LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

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.

A lesson plan for grades 11–12 Social Studies

Field Trip Ideas from Discover NC

Complement this semester-long unit with a field trip to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian the Cherokee County Historical Museum, or the Occaneechi Indian Village in Hillsborough.

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Learning outcomes

  1. Students will research the history of the eight state recognized tribes of North Carolina which are the Cherokee, Coharie, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony, and the Waccamaw Siouan Indian Tribes.
  2. Students will organize, verify, and edit their gathered facts into a comprehensive study of North Carolina Native Americans.
  3. Students will create an archealogical introduction to their notebooks covering the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian eras of Native Americans in North Carolina.
  4. Students will trace the history of events from 1585 through the present which will cover the adoption of new names of their assigned tribe using an outline format.
  5. Students will investigate and discuss Cultural and Religious beliefs before and after the Contact Period of their tribe.
  6. Students will research and evaluate the educational,economic, political gains, as well as any involvement in U.S. wars, and herioc achievements of their tribe.
  7. Students will investigate the historical prejudices and discrimination encountered by their tribe and also the contemporary issues their tribe still faces today.
  8. Students will discribe and give examples of their tribe’s arts and crafts, folklore, and modern day powwows.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

Each Friday of 1 semester

Materials/resources

Physical resources needed:

  • Pen, notebook paper, notebook

Classroom environment:

  • Atmosphere conducive for reading and recording information
  • Computer lab with access to the internet and printers for all students
  • Suggested book resources (listed in the bibliography) available either in classroom or media center

Set-up required for this lesson:

  • Teacher-prepared rubric for each student

Technology resources

A computer lab with access to the Internet and printer for each student.

Pre-activities

Lecture on the Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian Cultures. Language families (Algonquin, Siouan, and Iroquios), Cultural Interactions (Explanation of artifacts found in unlikely places signifies trade among tribes), and early population statistics. This lecture should take one class period. At the next class meeting begin lecture on the first contact period between Natives and European, effect of that contact(Columbian Exchange), and the Adaptations of the Natives. Lecture information is taken from text and gathered from other resources (listed in bibliography).

Day Three will begin with passing out the rubric for their project and explanation of all requirements to completing their projects. Students will then work for the remainder of day three within their groups beginning the process of distributing the work load with each member having a clear responsibility. For example, one will work on introduction and another will have folklore. Each student must to be able to put his name on at least one section of the notebook.

For the remainder of the semester each Friday will be dedicated to research, investigation, and compilation of information.

Activities

See the rubric.

Lectures throughout the semester will incorporate information from the bibliography comprised of both books and videos. Students are responsible for retrieving information from their notes.

Assessment

Each section of notebook will be edited according to the timeline of due dates listed on the rubric.

Presentation of end product and the notebook on assigned tribe will be assessed according to specifics listed in the rubric.

Supplemental information

Additional activities can include a field trip to Cherokee, NC to view the production of Unto These Hills, a drama of the Cherokee Indians on August 23, 2003, or guest speakers.

Related websites

  • N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs. http://www.doa.state.nc.us/cia/indian.htm. This site provides information about each individual tribe along with email addresses to those tribes.
  • The Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov. This site again provides information on tribes.
  • Story-telling of the North Carolina Native Americans. http://www.ibiblio.org/storytelling/. Site offers information on Folklore.
  • Homepage of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. http://www.cherokee-nc.com/. Site offers information on Cherokee.
  • N.C. Museum of History. http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/nchh/amerindian.html#17th. Site offers assistance in creating historical timelines for tribes.
  • The Voice of the Occaneechi Nation provides history, current events, and information about the Occaneechi Homeland Project.

Many of these sites will offer links to other areas to retrieve information.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Social Studies (2003)

Grades 11–12 — United States History

  • Goal 1: The New Nation (1789-1820) - The learner will identify, investigate, and assess the effectiveness of the institutions of the emerging republic.
    • Objective 1.02: Analyze the political freedoms available to the following groups prior to 1820: women, wage earners, landless farmers, American Indians, African Americans,and other ethnic groups.
  • Goal 7: The Progressive Movement in the United States (1890-1914) -The learner will analyze the economic, political, and social reforms of the Progressive Period.
    • Objective 7.02: Analyze how different groups of Americans made economic and political gains in the Progressive Period.
    • Objective 7.03: Evaluate the effects of racial segregation on different regions and segments of the United States' society.
  • Goal 9: Prosperity and Depression (1919-1939) - The learner will appraise the economic, social, and political changes of the decades of "The Twenties" and "The Thirties."
    • Objective 9.02: Analyze the extent of prosperity for different segments of society during this period.
    • Objective 9.04: Describe challenges to traditional practices in religion, race, and gender.
    • Objective 9.05: Assess the impact of New Deal reforms in enlarging the role of the federal government in American life.
  • Goal 11: Recovery, Prosperity, and Turmoil (1945-1980) - The learner will trace economic, political, and social developments and assess their significance for the lives of Americans during this time period.
    • Objective 11.02: Trace major events of the Civil Rights Movement and evaluate its impact.
    • Objective 11.06: Identify political events and the actions and reactions of the government officials and citizens, and assess the social and political consequences.
  • Goal 12: The United States since the Vietnam War (1973-present) - The learner will identify and analyze trends in domestic and foreign affairs of the United States during this time period.
    • Objective 12.02: Evaluate the impact of recent constitutional amendments, court rulings, and federal legislation on United States' citizens.
    • Objective 12.04: Identify and assess the impact of social, political, and cultural changes in the United States.
    • Objective 12.05: Assess the impact of growing racial and ethnic diversity in American society.