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Native American Artifacts
published on: 2/28/2003
Subject Area: Social Studies/U.S. History
Grade Range: Lower Elementary (K-3), Upper Elementary (4-5)
Materials Needed: Student Task Packet ( Student Prompt and Scoring Guide), pictures or examples of primary and secondary source artifacts, and access to research information about early Native American regional groups
Objective: This task is intended to be used as a culminating activity following a unit on early Native Americans. The task will evaluate student understanding of early Native American regional groups and distinguishing cultural traditions and art forms that are identified with them.
Process Standards:
- Goal 1.9 identify, analyze and compare the institutions, traditions and art forms of past and present societies
- Goal 2.1 plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences
- Goal 2.5 perform or produce works in the fine and practical arts
Content Standards:
- Social Studies 6. Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions
Time Allowance: About one week
Description: Students create an Indian artifact and write a report detailing its history -- Archaeology
Comments: Best taught grades 3-5 Submitted by: Jane Shurtz Springfield R-XII School District Southwest Regional MAP Center
Classroom Component:
Instructions for Administration: Assign one week prior to due date. Artifact and report can be done both in and out of class. Average class size of 26 students should be able to present reports and artifacts during one 50-minute class period. Take photographs of student-created artifacts and, if possible, keep several to use with future classes.
Native American Artifacts
Student Prompt
You are an archaeologist who has just “unearthed” an artifact belonging to an early Native American regional group. Your supervisor wants you to prepare a report to present, along with your artifact, at a meeting of fellow archaeologists.
The artifact:* should be made by you. * should represent something actually used by an early Native American regional group (no models). * should look like it has been buried. * may represent the entire artifact or only a portion of it.
The report should include:* a physical description of what the artifact looks like. * a hand-drawn map of the state where the artifact was “found” with the specific site marked. * the name of the early Native American regional group who probably used the artifact, what the artifact was probably used for, and the reasons for your conclusions.
Native American Artifacts: Scoring Guide
4 points: Outstanding* The student’s artifact is an innovative representation of something actually used by an early Native American regional group (not a model). * The artifact has been artistically created by the student and convincingly looks like it has been buried. * The student’s report contains a detailed description of what the artifact looks like. * There is an informative student-drawn map of the state where the artifact was “unearthed”. The exact location of the discovery is clearly marked. * The report includes a believable account of the early Native American regional group who probably used this artifact, provides details of what it was used for, and gives convincing reasons supporting these conclusions. * Minor errors are not distracting.
3 points: Sufficient* The student’s artifact clearly represents something actually used by an early Native American regional group (not a model). * The artifact has been created by the student and looks like it has been buried. * The student’s report contains a description of what the artifact looks like. * There is a student-drawn map of the state where the artifact was “unearthed”. The exact location of the discovery is marked. * The report includes the name of the early Native American regional group who probably used this artifact, describes what is was used for, and gives reasons supporting the conclusions. * There are few errors.
2 points: Emergent* The student’s artifact marginally represents something actually used by an early Native American regional group (not a model). * The artifact has been created by the student but doesn’t look like it has been buried. * The student’s report contains a description of what the artifact looks like with few details. * There is an incomplete student-drawn map of the state where the artifact was “unearthed”. The exact location of the discovery is unclear or not clearly marked. * The report either omits or incorrectly identifies an early Native American regional group who used this artifact. Nor does it describe what it was used for. Reasons supporting the conclusions are not realistic or believable. * Many errors may be present.
1 point: Attempted* The student’s artifact is a model or represents something not used by an early Native American regional group. * The artifact doesn’t appear to be made by the student nor does it look like it has been buried. * The student’s report contains a minimal description of what the artifact looks like with no specific details. * The student-drawn map of the state where the artifact was “unearthed” is missing or is a Xerox copy. The location of the discovery is not marked. * The report does not contain the name of the early Native American regional group who probably used this artifact. It does not provide details of what it was used for or give reasoning to support the conclusions. * Many critical errors are distracting.
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