SOCIAL STUDIES ALIVE! CHAPTER 2

American Indians and Their Land

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Objectives (I can…) trace the migration routes of American Indians into North

America. (Geography)

identify the elements of culture in Native American. (Culture)

summarize key features of four environments. (Geography)

identify ways in which the American Indians adapted to their environment. (Geography/Economics)

define migrate, environment, adapt, migration, natural resource, adaptation, and pictograph.

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Remember a time you’ve been to a new place. Did you move with your family, visit relatives, go

on a vacation, or go camping? What were some challenges? What were some benefits?

Now I want you to gather your belongings and form a line outside the classroom. When you come back in I want you to find a seat

where you would feel most comfortable sitting.

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

In your social studies notebook: Describe the area of the classroom in which

you chose to “settle.” Why did you choose this area? How could you make your area more

comfortable for the future?

We are going to learn how the first Americans came to North America and adapted to the places they settled.

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Key social studies terms: ( * = write the definitions) Origin story Migrate * Environment * Adapt * Kiva Migration * Natural resource * Adaptation * pictograph

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Look at the picture at the bottom of page 17 - Environments of American Indians.

How does this picture resemble the zoom lens of a camera? What do people use zoom lenses for?

Zoom lens enables people to get a closer look at an object or scene.

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

In this chapter we will start by looking at the big picture – migration routes of the first Americans.

Now we will “zoom in” to see where the first Americans chose to live and how one group adapted to a particular environment.

• Which continents do you see?• The first Americans came to North & South America.

• What do you think these pictures represent?• The 4 kinds of environments in North America.

• What kind of environment do these people live?• This is an Inuit family living in the Arctic (very cold).

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

There are different ideas about how American Indians arrived in North America.

We will first learn what one American Indian group, the Hopis, believes about how it came to settle in what is now the Southwest region of the United States.

Let’s read pg. 18, section 2.2 – American Indian Origin Stories.

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Over time, many American Indian groups orally passed down stories to explain their history and experiences and recorded them for future generations – their ancestors.

Where did the American Indian group the Hopis (HO-pees) live when they settled in the United States? Southwest

What type of physical (land) characteristic do you think it’s like in that area of the U.S.? Desert

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

Let’s at the map on pg. 19, section 2.3 – Migration Routes to North and South America.

What does this map show? Which continents do you see? What do the arrows represent? According to this map, where did the first

Americans migrate from? Where did they migrate to?

• Why do you think the first Americans followed these routes?

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

In pairs, read pg. 19, section 2.3 – Migration Routes of the First Americans.

Summary after reading (write a paragraph with your partner):

What do scientists believe about when and why the first Americans came to North America?

What can you tell about the migration, using these terms as clues – migration route, Siberia, ice age, and big game ?

The first Americans came from Siberia during the last ice age. They followed big game to North America. The paths they followed are called migration routes. The routes went to all parts of North and South America.

• What do these 4 photos show?•How would you describe each

environment?

• What natural resources might be found in each environment?

• In which environment would it be easiest to survive?

• In which would it be hardest to survive? Why?

How did American Indians adapt to different environments in North America?

In pairs, read pg. 20-21, section 2.4 – American Indians and the Environment.

Summary after reading (just the main parts): What important points can you make about these four

natural environments, using these terms as clues – environment, grassland, desert, mountain and Arctic ice field?

American Indians settled in many types of environments. Here are four examples: Grasslands get enough rain to support grasses, but not trees or bushes. Deserts get almost no rain. Mountains get a lot of rain and snow. The Arctic ice fields are covered by sheets of ice for most of the year. Most of the first Americans settled in areas with lots of natural resources. Fewer people lived in the desert and Arctic regions.

How did American Indians adapt to the environment?

In pairs, read pg. 22-23, section 2.5 – American Indians adapt to the Environment.

Summary after reading (just the main parts): What important points can you make about how the

American Indians adapted to their environment, using these terms as clues – adapt, animal, Inuit and shelter?

American Indians had to adapt to their environment. The Inuits adapted to the harsh Arctic environment. They used animals for food and shelter. They sewed animal skins together to make clothing, blankets, and tents.

Act It Out – reporter/interview

“Act It Out” – I will assign you a question and you be interviewed – pretending to be one of the Inuit family members from the picture on page 22.

Use the visual clues in the picture to help you!!!

Each person in your group will get one question to answer as if you were the Inuit girl, father, or mother.

Using the information you learned from the readings, be ready to respond to my interview questions. Specifically pgs. 22-23

• This is an Inuit family living in the Arctic.

Act It Out – reporter/interview

Girl: How do you like living here? What do you do all day? What are your clothes made from? How do you help your parents?

Father: How do you like living here? How did you make your home? What do you do all day to help your family survive? What is the hardest thing about adapting to this

environment?

Act It Out – reporter/interview

Mother: How do you like living here? How do you prepare food for

your family? How do you help your family

survive in this environment? What will you do in the winter?