Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford

Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: American Indians Grade Levels: 2nd Grade

Topic/Subject Areas: ________SOL VS 2 a - e ______________________

Key Words: ____Topography, American Indians, Environment, Culture, Virginia ___

Designed By: __Destiny Crawford _____ Time Frame: __2 weeks__

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit:

Students will learn about different American Indians groups as well as different geographic
features of Virginia. Students will understand how the American Indians related to their
environment, such as specific rivers, and how the changing of seasons affected their everyday
lives. Students will have the opportunity to explore Indian culture, dress in Indian clothing, and
eat American Indian food. Students will be required, at the end of the unit, to present a project to
their class of a map they have created, containing different landmarks and their significance.

Unit design status: Completed template pages – stages 1, 2, 3

X
Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations x Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ____________)

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford

STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: The Physical Geography and Native Peoples

Established Goals:
The student will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between physical geography and the lives of
the native peoples, past and present, of Virginia by
a) locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States;
b) locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains,
Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean,
Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac River, Rappahannock River, and Lake
Drummond and the Dismal Swamp);
d) locating three American Indian language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian)
on a map of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians related to the climate and their environment to secure food,
clothing, and shelter;

Understandings: Students will understand that… Essential Questions:

• The Native Americans various geographic areas
can be identified on maps by locating coastal
plains, bordering states and rivers from early
history.
• Native Americans had a different way of living
than what we are used to today, because they
spoke in different languages and could only use
the raw materials from their environment.
• American Indians had to adapt to their
environment because their food, shelter and
clothing had to change with the seasons
• Why is it important to understand the lives and
location of Native Americans?
• How did the Native American adapt to climate
change during seasons, concerning food and
clothing?
• How was the environment different for the
American Indians versus how we interact with
our environment?
• How did the rivers and costal plains affect the
American Indians everyday life?
• How does the early life of the American Indians
affect students life today?
• How could you locate a specific group of Indians
just by observation?

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford
Students will know:
• Key bodies of water that here inhabited and
important to the American Indians such as the
Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River,
York River, Potomac River, Rappahannock
River, and Lake Drummond and the Dismal
Swamp
• American Indians have affected the way we see
government, agriculture, food and medicine
today
• The difference between Indian tribes based on
their customs and languages (the Algonquian,
the Siouan, and the Iroquoian)
• How the American Indians struggled during the
winter to find food and keep themselves warm
• The geographical coastal plains that related to
the American Indians such as the Piedmont,
Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and
Appalachian Plateau
Students will be able to:
• Use a map to recognize bodies of water that
were important and topographic patterns to
identify where the American Indians lived
• Identify the tools the American Indians used to
find food, shelter and clothing throughout the
changing seasons
• Locate different American Indian tribes based
on the environment and the language that was
spoken.
• Identify the borders of Virginia and the states
that neighbor it
• Utilize various features on a map and be able to
navigate through American Indian territories
• Use research skills to develop an understanding
of the American Indians everyday life and the
struggles they faced

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford
Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:

• G.R.A.S.P.S. final project - Students will act as

• 5 item multiple choice quiz - covering the
a tour guide for an American Indian reserve.
geographical areas of the American Indians and
They will be responsible for creating a map for
the environmental challenges they faced
the tourists as well as a description of why
• Homework - Have students ask about their
various landmarks are important.
heritage and if any of their distant relatives were
• Craft - Students can make teepees out of waffle
American Indians
cones and create a scenic representation of the
• Dress up day! - Students get to dress up in what
American Indians lives through icing and other
the American Indians would typically wear.
edible treats.
Students can also bring foods the Indians would
• Jigsaw map - Students will get into groups each
eat such as berries and plant based foods.
assigned to a part of Virginia. They will list the
American Indians that lived their as well as the
nature and environment. At the end the students
will piece together the different parts to create a
full map.
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

• Emoji Worksheet - Children are given a worksheet to take home with various questions about themselves,
such as ‘did you have a good day’. Students then circle the emoji that represents their answer. (smile for yes,
sad for no)
• Exit ticket - Student will take a slip of paper after every class writing down a question they still have about the
lesson to the teacher. If they do not have a question they can write their favorite things they remember about
the day.
• Journal - Students should journal everyday about specific things that they struggle with, helping them develop
self-reflection skills. This journal is more of a letter between student and teacher, as the teacher can ‘secretly’
write back and forth with the students, helping them in their area of need while getting a better understanding
of where the child is at.

