Amazing Facts About Native Americans
Updated: 12 hours ago
Grade Level: 3-5
Duration of Video: 4 minutes, 31 seconds
Themes:
Native American History and Population
Languages and Communication
Cultural Traditions and Beliefs
Influence on American Government
Contributions to American Culture
Historical Challenges and Military Service
US History
Native American languages influenced many U.S. state names, and Navajo Code Talkers used their language to send secret messages during World War II. AI-generated image
Description:
In this lesson, students will be introduced to little-known facts about Native Americans from names of U.S. states that derive from Native American languages to the unbreakable code of the Navajo language used by Native Americans during World War II. After watching a short video and discussing these facts as a class, students work in small groups to create posters about what they have learned. At the lesson’s end, students share their creative projects with the rest of the class.
Lesson Plan:
🎯 OBJECTIVES (SWBAT)
Read about and discuss names of U.S. states that were derived from Native American languages.
Watch a video and discuss 25 amazing facts about Native Americans.
Create posters in groups about these amazing facts.
Make a presentation to the class about their creative posters.
🧰 MATERIALS:
SMART Board or computer and projector
Student Worksheet 2: 25 Little Known Facts About Native Americans
Oaktag posters for students to create posters in small groups.
Pencils and markers for each group of students.
📋 LESSON FLOW
Hook
Ask:
There are 50 states in the U.S. Take a guess as to how many of the states’ names have origins in Native American languages? [Answer: Approximately 27 states.]
Can you guess which names of states have origins in Native American languages?
Lesson
Say:
Let’s take a look to see if any of our guesses were right.
Hand out:
Using your SMART Board, click on Student Worksheet 1: U.S. States With Native American Names
As students look at the information, ask different students to read aloud several names of various U.S. states and their Native American linguistic origins.
Video Time
Say:
Now I am going to show you a video about other interesting Native American facts. The man in the video says the 25 facts very quickly. Try to remember a fact or two and we will discuss them after the video.
Play the video below:
Discussion
Ask:
Which fact(s) did you remember from the video?
Which fact surprised you?
What are some everyday Native American words we use today? [Answers: Guacamole, chocolate, chili]
Why was the Navajo language used in World War II?
Creative Project
Hand out: Student Worksheet 2: 25 Little Known Facts About Native Americans
Say:
This is a list of the 25 facts from the video.
Now we’re going to do a creative project with the facts.
I will divide you up into five small groups and assign 5 facts to each group.
Each group will create a poster about the 5 facts that I assigned to you.
Divide students into five small groups and assign each group five facts from Student Worksheet 2: 25 Little Known Facts About Native Americans.
Hand out oaktag, pencils, and markers to each group.
Give students time to create their posters.
Class Share Time
Ask each group to come to the front of the class and discuss the five facts on their poster.
Classroom Artifacts
Hang up the students’ posters on a designated wall space and title this space: “Amazing Facts About Native Americans.”
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