Cultural Compression

Overview of Lesson:

"The European idea that land ownership was absolute was a foreign concept to Native People. How can you own what belongs to the Creator of All Things? We are here but a little time and we must share to take care of our families. How can you deny me access to land I am willing to share with you? The English viewed land as power. In England the more land you owned, the more power you had with your own people. This was a cultural clash that still resounds today. The English need for land and their treatment of the Delaware set the example for the Native and European relations that followed." (Rena Dennison)

This clash in belief caused warfare. Victories and defeats were measured on both sides, but ultimately the territorial expansion of the white man caused Native American people to be moved from their homes. Changes in foods and lifestyles accompanied each of these moves. We want students to "feel" the impact that these moves had on the Native American population.

Video Synopsis:

The Removal
What happened to the Shawnee, the Seneca, the Mingo, the Delaware and the Wyandotte? Where are the great nations of Ohio today? The Removal explains the two main causes of Ohio's Native American population decrease: cultural compression and European settlers moving into Ohio.

Goal:

Students will simulate the removal of the Native American population in Ohio.

Objectives:

Social Studies Content Standards

Grade 4 Benchmark: People in Society

Indicator: Interaction

2. Describe the impact of the expansion of European settlements on American Indians in Ohio.

3. Explain the causes and effects of the frontier wars of the 1790s, including the Battle of Fallen Timbers, on American Indians in Ohio and the United States.

Language Arts Content Standards

Grade 4 Benchmark: Writing Applications

1. Write narratives that sequence events, including descriptive details and vivid language to develop plot, characters and setting and to establish a point of view.

Procedures:

Divide the class into four groups, three Native American clans and one group of settlers
Lay three blankets on the floor. Each blanket represents a settlement that one of the clans inhabits. Let each clan pick a name. Each clan (group) of Native Americans will inhabit one blanket.
In the Ohio tribes, a council of women chose the leader of the clan. To parallel this, the girls of the clan will select the "clan chief" from among the boys. It is important to talk about the criteria of a good leader and the importance of the role of women in this process.
Each of the clans goes to their settlement (blanket).
Each person in the clan should bring something they value to the settlement with them and dress alike in some way. (head or arm band, earring, etc.)
Each person in the clan gets some food. (Clan 1 gets cookies) (Clan 2 gets bread) (Clan 3 gets dried beans)
The chief of Clan 1 meets with the chief of the settlers. The settlers show the clan chief the treaty that allows the settlers to take the land of Clan 1.
Clan 1 must move with Clan 2. Too bad they can't take their possession or their food. (That type of food doesn't grow in their new location.) Too bad Clan 2 people laugh at the way they're dressed.
Now Settlement 2 is pretty crowded. Each person in Settlement 2 has to give some food and some space to the people from Clan 1.
The chief of Clan 2 now meets with the chief of the settlers and is shown the treaty that allows the settlers to take the land of Clan 2.
All of the people in Settlement 2 now have to move into Settlement 3. They also need to leave their food and possessions behind.
The settlers are now using the possessions and eating the food of Settlement 1 and 2. They're very comfortable but the clans are now all crowded onto one blanket. They have to share food and possessions.
This could be carried one more step where the settlers take the third settlement as well and the Clans have to go out of the room. This is the same as the clan leaving Ohio.
Students will write a narrative about their experience with this scenario from the point of view of the character that they portrayed.

Material:

3 blankets

Food for each group

Evaluation:

The narrative will be evaluated by the following rubric:

CATEGORY 20 15 10 5

Focus on Assigned Topic The entire story is related to the assigned topic and allows the reader to understand much more about the topic. Most of the story is related to the assigned topic. The story wanders off at one point, but the reader can still learn something about the topic. Some of the story is related to the assigned topic, but a reader does not learn much about the topic. No attempt has been made to relate the story to the assigned topic.

Organization The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions. The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used. The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear. Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged.

Introduction First paragraph has a ?grabber? or catchy beginning. First paragraph has a weak ?grabber.? A catchy beginning was attempted but was confusing rather than catchy. No attempt was made to catch the reader?s attention in the first paragraph.

Action Several action verbs (active voice) are used to describe what is happening in the story. The story seems exciting! Several action verbs are used to describe what is happening in the story, but the word choice doesn?t make the story as exciting as it could be. A variety of verbs (passive voice) are used and describe the action accurately but not in a very exciting way. Little variety seen in the verbs that are used. The story seems a little boring.

Characters The main characters are named and clearly described in text as well as pictures. Most readers could describe the characters accurately. The main characters are named and described. Most readers would have some idea of what the characters looked like. The main characters are named. The reader knows very little about the characters. It is hard to tell who the main characters are.

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