|
Summary and Objective
Students will understand the significance of beads in Native American culture. After viewing various beaded items from the American Centuries website and making simple beaded jewelry, kindergarten children will begin to understand the two-fold function of beads in Native culture: ornamentation and commerce.
Teaching Plan
Step 1.
Teacher will read a few selected poems and show pictures from the book, Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back, by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London, in order to encourage/stimulate children's thinking about Native culture.
Step 2.
Students will view the following beaded items from the American Centuries Digital Collection: Uncut glass tubular beads, sash, ceremonial moccasins, Micmac bead bag, beaded bag, Niagara Falls pin cushion, necklace, medallion necklace, and wampum shells.
Step 3.
Teacher will facilitate a short discussion on Native American beads geared to the developmental level of 5 and 6-year-olds. Through the use of strategic questioning, teacher will engage children in thinking about how beads were used for ornamentation as well as for commerce, i.e., trading with the Europeans for other essential goods. Discussion will also include materials Natives used to make beads, "wampum", and in more recent years, beads for the tourist trade. Because the American Centuries Digital Collection has no specific items representing wampum beadwork, the teacher will use Nativetech website examples as referenced below in website links.
Step 4.
Children will work in small groups making simple jewelry (bracelets and necklaces), using plastic beads and plastic string. Teachers will have pre-cut and pre-knotted ends of strings. Children will be encouraged to use patterns in their beadwork.
Step 5.
Debrief/sharing session: Children will participate in a circle session where each child will be given a brief opportunity to show and tell about their particular jewelry piece, and how they might use it if they were a Native American person.
Step 6.
Teacher will summarize and close lesson by helping children recall and restate how Natives used their beadwork.
Step 7.
Extension or Post Activity: Reenact a trading session between the "Natives" and "Europeans." The American Centuries website offers a trade lesson referenced below in website links, under Activity 3 on that page.
|
