Unit 2 US History Part 1--Reading and Writing Workshop
Workshop Overview
Indigenous Cultures of North America
Grade Level: Middle School (6th–8th)
Duration: 1–2 Weeks
Objectives:
Students will:
Workshop Structure
Day 1: Introduction to Indigenous Cultural Regions
** Reading: Excerpts from John Wesley Powell’s Reports on Native American Tribes
* Writing Task:
Day 2: Social Structures, Economies, and Belief Systems
** Reading: Selections from “The North American Indian” by Edward S. Curtis (descriptions of different societies)
* Writing Task:
Day 3: The Role of Trade in Indigenous Societies
** Reading: Excerpts from Bureau of American Ethnology Reports on pre-Columbian trade routes
* Writing Task:
Day 4: Indigenous Oral Traditions and Storytelling
** Reading: “Indian Child Life” by Charles A. Eastman + selected traditional oral stories (public domain versions)
* Writing Task:
Day 5: Comparing Indigenous Societies & Final Writing Task
** Reading: Compare short selections from earlier readings
* Final Writing Task (Choice-Based):
Assessment & Reflection
Workshop Overview
Indigenous Cultures of North America
Grade Level: Middle School (6th–8th)
Duration: 1–2 Weeks
Objectives:
Students will:
- Compare major Native American cultural regions.
- Analyze how geography shaped indigenous societies.
- Evaluate early trade networks and interactions.
- Develop critical reading and writing skills through primary and secondary sources.
- "The North American Indian" by Edward S. Curtis (Selections)
- Bureau of American Ethnology Reports (Smithsonian, 19th-early 20th century)
- "Indian Child Life" by Charles A. Eastman (Dakota Sioux)
- John Wesley Powell’s Reports on Native American Cultures
- Traditional oral stories and legends (tribal sources available in public domain collections)
Workshop Structure
Day 1: Introduction to Indigenous Cultural Regions
** Reading: Excerpts from John Wesley Powell’s Reports on Native American Tribes
* Writing Task:
- Summarize the characteristics of one cultural region (Plains, Southwest, Northeast, etc.).
- Write a paragraph explaining how geography influenced housing, food sources, and trade.
Day 2: Social Structures, Economies, and Belief Systems
** Reading: Selections from “The North American Indian” by Edward S. Curtis (descriptions of different societies)
* Writing Task:
- Compare two societies (e.g., Iroquois Confederacy vs. Pueblo societies).
- How did their economies (agriculture, hunting, trade) reflect their environments?
- How did their belief systems shape their governance?
Day 3: The Role of Trade in Indigenous Societies
** Reading: Excerpts from Bureau of American Ethnology Reports on pre-Columbian trade routes
* Writing Task:
- Create a map or chart showing trade networks (Mississippi River Valley, Great Lakes, Southwest).
- Write a short fictionalized journal entry from the perspective of a Native trader.
Day 4: Indigenous Oral Traditions and Storytelling
** Reading: “Indian Child Life” by Charles A. Eastman + selected traditional oral stories (public domain versions)
* Writing Task:
- Identify a key theme in an indigenous story (e.g., respect for nature, cooperation).
- Write your own short fable inspired by the storytelling style.
Day 5: Comparing Indigenous Societies & Final Writing Task
** Reading: Compare short selections from earlier readings
* Final Writing Task (Choice-Based):
- Option 1: Write an essay comparing two cultural regions, evaluating the impact of geography.
- Option 2: Create a fictional dialogue between two indigenous people from different regions, discussing their ways of life.
- Option 3: Write a letter from the perspective of a historian explaining the diversity of indigenous cultures to a student 100 years in the future.
Assessment & Reflection
- Formative: Class discussions, short responses, peer feedback
- Summative: Final essay, creative writing pieces, trade network analysis