Native American Suggestions  for  Demonstrations

dancer

 

dancer

Plants

  1. Have students pick one plant that the Native Americans used for food (teas, maple syrup, etc.), medicine, religious purposes, dyes, clothing, tools, etc. Have students demostrate how the Native Americans used this plant during the presentation. Some helpful sites are as follows:

pottery

Plants that are used to Make Teas

pottery

Traditional Herbal & Plant Knowledge Identification

 

     2.  How did the Naive American measure the height of a tree?

Simple Machines

  1. Have students choose a tool used by Native Americans and demonstrate how the Native Americans used it. Some suggestions of tools are listed below. Investigate each tool to see if simple machines are "hidden" in them.

drum

canoes oars

drum travois
drum hoes, gardening tools
drum looms
drum seed beaters
drum arrows, bows, spears
drum animal scrapers, skinning frames
drum games pieces such as lacrosse playing sticks, etc

Food Preservation

  1. Have students demonstrate ways Native Americans preserved food.

dreamcatcher

Dehydration

dreamcatcher

Salt

dreamcatcher

Sugar

dreamcatcher

Acid

dreamcatcher

Smoking

Conservation

  1. Compare one room in your house to a room in a Native American home. Describe furnishings including beds, utensils, lighting, storage, etc. of both rooms.

  2. Compare a typical day in your life to a typical day in the life on a Native American. What items do you use? How does this compare to the items a Native American would have used?

  3. Have students show how each part of an animal was used by the Native American. Suggested animals:

 

bison

buffalo

bison

elk

bison

deer

bison

moose

bison

bear

Astronomy

  1. How did Native Americans use the sky for:

    feather

    determining the seasons?

    feather

    planting?

    feather

    traveling?

    feather

    time of day?

    feather

    everyday life?

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