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford

Summary of Learning Activities:

(list by number here and then complete the week-by-week planning calendar below using the same information)

1. Students will fill out a KWL chart for a pre-assessment of the information. Included in the worksheet, students will
write what they already know about American Indians, what questions they have and what they want to learn.
2. Hooking students the teacher will conduct a guess box activity. Each of the students have an opportunity to feel
what is in the mystery box without seeing it, and guess what it is. (Inside the box can be traditional Indian clothing or
materials they built their houses with)
3. Introduce the Lesson to student by asking essential questions
4. Have students state the objectives for the lesson according the SOL’s with “I can” statements
5. Explain the students final G.R.A.S.P.S. project, where they are to create a map with in depth descriptions about
American Indian life and environment
6. Engage students by watching a short descriptive video about the American Indians with real- life pictures.
7. Introduce SOL ‘e’ and ‘d’ through reading literature and taking notes on key Indians groups and customs.
Throughout the lesson, students will keep a journal of the things they learned and questions they have, to be
exchanged with the teacher everyday. (The teacher will use this as a way to privately talk back and forth between
the students.) (Rutherford pg. 228)
8. Activity “Indian for a day” - have student draw a narrative of the different types of food, clothing and shelter the
Indians used relative to their environment. (Three groups of students divided by reading and language level for
differentiation)
9. Assess students based on the quality of their presentation and their individual exit ticket answers
10. Introduce SOL ‘a’ and ‘c’ by showing an interactive map on the board of Virginia’s border and coastal plains
11. Activate student understanding by playing four corners. Teacher will point to an area in Virginia and the students will
go to the corresponding corner that matches the area of Virginia.
12. Students will then complete a 5 item quiz do assess their understanding of the geographical elements of the lesson
13. Discuss essential questions with students, such as the importance American Indians had on todays society, and
how different groups of Indians interacted with their environment.
14. Students will conduct a fishbowl exercise where they will discuss prompted questions from the board. The two
circles can be divided by expert and novice, with the speaker being the expert, or regular dialogue between two
students for differentiation.
15. Teacher will read a book to the students about how the American Indians affected todays culture and their
geographical landmarks.
16. Introduce SOL ‘c’ and how these water features were important to the survival of the Indians
17. Jigsaw Activity - Students will get into groups each assigned to a part of Virginia. They will list the American Indians
that lived their as well as the nature and environment. At the end the students will piece together the different parts
to create a full map. (Rutherford pg. 242)
18. Student reflect on the lesson by using a think-pair-share exercise to promote discussion between their peers.
Student are also given a take home emoji worksheet, that asks them to evaluate their understanding of the
information that was learned.
19. Dress up day, Students get to dress up in what the American Indians would typically wear! Students can also bring
foods the Indians would eat such as berries and plant based foods.
20. Students will make teepees out of waffle cones and tradition American Indian houses out of graham crackers.
Students can create a scenic representation of the American Indians lives through icing and other edible treats.
21. Teacher will review the material with the students that has been taught over the last week. Students will summarize
the information that has been given by posting sticky notes in chronological order about what they learned in the
previous lessons. This will include the various food, clothing and shelter of the Indians as well as important coastal
plains, bodies of water important to the Indians, and the Virginia borders.
22. Have students, for homework, ask about their heritage and any distant relatives they may have. In addition the
student will take home a blank map, are are to fill in different areas of Virginia, including coastal plains and bodies of
water. (This will be used in their final G.R.A.S.P.S. project)
23. In class, students will peer review each others maps. Then the teacher will specify which areas contain the specific
tribes of American Indians. (Rutherford pg. 197)
24. Students will begin forming their map to tailor their tour guide. They will independently provide descriptions of
importance beneath the the areas in their map.
25. The teacher will oversee the students work to ensure they are on the right path and conduct a yellow, green and red
survey to assess the students confidence in the material. (Student will complete the presentation for homework but
3/4 of their project should be completed in class.
26. Students will present their final project to the class and be graded on accuracy of information, accuracy of artifact
and overall articulation.

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford

Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Consider the WHERETO elements. You must include enough instruction for 10 lessons.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday

1.Students will fill out a KWL chart
for a pre-assessment of the
information. Included in the
worksheet, students will write what
they already know about American
Indians, what questions they have
and what they want to learn.
1. Hooking students the teacher will
conduct a guess box activity.
Each of the students have an
opportunity to feel what is in the
mystery box without seeing it, and
guess what it is. (Inside the box
can be traditional Indian clothing
or materials they built their houses
with)
2. Introduce the Lesson to student by
asking essential questions
2.Introduce the Lesson to student
by asking essential questions
1. Have students state the objectives
for the lesson according the SOL’s
with “I can” statements
2. Explain the students final
G.R.A.S.P.S. project, where they
are to create a map with in depths
description about American Indian
life and environment
3. Engage students by watching a
short descriptive video about the
American Indians including real-life
pictures
3. Introduce SOL ‘e’ and ‘d’ through
reading literature and taking notes
on key Indians groups and
customs. Throughout the lesson,
students will keep a journal of the
things they learned and questions
they have, to be exchanged with
the teacher everyday. (The teacher
will use this as a way to privately
talk back and forth between the
students.)
1. Activity “Indian for a day” - have
student draw a narrative of the
different types of food, clothing and
shelter the Indians used relative to
their environment. (Three groups of
students divided by reading and
language level for differentiation)
2. Assess students based on the
quality of their presentation and
their individual exit ticket answers

