This week students will begin their study of Native Americans. We will explore the diversity of tribal groups throughout North America, beginning with the Northeast Woodlands, specifically the Iroquois.
As an introduction to our entire unit, we previewed different Native American ceremonies and focused a little more on Native American Naming Ceremonies. In many indigenous cultures there are multiple naming ceremonies. The name the child receives at birth may be a nick name that the child will carry until their true name is discovered as they develops their gifts. For our naming ceremony, students picked out their own Spirit Name. In Native American cultures, a person’s spirit name tells you something about the person, their personality, or their mission in this life. After deciding on their spirit name, children decorated ceremonial head dresses to share their Spirit Name choice.
Throughout this next trimester, we will learn about a variety of tribes across our nation. Students will examine their region, homes, clothing, food, customs, tools, and art. We will also learn about various famous Native Americans.
