Discover NC! Swain County

Museum of the Cherokee Indian

Cherokee, NC (http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/)

Provider: Museum of the Cherokee Indian

Resource summary

• Appropriate grades: 3–12
• Subjects: arts (crafts, folk art), social studies (American Indians, North Carolina, United States history)
• Special requirements: none

More from LEARN NC

• A Comprehensive Study of North Carolina Indian Tribes Students will apply their research skills of gathering and validating information to study the eight state recognized American Indian tribes of North Carolina in order to create an Honors U.S. History Project. Students then will create a comprehensive study of those tribes to be compiled into a notebook to be copied and shared with the eighth grade teachers of North Carolina History in our county.
• Storytelling with Cherokee Folktales This is a two day lesson pertaining to telling Cherokee Folktales. This lesson can be modified and used with any folktale.
• Shadows of North Carolina's past Students will infer past Native American lifeways based on observation, construct a timeline of four major culture periods in Native American history, and compare these lifeways and discuss how they are different and alike.

More on the web

• History of the Cherokee Tells the history of the Cherokee people, incorporating both legend and fact, through chapters that cover the times before the Europeans settled the United States, first contacts with the settlers, the Trail of Tears, and the Civil War. Find also images, maps, and suggestions for further reading.
• Storytelling of the North Carolina Native Americans Cherokee, Lumbee and Occaneechi storytellers share their tales.
• North Carolina Indian Fact Sheet This site gives information on the history of North Carolina Indians, statistical information, and suggested books.

The mission of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, North Carolina is, "To perpetuate the history, culture, and stories of the Cherokee people." To accomplish this mission, the museum maintains a permanent exhibit, extensive artifact collection, archives, education programs, artist series, and a gift shop. The museum also publishes the Journal of Cherokee Studies.

The Education page mainly provides information for teachers on graduate course and workshops. But, there is one classroom resource: How the Possum Lost His Tail lesson plan

Only Basic information can be obtained on-line regarding the four major collections:
• Trail of Tears;
• Paleo Period;
• Archaic Period;
• Mississippian Period.

To arrange a visit to the museum, contact Chris Watty at (828)497-3481.Group rates are available.

See the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction documentary Cherokee: The Principle People