Eastern Woodlands Indians Hall Guide

Review the Museum visit in a class discussion. Compare students' pre-visit views with observations from their visit. The following activities are designed to help process their learning and extend it, using exhibition themes, students' discussions, and student observations as entry points for student projects.

Invite Native Americans living in your community—relatives of students if possible—to talk to students about their lives, the history of their families, and the history of their tribes. (Contact the Museum's Education Department for references.)

Ask students to work in groups of two or three to choose a northeastern state and find out how many towns, lakes, regions, and roads have Native American-derived names. Do further research to find out what these names mean, what languages they are in, and to learn more about the original groups from the area.

Ask students first to collect images and articles about Native Americans from magazines, newspapers, travel brochures, books, and Web sites. They should focus on:

the ways in which people are portrayed and what ideas of Native Americans these portrayals promote
who took the images and whether they believe that the images represent people in an accurate way

Then students should find descriptions and images of Native Americans by Native Americans. How do these compare to their previous collection?

Read the section on the insert about Thanksgiving aloud to the class. Do they remember how the Ahkwesáhsne students give thanks? Ask students to compile individual lists of the things they are thankful for in their own lives and to share their lists with the rest of the class.

Additional activities for older students:

  Ask students to work with partners and research the experience of native groups around the world, such as Australian aborigines or Amazonian Indians. How do their post-European experiences compare and contrast with those of Native Americans of the eastern seaboard?
  Why are so many casinos located on Native American territorial lands and what does this mean for those communities? Ask students to research these questions in preparation for a class discussion.
  Many names of sports teams use Native American names or terms, such as "braves," considered pejorative by Native Americans. Invite students to research this topic in preparation for a class discussion.

Resources:

For a book list and related Web sites visit:
www.amnh.org/resources/halls/eastern_woodlands

	The HALL ofEastern Woodlands Indians
back in the classroom come prepared! key concepts and orientation background map of the hall before your visit while you're at the museum NAGPRA and The Hiawatha Belt back in the classroom connections to other places in the museum credits	Review the Museum visit in a class discussion. Compare students' pre-visit views with observations from their visit. The following activities are designed to help process their learning and extend it, using exhibition themes, students' discussions, and student observations as entry points for student projects. Invite Native Americans living in your community—relatives of students if possible—to talk to students about their lives, the history of their families, and the history of their tribes. (Contact the Museum's Education Department for references.) Ask students to work in groups of two or three to choose a northeastern state and find out how many towns, lakes, regions, and roads have Native American-derived names. Do further research to find out what these names mean, what languages they are in, and to learn more about the original groups from the area. Ask students first to collect images and articles about Native Americans from magazines, newspapers, travel brochures, books, and Web sites. They should focus on: the ways in which people are portrayed and what ideas of Native Americans these portrayals promote who took the images and whether they believe that the images represent people in an accurate way Then students should find descriptions and images of Native Americans by Native Americans. How do these compare to their previous collection? Read the section on the insert about Thanksgiving aloud to the class. Do they remember how the Ahkwesáhsne students give thanks? Ask students to compile individual lists of the things they are thankful for in their own lives and to share their lists with the rest of the class. Additional activities for older students: Ask students to work with partners and research the experience of native groups around the world, such as Australian aborigines or Amazonian Indians. How do their post-European experiences compare and contrast with those of Native Americans of the eastern seaboard? Why are so many casinos located on Native American territorial lands and what does this mean for those communities? Ask students to research these questions in preparation for a class discussion. Many names of sports teams use Native American names or terms, such as "braves," considered pejorative by Native Americans. Invite students to research this topic in preparation for a class discussion. Resources: For a book list and related Web sites visit: www.amnh.org/resources/halls/eastern_woodlands
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