The Creation of the Menominee and the Clan system
Lesson #: 12
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
Materials
Introduction/Investment
Start the class with telling the students to close their eyes and listen to the story. This will be very similar to the activities that are done in the Language Arts portion of the unit.
Play this audiotape that describes and have the students listen to the story. Ask them what it makes them feel. Make sure to emphasize the different animals that the speaker talks about because that will be important.
Content
For the important content, see the “whole group Activity” because the content being taught is contained in that part of the lesson.
Whole-Class Activity
Break up the class into five different groups. The five groups are:
Bear – The speakers of the Tribe
Ask the students what its like to not be an expert in everything. Talk about the dependence on each of the groups.
Practice
For this part of the lesson, have the students write in their journals what it felt like to have that dependence on the other parts of the tribe.
What can you relate these clan structures to in your lives right now?
Assessment
The students’ assessment will be a homework assignment. Have the students discuss what they feel when they think of the following things in the context of being part of a clan structure.
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
Materials
- http://www.uwsp.edu/museum/menomineeclans/origintext.shtm
- Journals
Introduction/Investment
Start the class with telling the students to close their eyes and listen to the story. This will be very similar to the activities that are done in the Language Arts portion of the unit.
Play this audiotape that describes and have the students listen to the story. Ask them what it makes them feel. Make sure to emphasize the different animals that the speaker talks about because that will be important.
Content
For the important content, see the “whole group Activity” because the content being taught is contained in that part of the lesson.
- Menominee did not have one sole leader
- Clans and clan leaders were part of a committee that ran the nation and made decisions
- Each of the clans was responsible for one area but the decisions were made a group and even within the clans, decisions were not delegated to one person
- Huge emphasis on the community running the clan and there was a shared responsibility for anything and everything.
Whole-Class Activity
Break up the class into five different groups. The five groups are:
Bear – The speakers of the Tribe
- The leaders of the tribe but only because of a mutual respect
- Fought the battles but also served as major opponents to war
- Hunters and gatherers of the tribe responsible for food other than rice
- Responsible for buildings and necessary objects like baskets, canoes, bags, etc.
- In charge of harvesting, distributing and protection of rice. Very important to the Menominee.
Ask the students what its like to not be an expert in everything. Talk about the dependence on each of the groups.
Practice
For this part of the lesson, have the students write in their journals what it felt like to have that dependence on the other parts of the tribe.
What can you relate these clan structures to in your lives right now?
Assessment
The students’ assessment will be a homework assignment. Have the students discuss what they feel when they think of the following things in the context of being part of a clan structure.
- Police
- Firefighter
- Doctor
- Teacher
