This unit allowed me to introduce students to the major cultures and customs of the Native American peoples who lived in what is now known as the Hudson Valley prior to European arrival, exploration, and settlement. Students will learn about concepts including farming, the development of communities, religion, medicine, folklore, and trade within Native American communities of the Hudson Valley. Through Direct Instruction, Inquiry, and Cooperative Learning experiences, students will make generalizations about the lives of Native American groups and understand various facets of their cultures.
Many students travel to places in their own community named for Native American groups, such as Algonquin Park in Newburgh or the town of Wappingers Falls, named for Native Tribes. Students will learn about how Native American groups existed long before European settlement in the area that they now reside in. Students must understand elements of culture as a prerequisite to studying this topic, which include food, religion/spirituality, literature, music, art, trade and interactions with other groups, roles of individuals, and roles of groups. Using this prior knowledge, students will study a culture very different from their own and will make connections between the past and present, as well as learn about how cultures can influence one another. With the rapid spread of technology and our increasingly connected world, ideas and customs spread quickly from one region to another. Students will understand how Native Americans influenced their own lives and communities, which in turn will help them understand how cultures and customs influence one another today.
Students will study and write folktales, create dioramas depicting a Native American community, explore artifacts, and study current events related to Native American groups throughout the course of the unit. This range of activities will require students to read, write, think critically to create accurate depictions, question, and explore internet as well as print resources in order to come to a well-rounded understanding of Native American tribes in the Hudson Valley.
Essential Questions that had been explored during this unit were:
1.) In what ways did geography affect Native Americans in the Hudson Valley?
2.) How did Native American groups use story and folklore to explain phenomena that could not be explained through logical explanation?
3.) How did Native Americans trade and interact with one another in the Hudson Valley?
April, I also wrote about how students will link their prior knowledge with our unit plan, especially the fact that many students visit places named for Native American groups - such as Algonquin Park. It's important to get students thinking about what they already know before beginning to teach, as this sets them up to merge new knowledge with old and make connections to their personal lives and past experiences. As you stated, understanding how one culture can influence another can help students understand how ideas and customs can change over time. Linking this learning to the students' own community is especially helpful, as the information is related to their own experiences.
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