The Famous Five Paragraph Essay

Today students are writing and editing a five paragraph essay.  For practice we will answer the question "Are School Lunches Worth Eating?".  

After writing, editing, and scoring the essay, we will be ready to tackle our first big question in eighth grade social studies:  "Were Pre-Columbian Native Americans Worthy of Respect?"

The question centers around the big idea that every civilization has culture.  Students will argue that there were indeed economic, social, and political aspects of Native American civilizations before the Europeans arrived in North America.

This assignment will be due by the end of the period for 2-5th periods and on Monday at the beginning of the period for periods 7 and 8.

Native American Culture Map

Were you absent the day I assigned the Native American Culture Map?  Maybe you simply lost the map or the instructions that went with it.  I can give you another map, but the instructions are below:

1.  Label all culture areas (culture map on page 11)
2.  Write the names of 2 tribes in each area (pg. 11)
3.  Draw and label the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains
4.  Label each of the following on the map (you will need atlas pages A2-A3):
       Mississippi River
       Ohio River
       Rio Grande River         
       Atlantic Ocean
       Pacific Ocean
       Gulf of Mexico
       Great Salt Lake
       Lake Superior            
       Lake Michigan
       Lake Huron
       Lake Erie
       Lake Ontario
5.  Write 2 foods found in each culture area (pages 10-16)
6.  Draw a picture of each of the following in the culture area where it belongs:
       buffalo
       totem pole
       kachina doll
       longhouse
       wigwam
      

Totem Pole Project

In Social Studies we often study the cultures of groups of people.  It is convenient to split culture into four categories for this purpose:

Economics:  How do you get what you need and want?
Social:  What makes one group of people different from another?
Political:  How are rules made and enforced?
Geographical:  What are the physical characteristics of a particular area and how does that affect culture?


As we study Pre-Columbian Native American cultures, I would like for you to consider the cultural aspects of your own life.  To do this, I have assigned a totem pole project.  The instructions are below: 

 your totem pole will probably not look like this one, but this is the general shape of a Pacific Coast Indian totem pole.

 

1.  Draw a totem pole on a sheet of paper.       
2.  Next, split the totem pole into 4 equal sections,
3.  In the top section of you pole draw pictures or symbols that represent how you and your family get money to buy the things you need and want.
4.  In the second section draw pictures or symbols that represent at least one social aspect of your life.  A good example might be a family tradition.
5.  In the third section draw pictures or symbols to represent how rules are made and enforced in your home.  (Political)
6.  In the bottom section of your pole, draw symbols or pictures to represent where you live.  (Geographical)
7.  When finished, make it colorful.

Remember, you cannot use words, only symbols and pictures.
Have fun!