6.Introduce SOL ‘c’ and how these 7.Dress up day! Students get to 8.Teacher will review the material
water features were important to dress up in what the American with the students that has been
the survival of the Indians Indians would typically wear. taught over the last week. Students
1. Jigsaw Activity - Students will get Students can also bring foods the will summarize the information that
into groups each assigned to a part Indians would eat such as berries has been given by posting sticky
of Virginia. They will list the and plant based foods. notes in chronological order about
American Indians that lived their as 1. Students will make teepees out of what they learned in the previous
well as the nature and waffle cones and tradition lessons. This will include the
environment. At the end the American Indian houses out of
students will piece together the various food, clothing and shelter of
graham crackers. Students can the Indians as well as important
different parts to create a full map. create a scenic representation of
2. Student reflect on the lesson by coastal plains, bodies of water
the American Indians lives through
using a think-pair-share exercise to icing and other edible treats. important to the Indians, and the
promote discussion between their Virginia borders.
peers. Student are also given a 1. Have students, for homework, ask
take home emoji worksheet, that about their heritage and any distant
asks them to evaluate their relatives they may have. In addition
understanding of the information the student will take home a blank
that was learned. map, are are to fill in different
areas of Virginia, including coastal
plains and bodies of water. (This
will be used in their final
G.R.A.S.P.S. project)

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford

Thursday Friday

4. Introduce SOL ‘a’ and ‘c’ by showing an interactive
map on the board of Virginia’s border and coastal
plains
1. Activate student understanding by playing four corners.
Teacher will point to an area in Virginia and the students
will go to the corresponding corner that matches the
area of Virginia.
2. Students will then complete a 5 item quiz do assess
their understanding of the geographical elements of the
lesson
5. Discuss essential questions with students, such as
the importance American Indians had on todays
society, and how different groups of Indians interacted
with their environment.
1. Students will conduct a fishbowl exercise where they will
discuss prompted questions from the board. The two
circles can be divided by expert and novice, with the
speaker being the expert, or regular dialogue between
two students.
2. Teacher will read a book to the students about how the
American Indians affected todays culture and their
geographical landmarks.

9. In class, students will peer review each others 10. Students will present their final project to the class
maps. Then the teacher will specify which areas and be graded on accuracy of information, accuracy of
contain the specific tribes of American Indians. the artifact and overall performance presence.
1. Students will begin forming their map to tailor their tour
guide. They will independently provide descriptions of
importance beneath the the areas in their map.
2. The teacher will oversee the students work to ensure
they are on the right path and conduct a yellow, green
and red survey to assess the students confidence in the
material. (Student will complete the presentation for
homework but 3/4 of their project should be completed
in class.)

Great Job! 100 - 85 Almost There! 85 - Nice Start! 70 - %

Criteria % 70 %
American Indians map
project

Knowledge of Students show Students convey a Students convey false

American Indians exemplary
understanding of their
characteristics and
environment.
Evidence of
understanding is
shown through their
expression of daily
life of the American
Indians through the
descriptions in their
map.
thoughtful
understanding of the
American Indian lives
but fail to include
major concepts such
as significant bodies
of water or
environmental
challenges in their
description.
information or
unrelated information
about the American
Indians in their
descriptions. They
show little
understanding of
significant locations
and/or American
Indian life.

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic: American Indians Subject: Social Studies Grade: 2nd Designer: Destiny Crawford
Great Job! 100 - 85 Almost There! 85 - Nice Start! 70 - %
Criteria % 70 %
American Indians map
project

Relevancy of artifact Artifact has clear Artifact has relevancy Artifact has little to no
relevancy of an to the American relation to the
American Indian Indians but is American Indians and
group. Prop can be noticeably from this cannot be related to
appropriately used by time period and is not their environment.
the American Indians cohesive with the
and is cohesive with locations on the map.
the areas in the map.
Prop gives the
tourists a tool to see
the inside the life of
the American Indians.
Neatness and Clear landmarks, Shows proficient Map does not show
accuracy of map bodies of water and understanding of an accurate
coastal plains of the some significant representation of the
American Indians are landmarks. Map has environment of the
apparent. Students unclear order and American Indians.
draw the map in little illustration of the The map is not
chronological order. environment. cohesive,
Students are creative, unorganized and
using colors and shows little effort nor
accurate drawings creativity.

Rutherford, P. (2015). Instruction for all students. Alexandria, VA: Just ASK.

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)