Free Online Course: See information under "Technology Connections" below.
Alternate Plan: If time is limited, students can go to the lab and do one or the other of the “Digs” [also called scavenger hunts] from the website http://pottery.netfirms.com/native/index.htm and create the pot to go with the lesson.
Primary Learning Outcomes:
Did you know that civilizations flourished and vanished in North America before the arrival of the Europeans? What can we learn from the pottery of these vanished civilizations?
Secondary Learning Outcomes:
How could a whole civilization diminish in size and seem to vanish? What can we learn to better our current civilization by looking at the past and speculating about the future?
Approximate Time for Complete Lesson
- With Extended Activities: 15 – 20 Hours
- Without Extended Activities: 4 Hours (no studio activities or additional activities)
- For Alternate Plan: 7 – 10 Hours (includes a studio activity)
Objectives:
Students will:
1. Locate on a map where the ancient civilizations of the Mississippians and the Mimbres were.
2. View the sites where those two cultures existed in artists’ renderings and photographs of those locations today using the Internet.
3. Observe artifacts from those cultures.
4. Note the time period when each culture was at its height.
5. Research the possible causes of the decline of each civilization.
6. Speculate on possible causes of the decline of each civilization.
7. Recognize the types of clues used by archeologists to deduct information about past cultures.
8. Note the processes used by the Mississippians to create different surface textures for decoration.
9. Copy the shapes and designs of at least three ceramic artifacts from each culture.
10. Modify three existing designs for artifacts or create his/her own and show these in sketches.
10. Modify three existing designs for artifacts or create his/her own and show these in sketches.
11. Brainstorm and rank aspects of a civilization that must be considered and addressed if a civilization is to continue.
12. Analyze the Mississippian and the Mimbres civilizations according to the criteria they have chosen.
13. Determine what aspects of the two civilizations studied might have been positive (had survival value) and which were negative (led to decline of civilization).
14. Make recommendations for a future civilization drawing from data learned or discovered and experience.
15. Create artifacts, drawings, plans, writings, etc based on their self and group created concepts.
Materials and Equipment:
- Internet access and computers
- Computer projector (if showing videos to class)
- Pencils and sketchbooks
- Handouts for "Digs" or Online Course or printer to print them out from Internet
Clay, clay tools and studio
Technology Connection:
- If your school allows blogging or texting or wikis, you can do the brainstorming that way.
- Free Online Course: Want to have your students work independently? You can have them do the online lesson at UDUTU Learn, but you have to be able to get Facebook to use it. Instructions for using online component: Go to Facebook and click on "applications" on the left side of the page. In the "search applications" box, search for UDUTU Learn." Add the UDUTU Learn component to your Facebook page. The courses are in alphabetical order. Uncovering Past North American Civilizations is currently on page 3.
- Take students to a computer lab and have them do the "Digs" (web scavenger hunts).
Handouts and Worksheets Needed:
Teacher Resources:
- The National Park Service Resource site: http://www.cr.nps.gov/
- TeachPottery.Net
Procedures:
1. Give a brief overview of the lesson as a teaser. For example, you could ask the Primary Learning Outcomes and Secondary Learning Outcomes questions and have students speculate in a brainstorming session on why earlier civilizations might have vanished. Copy these down so that students can look back at them after the unit is done.
2. The website, Uncovering Past Civilizations, can be used for the lesson or you can have the students do the online course on UDUTU Learn if you can access Facebook (see technology connection above). Have the computer lab set up if you are using one (or have the website projected for the class to see if doing the activity as a group). Also, have the worksheets copied and stapled into packets ahead of time with drawing paper or student sketchbooks.
Teachers, the links on the web activities in the "Digs" to outside sites will spawn new windows. These windows can be closed after they are viewed. The original Uncovering Past Civilizations site will remain open unless you close it.
Teachers, the links on the web activities in the "Digs" to outside sites will spawn new windows. These windows can be closed after they are viewed. The original Uncovering Past Civilizations site will remain open unless you close it.
3. Students should use markers or highlighters to indicate and label where the two groups of Native Americans lived.
4. The next page is an overview of the Mississippians with outside links to artists’ renderings and photos of actual mounds to browse through.
5. Those outside links can be closed to return to the Uncovering Past Civilizations site. By clicking “next” students will go to the Mississippian’s Dig. The answer sheet for the scavenger hunt should be the second page in their packet. Each image beside the question will open a new window containing the answer. The window can be closed to return to the “Dig”.
6. The last question on this “Dig” requires that students sketch some pottery.
Extended Lesson Activity: You may wish to stop here and have students plan and create some Mississippian inspired coil pots.
Extended Lesson Activity: You may wish to stop here and have students plan and create some Mississippian inspired coil pots.
7. Students should read the overview of the Mimbres on the next page and explore the links.
8. Have students do the Mimbres Dig.
Extended Lesson Activity: Students could stop here to make Mimbres inspired coil pot bowls. The Mimbres Inspired Coiled Bowl Rubric may be used in creating and grading the bowls.
Extended Lesson Activity: Students could stop here to make Mimbres inspired coil pot bowls. The Mimbres Inspired Coiled Bowl Rubric may be used in creating and grading the bowls.
9. On the Suggested Activities page, there are activities of all types. These can be used for such requirements as “writing across the curriculum” or school-wide collaborations. One or more can be done in the class in different groups.
10. A final brainstorming/ discussion session should occur in which the Primary Learning Outcomes and the Secondary Learning Outcomes questions are again addressed. These can also be done as a final lesson essay or blog.
