Lesson 1

Lesson Title: Introduction to Indigenous Populations of the Great Lakes Region and Overview of Federal Indian Policy

Grade/Subject:          High School/US History       Length: 2-3 45 minute periods

Objectives:      

B.4.3-                                    Examine biographies, stories, narratives, and folk tales to
                                              understand the lives of ordinary people, place them in time and context, and explain their relationship to important historical events.
B.12.1-                                  Explain different points of view on the same historical event, using
                                              data gathered from various sources such as letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, government documents, and speeches.
C.12.8                                   Locate, organize, analyze, and use information from various sources to
                                              understand an issue of public concern, take a position, and communicate the position.

Materials:

1. Historical Background Handout                  4.  Lesson 1 writing prompt
2. Patty Loew video clip
3. Definition/map sheet

Procedure:
Opening-         Ask:    “Where do your ancestors come from?”
                       Say:    “Lets count how many generations we can go back before we find ourselves somewhere else.”
                        --Students will come back with a relatively small number—
                       Say:     American Indians have been living on this continent for over 400 generations and counting!  We are going to be exploring the history and transforming processes of American Indians from around our area.                                   First it’s important to define some key terms that we will use throughout this unit.  It is important to remember that these terms will be found through out our use of discussion, video, and other forms of media.
Development-           

1. Hand out definition/map sheet
2. Mini lecture to fill in blanks
3. Hand out reading: Historical Background to the Study of Wisconsin Indian History, Culture, and Tribal Sovereignty & accompanying guiding questions
4. Discuss/answer questions about the reading
5. Show 1st video clip “Patty Loew” – Concepts to think about
while watching:

1. How do the defined terms come into play?
2. What do you think “sustainable development” means?
3. How might cultures adapt themselves to the landscape?

6. Discuss answers to above questions with students
Closure-                     

1. Handout writing assignment and read quote aloud.
“Over 300 million people on earth today can be said to be truly "indigenous" -- living on lands which they have inhabited since time immemorial. In every instance, indigenous communities are legally circumscribed by one or more nation-states, within territorial boundaries drawn by government geography. These 300 million constitute an increasingly self-aware force for global rethinking of the nature of power. Their challenge is increasingly overt and serious to the world's political structure.”
2. Have students construct a 1 page response on the prompt:
In your own worlds define the term “world view”.  Then answer: How do you think traditional “western views” such as capitalism, individualism, and democracy might differ from Native American views? 

Needed ancillary materials:

1. Definition/map sheet    

2. Historical Background to the Study of Wisconsin Indian History, Culture, and Tribal Sovereignty (pg 3-4)

3. Patty Loew video clip

4. Lesson 1 writing Prompt

5. 2000 Census map

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