Author: Marion Mittenzwey

E-mail: [email protected]

Subject US Literature

Level 10th

Students will be able to:

1. Know that there are many tribes of Native Americans and that they differ from each other
2. Understand Indian legends, myths and other forms of literature and why they were important
3. Experience the religion of some Native American tribes 4. Know the lifestyle and how it was adapted to the different regions and climatic conditions
5. Examine the relationship between the Native Americans and their environment

Students will:
Select in teams of 5 one tribes and conduct a research to:
a) Give a written report
b) Construct a triarama
c) Give oral presentation

1. Select Native American tribe:
a) Northwest
b) Plains
c) Woodlands
d) Southwest
e) California and the Great Basin

2. Collect/ Research information:
a) Life: geography (map), most important tribes (location), settlement (shelters, housing), clothing, subsistence, political and social organization, art
b) Religion: gods, rituals, customs, ceremonies
c) Literature: tales, legends, myths, songs, etc

3. Prepare map depicting the region and most imprortant tribes.

4. Choose information for written report- life and religion

5. Select a myth, tale, legend from your tribal group to analyze it.

6. Construct triarama according to these three sections:
a) housing
b) religious ritual
c) literature selection

You have the following links to research about the tribes and their literature, but you can and should also find two links on your own

Partial:
Written Report and Map - 40%
Triarama - 40%
Oral Presentation - 20%

You will be able to analyze the different Native American tribes and how the region they lived in had a great influence on their lives. You will compare their lifestyle with the one of the Mohicans to make a final evaluation of James Fenimore Cooper's book "The Last of the Mohicans."