What Does a Community Offer?

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This inquiry explores how early peoples on the northern Great Plains lived nomadic/migratory lifestyles or sedentary in a village. This topic is introduced through the investigation of the compelling question “what does a community offer?” The importance of understanding community development in this context is twofold: (1) students should be able to understand how different cultural traditions led to different types of communities among Native American tribes and (2) students will benefit from understanding how the reservation system was developed and how it continues to affect Native American communities to the present day. While progressing through the inquiry, students will analyze the changes occurring in on reservations and speculate future scenarios.

The terms “Native Americans” and “Native peoples” are used in this inquiry. The terms “American Indians” and “Indians” are used in much of the scholarly literature. In this inquiry, precise tribal names will be used when they are known.

This inquiry is expected to take two class periods; however, teachers are encouraged to adapt the inquiry to meet the needs and interests of their students and the amount of time they have available.

Inquiry Design Model (IDM) Blueprint™
Compelling Question
What does a community offer?
Standards and Practices
ND.6_12.4.1 Identify the Native American groups in North Dakota before European contact and describe their culture.
Staging the Question
Where did early peoples live and where do Native Americans live now?
Supporting Question 1
Supporting Question 2
Supporting Question 3
How did nomadic/migratory tribal nations, like the Oceti Sakowin and Chippewa, build communities?
How did sedentary tribal nations, like Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara, build communities?
How do modern tribes in North Dakota build communities on and off reservations?
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
Write a summary or outline of what life on the northern Great Plains was like for migratory tribes.
Write a summary or outline of what life on the northern Great Plains was life for sedentary, village and farming tribes.
Create a poster that depicts how Native American people build communities both on and off reservations.
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
  • Additional library and resources
  • Galleries/Historic Sites
  • NDNAEU
  • ND Studies online NA content
Summative Performance Task
Argument
How did the forced transition to reservation life affect Native American people, especially in terms of community structure? Construct an argument that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from historical sources while acknowledging competing views. Create a poster and present your argument to your class with evidence to support your claims.
Extension
Invite a Native American elder or tribal community representative or archeologist to speak to your class either in-person or virtually.
Taking Informed Action

Understand: Identify tribes who consider the land where your community is as part of their traditional homelands.

Assess: Determine what has happened to those people—who are they and where do they live now? Are their ways in which your community can support them today?

Act: Using the poster and additional research you conducted, create a short documentary film. Present the documentary to your community during a history fair.