Native American Games
 

A WebQuest for 2nd Grade

Designed by : Gina Hicks
ghicks@wmdc.edu
 
 

Introduction

Our class has been studying how Native Americans live, work and play. Guess who else has been studying about Native Americans? (Fifth graders!) At the end of our unit on Native Americans, we will host a Native American celebration for the fifth graders. We will show them that we know a lot about the culture of Native Americans too!

Your job is going to be to plan the Native American games that we play during the celebration.

What types of games did the Native American children play? What types of games do they still enjoy? Which of those games do you think fifth graders would enjoy?

The Task

After you have gathered information about the types of games Native Americans enjoy, you will need to write out the directions for how the games are played. You and your team will get a chance to persuade the class to choose one of your games for the celebration.

The Process

  1. Read all of the directions in this section before beginning your Quest.
  2. In your team of four students, choose a recorder to record information that you find on your Quest. You will need to get an organizer from the Writing Center to help you.
  3. When the parent volunteer calls your team to the

computer, you will visit the following sites (as a

team) to get information about the types of games

Native Americans played, or still play today.

    1. At the first site, read about two games, complete with step-

by-step directions, to get an idea of how to write directions.

http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/MISC/handgame.htm

(Retrieved from this site: The Miscellaneous Facts andGames pagehttp://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/misc/misc.htm on 07-07-02.

b. There are 8 games listed at the bottom of this next site, http://www.nativetech.org/games/ (NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art) Click on several game names. Read to find games that you would like to use for this project. For even more games, click on "Other Native American Games & Toys" at the bottom of the same page.

  1. Record two interesting games that

    2. you find. Your group will need to

    have at least two games to describe

    to the class. Keep in mind, fifth

    graders will be playing these games

    also. What Native American games do you think

    they would enjoy?

    5. Write the names of the games and

    step-by-step directions for both of the

    games that your team choose.

  2. As a team, find a place on the floor to work on your

    3. letter. Remember the letter is to the class

    persuading us to choose one, or both, of your games

    for the celebration. Remember to organize

    your thoughts for the letter by using an organizer

    from the Writing Center. Write your letter on

    notebook paper.

  3. Choose three reporters. One reporter will read the

directions to one of the games. The second

reporter will read the directions to the second

game. The third reporter will read the letter to the

class.

  1. Practice reading your set of directions or letter.

 

Evaluation

Your group will get one grade for this WebQuest. Use the rubric below to help guide your work.

Letter-Writing: Game Letter



Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY

4

3

2

1

Format

Have all the requirements for a persuasive letter.

Have almost all the requirements for a persuasive letter.

Have several of the requirements for a persuasive letter.

Have very few requirements of a persuasive letter.

Ideas

Ideas were expressed in a clear and organized fashion. It was easy to figure out what the letter was about.

Ideas were expressed in a pretty clear manner, but the organization could have been better.

Ideas were somewhat organized, but were not very clear. It took more than one reading to figure out what the letter was about.

The letter seemed to be a collection of unrelated sentences. It was very difficult to figure out what the letter was about.

Sentences & Paragraphs

Sentences and paragraphs are complete, well-constructed and of varied structure.

All sentences are complete and well-constructed (no fragments, no run-ons). Paragraphing is generally done well.

Most sentences are complete and well-constructed.

Paragraphing needs some work.

Many sentence fragments or run-on sentences OR paragraphing needs lots of work.

Date Created: 2002-07-07


Copyright. © 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997 ALTec, the University of Kansas

 

Conclusion

Native American children enjoy having fun just like you! You can teach your friends in your neighborhood the

games that you learned today. Did you have a favorite game? Did you read about an interesting game but your group didn't choose it? Did you hear a game described by another group and you would like the directions for it? If you want, click here to go back to this site and record the directions to your favorite game. Our celebration day is right around the corner!

Credits & References

Template and training materials found at The WebQuest Page

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/edweb_folder/Courses/EDTEC596/WebQuest_Template1.html

Clip art from: http://desperado.hypermart.net/free/page6.htm

For other Native American clip art click here

Music: Pocahontas song, "Color of the Wind"

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/lyrics/colwind.htm

 

Rubric Site: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Organizers: If you do not have organizers available in your Writing Center, click here for printable organizers. http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6293.html?s2

 

Other WebQuests on this topic can be found at:

Parent volunteers would be needed in the early grades to help with reading material at the sites.

1. http://horizon.nmsu.edu/ddl/wqthreesisters_k.html . Native American Three Sisters

Gardens. This WebQuest was designed, written, and implemented by Marykirk Cunningham, David McDavitt, and Beth Romero from Abingdon Elementary School in Arlcanwebquest.html

2. Native American Webquest - Created by Connections Students at Magnolia Park Elementary - Made By: Amy McClellan and Alex Young - Designed for fourth grade students

http://www2.mde.k12.ms.us/ossd/Magnolia/AA/Indian.html

3. This Land is Not Your Land This is My Land

(A Native American Webquest) Created by Connections Students at Magnolia Park Elementary A Webquest for Third Grade Students Designed By Haley Chapman, Alexander Bohn, Chelsea Brock - Fourth Grade Students at Magnolia Park Elementary in Ocean Springs, MS.

http://www2.mde.k12.ms.us/ossd/Magnolia/ahc/americanwebquest.html

4. A Native American Story by Joan Hill and Lori Barker (2nd-5th grade level)

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/sessions/indians/

5. Native American Adventure Created by Connections Students at Magnolia Park Elementary A WebQuest for Grade 3 Created by Third Grade Students Tyler Smith, Andy Reichel, and Melissa Dent http://www2.mde.k12.ms.us/ossd/Magnolia/MelAndyTyler/Webquest.html

Teacher reference:

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/nativeamericans/

A lesson plan for a native American Board game using Monopoly game as an example.