Lesson Totem Poles

Lesson: Native American Totem Poles

Grade Level: High School

Background: Finding authentic information on the culture of the Native American

tribes of The Unites States is becoming increasingly difficult. It is important for

students to understand that the Native Americans of the United States are not

part of one nation, but are instead a group of several diverse tribes, each with it?s

own unique sense of culture and identity. For this lesson, students will explore

the history and culture of the tribes of the northwestern areas of

Washington/Canada. The lesson will review the practical and spiritual forms of

Native American crafts/art. Specifically, students will analyze the history and

spiritual purposes of Native American totem poles.

Standards: 1.6, 8.1, 8.3, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4

Goal: Students will work together in groups to create a totem pole, which

integrates animals that personify the personalities of each student in the group.

Objectives (students will be able to):

1. Identify cultural traits of the North Western Native American tribes

2. Demonstrate subtractive sculptural techniques

3. Put into practice the theories behind metaphoric anthropomorphism

Requirements: Each student will be required to create a totem by carving

insulation foam. The totem should contain three animals that each represents an

aspect of the student?s personality. Conceptual thumbnail sketches will be

required before foam is distributed.

Resources: Powerpoint presentation, exemplar, reference images

Materials: Sharpie markers, paper, insulation foam, hot-wire cutters, hacksaws,

paint brushes, acrylic paint, tarps, PCV glue

Teacher Prep: A Powerpoint presentation must be constructed to present lesson

directions as well as the history of the North Western Native American tribes.

This lesson should be conducted during warm weather, as all carving must take

place outside.

Lesson Layout:

1. Presentation of lesson directions and Native American Culture

2. Group partners will be paired together

3. Preparation with thumbnail sketches

4. Preparation of insulation foam blocks

5. Outdoor carving

6. Totem pole painting

7. Group Critique

Closure: Group critique and final artistic statement

Adaptations: (pending each class?s unique IEP?s)

Time Budget:

1 class: lesson intro

2 classes: totem preplanning and sketching

1 class: foam preparation

4-5 classes: foam carving

3 classes: totem painting

1 class: Group critique/closure

Vocabulary:

Totem Pole- A post carved and painted with a series of family or clan crests or

with figures representing mythic beings and erected usually before a dwelling, as

among certain Native American peoples of the northwest coast of North America

Anthropomorphism- Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior

to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena

Subtractive Sculpture- The act of creating sculpture by subtracting material from

the whole to delineate a form

Safety Concerns: Students must use caution when using hacksaws and hot-wire

cutters. In addition, all carving must be done outdoors to avoid the toxic fumes

produced from cutting the insulation foam with hot-wire cutters.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download