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Totally Totem

Totally Totem

Susan M. Layden

Fox Creek Elementary

Summer 2005

Tlingi totem pole, deserted CapeFox village,Alaska,1899,

American Indians of the PacificNorthwest

UniversityofWashingtonLibraries,NA2134

Fourth grade students will engage in activities which will demonstrate the meaning of the word “legacy” as it relates to Native American totem poles of Alaska in the West Region usingthe Social Studies Text – Regions: Adventures in Time and Place, McGraw Hill and National Geographic Society, and primary source materials from the Library of Congress,. Students will discover the significance of totem poles related to the Alaskan native cultures, and integrate what they learn into designing a personal totem pole that represents their own family histories.

Overview/State Standards/Resources/Procedures/Evaluation/Extensions

Overview Back to Navigation Bar
Objectives / Students will:
  • Recall family heritage information and state this information as part of discussion with partners and groups.
  • Using a Q&A guide, students will explain and describe what they see in historical photographs.
  • Analyze and interpret information extracted from the native culture website to illustrate why totems are used within the culture.
  • Design their personal totem pole using their family heritage information.

Recommended time frame / 4-5, 45 minute class periods/Family Interview Homework
Grade level / 4th
Curriculum fit / Social Science
Resources /
  • Family Heritage Interview Q&A
  • TotemInformation Sheet
  • Totem Pole photo 1
  • Totem Pole photo 2
  • Historical Photo Analysis
  • Totem Pole Requirements/Directions
  • Image Table
  • Alaska Native Heritage Center website

IllinoisState Learning Standards Back to Navigation Bar
Language Arts:
GOAL 4: Listen and speak effectively in a variety of situations.
4.B. Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
  • 4.B.2b – Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.
Social Science:
GOAL 16: Understand events, trends, individuals and movements shaping the history of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
16.A. Apply the skills of historical analysis and interpretation.
  • 16.A.2C – Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.
GOAL 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States.
17.C. Understand relationships between geographic factors and society.
  • 17.C.2a – Describe how natural events in the physical environment affect human activities.
GOAL 18: Understand social systems, with an emphasis on the United States.
18.A. Compare characteristics of culture as reflected in language, literature, the arts, traditions and institutions.
  • 18.A.2 – Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales, music, media and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.

Procedures Back to Navigation Bar
On the weekend prior to totem activities, students will briefly interview parents or other family members about their family heritage.
Day One:
  • Using textbook, Regions – Adventures in Time and Place p. 362-363 Teacher’s Guide, the whole class will read and discuss following the lesson overview and objective from the text.
  • Discussion will center on symbols to denote family, such as initials or family crests. Text paragraphs and pictures illustrate the use of wood as a resource for the art of carving totems, and give a brief overview of the Alaskan culture. Students will examine the pictures on the text pages.
  • Students will then partner up, and briefly share the information obtained from their family interviews, and then examine photo 1 and photo2 from the Library of Congress collection depicting totems of the past.
  • Students will complete a Q&A sheet for each picture with their partner and then share and discuss further with another pair of students.
Day Two:
  • Students will examine, read and explore the Alaska Native Heritage Center website with a partner to learn about the cultures that utilize totem poles, why totem poles are significant within that culture, and will answer questions about totems from the site.
Day Three:
  • Students will use their family heritage interview sheet to sketch depictions of totem figures to be used on a personal totem pole. Students should decide how much detail to put on totem figures and map out colors to be used.
  • After the teacher has checked the sketches, students will be given the materials to begin making totem figures.Totem Pole Requirements and Directions
Day Four – Five:
  • Students will construct and prepare totem figures to be attached to a totem. If a student completes the totem before the end of the class period on the 5th day, they may write a descriptive narrative of one or more of their totem figures describing what areas of their heritage are being highlighted with their totem.

Materials For Personal Totem Pole***

8 ½”X 11” white card stock
construction paper
scissors
model magic
crayons/markers
modeling clay
stapler/glue
¼ “X2 ½ “X3’ lathe (one for each child)
***Materials will vary per teacher and class specs
Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar
  • Rubric

Extensions
  • Additional totem figures, descriptive narrative for each totem figure
  • Investigate other websites for totem poles/additional totem information sheets

An Adventure of the American Mind

IllinoisStateUniversity