Communities in Virginia
Session 2: American Indians (First Americans)

Materials

• Crayons
• Scissors
• Glue
• Brown, black construction paper
• Web site about the Virginia American Indians (First Americans)
• Teacher-selected books

Instructional Activities

1. Review previous unit, “Contributions of American Leaders,” Session 7, which includes information and resources related to Columbus Day.
   
   
2. Introduce the topic of American Indians (First Americans) by asking students what they know about American Indians (First Americans).
   
   
3. Reinforce student responses by explaining that American Indians (First Americans) were groups of people discovered living in the land now called America.
   
   
4. Read a teacher-selected book to students about the Virginia American Indians (First Americans).
   
   
5. Visit a Web site related to Virginia Indians. An information and activity packet titled “Living with the Indians” is available from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation at <http://www.historyisfun.org/PDFbooks/Living_with_the_indians.pdf>. Discuss the tribes that were living in Virginia and explain that this cultural group is still present and active in our state today. For details about modern-day tribes, use a resource about Virginia American Indians (First Americans), such as the American Indian Resource Center, Oral History Project <http://www.wm.edu/airc/>.
   
   
6.  Read students teacher-selected information about the American Indians (First Americans), using the “Living with the Indians” program.
   
   
7. Help students create one type of an American Indian (First American) dwelling place from the past. A brief overview of the various types of American Indian (First American) dwellings may be a good idea. Review what the word past means. Also discuss natural resources that were used to create homes.
   
   
8. Have the students use sticks and brown construction paper to create wood-and-bark houses. The frame can be made as follows:
   •    Roll a long thin piece of brown construction paper and use sticks to create a frame.
   •    Use scissors to cut a small entrance.
   •    Tear small pieces of brown and black construction paper.
   •    Glue these pieces of paper all over the frame, making sure that the entire frame is covered.
   •    Use crayons or markers to draw lines representing “wood.”