NATIVE AMERICAN ART	
GRADE	FOCUS ACTIVITY		INSTRUCTION GUIDELINES	FORMING PROCESS
K	Grocery bag Vest 	-Read story of first Thanksgiving or "Sacajewea" exerpts. Show pictures 
				and discuss the Native American people. Discuss the culture using children's' prior knowledge. 
				Correct any misconceptions they may have.Describe, analyze and interpret Native American art 
				noting geometric design styles, abstract patterns and symbolic picture writing. Create artwork 
				representing traditional Native American elements of design. 	
1	Teepee		  	-Same as above.	

2	Shield			-Same as above.	Discuss use of shields by Native Americans and 
				show examples. 
3	Totem Pole		-Same as above only read "The Raven" folktale and note illustrations
 				using traditional designs of Norhtwest Coast Native Americans.Also show slides of Totem Poles 
				and discuss. Students create own Totem Poles.	Discuss Native Americans use of totem poles. 
4	Hide Painting		-Show pictures and discuss the Native American people. Discuss the culture using children's' 
				prior knowledge. Correct any misconceptions they may have.Describe, analyze and interpret Native 
				American art noting geometric design styles, abstract patterns and symbolic picture writing. 
				Compare the Native American picture writing to that of the pre-Columbian cultures. Create artwork 
				in tradition of the Native American culture. 	
5	Pictographs/Petroglyphs	-Show pictures and discuss the Native American people. Discuss the 
				culture using children's' prior knowledge. Correct any misconceptions they may have View the 
				video about ancient rock art, taking notes and sketching throughout.Describe, analyze and 
				interpret Native American art noting geometric design styles, abstract patterns and symbolic 
				picture writing. Compare the Native American rock art writing to present day symbols and road 
				signs. Create artwork in tradition of the Native American culture. 	

			
6	Chilkat Blanket		-Share the storybook illustrating an ancient Northwest Indian 
				legend.Show additional Northwest pictures and discuss the Native American people. Discuss the 
				culture using children's' prior knowledge. Correct any misconceptions they may have.Describe, 
				analyze and interpret Northwest Native American art noting geometric design styles, abstract 
				patterns and symbolic picture writing.Compare to artwork of other tribes in both North and 
				South America. Note the correlation between the curved line shapes of the preColumbian tribes 
				and those designs found in the Northwest. Discuss totems and share the story of giving of the 
				tribes and the creation of the blanket. Discuss materials used and compare with the materials 
				used for blandets today.   

				-Show pictures and discuss the Native American people. Discuss 
	


K	Grocery bag Vest
Prepare grocery bags before class by cutting vertically up the middle of one side of the bag. 
cut armholes in the narrow folded section on both sides. Distribute to children after discussion 
and demonstrate the cutting of "fringe". Draw a black crayon line around the open end of bag 
approximately 3 - 4" from the end. Students cut from the bottom to the black line creating 
fringe around the bag. Using pencil the boys and girls then create repeated patterns using 
geometric shapes and simple picture language. Color with crayon and marker. Wear home.

1	Teepee
Students trace 1/2 circle shape on sheet of 12" x 18" 
construction paper. Cut. Placing shape like a 'smile' in front of them students then draw 
repeated patterns and simple picture language designs. Color designs heavily with crayon or oil 
pastel. Sponge lightly with thinned brown tempera. Overlap straight edges and staple. Complete
with brown paper strips to give the appearance of wooden poles at the top.

2	Shield
On back of plain white, heavy paper plate(Chinette) design with pencil and color heavily with 
crayon or oil pastel,  Indian symbols and picture language. Main theme or idea should be 
centered with an appropriate repeated pattern around the outer edge. Sponge or brush thinned 
brown tempera over design. Punch 3 holes at bottom of shield and attach beads and feathers with 
thin wire, brown yarn or "twisty ties" from garbage bags.

3	Totem Pole
Provide each child with one paper towel tube and one sheet of manila or light brown paper 
approximately 7" x 11". Fold paper into 4 sections, lengthwise.Unfold. Glue paper to tube.
Design each section with an animal symbol representing members of their family. Glue to 
sectioned paper. Add feathers.

4	Hide Painting
Discuss origins of hide paintings and show examples. Each student needs one grocery bag. Slit 
open the bag. On back draw a "hide" outline. Rip, do not cut, along the outline to give an uneven, 
realistic appearance. Design Native American patterns and symbols telling a story and color with
crayon or oil pastel. Crumple designed hide and wet in a pail of water. Open carefully and brush 
lightly with black tempera using a large brush or sponge.

5	Pictographs/Petroglyphs
After students discuss what they already know about the Native American culture, distribute worksheet and explain that 
they will learn more about an ancient form of art pictured in the large print. After going over 
the sheet, encourage the students to draw any designs o the back watch video.Distribute a cube 
of white clay to each student. They firmly "throw" it onto table creating a type of rock. Using 
red oxide slip, students paint a layer over the rock. using a "pecking" tool they then 		
create their own pictograph. Fire. Alternate media: Scratch Art Paper- students 
transfer designs then 'carve' into paper. Mount on rock like paper such as torn paper bag.

6	Chilkat Blanket
Create artwork in tradition of the Native American culture. Slit and a brown grocery bag so it 
lays flat. Divide into 3 sections, horizontally. In the center section, use the templates to 
create a totem of personal meaning. In the side sections, 
complete with additional  symbols again using the traditional designs. (Curved, "u and c" shapes) Select only three colors of chalk and apply. 
Outline with black. Fringe and spray with hairspray.

7 	Circular Weaving
Analyze and interpret Native American art, especially weavings, noting geometric design styles, 
abstract patterns and symbolic picture writing. Compare the Native Americpicture writing to that 
of the pre-Columbian cultures. Create artwork in tradition of the Native American culture. 	
Pass out sheets describing the weaving process, using the proper vocabulary. Distribute Chinette 
plates. Students cut out an inner circle in plate. Using ruler, mark divisions around 
circumference, 17 in all. Using colored  yarn students weave the warp and weft adding beads 
appropriately throughout. Tie edges as they are cut from the paper plate frame. Mount on black 
tagboard