for reuse)
Your own artwork
You should be able to have good eye contact with your audience.
See the rubric on the Evaluation page for more detail of how you will be
graded.
Evaluation
Worksheets
Beginning
1
Accuracy
Written explanation.
Developing
2
Qualified
4
Worksheet contains
information that is
not correct.
Written explanation
is not easy to read,
not very legible and
contains spelling
errors.
Written explanation
is legible but
contains spelling
errors.
Exemplary
6
All information on
the worksheet is
accurate.
Written explanation
is easy to read,
legible and does not
contain any spelling
errors.
Has no grammatical,
spelling or
punctuation errors.
Presentation
Beginning
1
Content
Content is not clearly
related to the
audience and
contains
inaccuracies.
Pictures
Content does not
include pictures.
Presentation
Student does not
make eye contact
and reads
presentation off of
paper or note cards.
Developing
2
Qualified
3
Content is clearly
presented but
contains some
inaccuracies.
Exemplary
4
Content is clearly
presented to the
audience and does
not contain
inaccuracies.
Content includes
appropriate pictures
that enhance
understanding of the
content.
Student makes eye
contact most of the
time but still reads
notes word for word.
Student makes eye
contact most of the
time and only
occasionally reads
off notes.
Student makes good
eye contact during
most of presentation
and does not read
off note cards.
Student only glances
at notes for
guidance.
Score
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed learning
more about the Lenape Indians of
New Jersey.
So what do you think? Are the
stories true? Why or Why not?
What was the most interesting
thing you learned?
Are you ready to learn more??!!