4th Grade Nebraska Studies

Native American Village and Report Project

Due: February 12th, 2018

Each student is to create a village scene depicting the life of a Native American tribe that lived on the Nebraska plains in the 1800s. Students will also write a report describing their Native American scene and tribe.

Material:

  • Nothing larger than a 12”x 24” cardboard or hard

surface base

  • Paper scraps, markers, twigs, dirt, gravel, cloth, leaves, glue, and anything else that may help

(I encourage students to create the village with homemade items. Although you may decide to use store-bought animals or figurines in some capacity, a village with more homemade items will receive MORE points and a higher grade.)

Report Procedure:

Along with the Native American diorama, each student will give an oral report about the tribe they selected. They will read their report when they present their diorama to the rest of the class. These reports should be researched at home using books or the internet for references. There are some books available in my room. Students may only check them out for short periods so everyone gets a chance to use them. I’m expecting these reports to be 2-3 paragraphs long. Reports can be written out or put on note cards, whichever is more comfortable for the student. Reports also need to be practiced with a parent at home and be brought with the diorama.

Diorama Procedure:

  • Select one of the following tribes for your project

  • Ponca
  • Omaha
  • Otoe
  • Missouri
  • Pawnee
  • Dakota (Sioux)
  • Arapaho
  • Cheyenne

  • Use your box/surface to make the environment of your tribe. Did they live near a river, lake, hills, or a forest? Use dirt, sand, leaves, or other natural things to create the land of your tribe
  • Create more than one home to show a village scene. Did your tribe live in tipis or earth lodges?
  • Make sure to include men, women, and children in your diorama
  • Show your tribe hunting, farming, or both
  • Include the cooking utensils they used
  • Show the type of weapons used
  • Include anything else you think your village would have

*On the following pages, you will find a grading rubric for each part of this assignment including my expectations. Please feel free to email me with any questions at

Native American Diorama Grading Criteria

Criteria / Possible Points / Points Earned
Displayed tribal homes appropriately / 20
Men, women, & children are shown in correct dress / 20
Displayed a farming or hunting scene / 20
Displayed cooking utensils / 10
Displayed weapons / 10
Showed other examples of customs or culture / 5
Showed effort displaying environment of village / 15
TOTAL / 100

Native American Report Grading Criteria

Criteria / Possible Points / Points Earned
Tell the location of the tribe / 10
Tell if they were nomadic or farmers / 10
Describe how the homes were made / 20
Describe what the members of the tribe did / 20
Tell how men, women, and children dressed / 10
Describe what the tribe ate / 10
Explain any weapons they used or made / 15
Explain additional customs or rituals / 5
TOTAL / 100