J.

Whitney
Social Studies Curriculum Unit for Grades 4 & 5
Exploring Alaska Native Artifacts

Introduction

My unit provides a hands-on approach for students in grades fourth and fifth to compare
and contrast diverse artifacts from coastal and interior Alaska Native tribes. This unique
approach enables students to identify various artifacts and explore first-hand how they were
adapted by other tribes to better suit the needs of the indigenous people. Students at this age are
able to use complex reasoning to go beyond explaining or describing how and why the artifacts
differ from each other to justifying the how and why through application and evidence.
Students will benefit from this study by learning about Alaska Natives and how life
works in Alaskas vast environment, how one person or tribes story is affected by historic
events, and how it can influence history. They will investigate how the actions and decisions of
one generation profoundly affected the next. Perhaps the most important aspect of this unit, is
the demonstration that people of the past and present did interesting things. They will learn
about other cultures, what makes us different, and what we have in common.
With that being said, please feel free to use and/or adapt this unit to fit the interests of
your students and the objectives of your class. ENJOY!

Lessons
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Day 1: Exploring Traditional Territories of Alaska

PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
Learning Target/Focus
Students will learn the five traditional territories of Alaska Native cultures. They will locate each territory
on an Alaskan map and compare and contrast the environmental and tribal characteristics that make each
one unique.
Social Studies Standard (NCSS and district standards)
NCSS #3: People, Places, and Environments
ASD G. B4, B8: A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and
physical features of places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should discuss how
and why groups and individuals identify with places; compare, contrast, and predict how places and
regions change with time.
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
Students should already be familiar with what a map of Alaska looks like and understand basic concepts
such as location and regions as it relates to Alaska living environments.
LEARNING ACTIVITY AND ASSESSMENT
Learning Activity
Display a map of Alaska that shows the traditional territories of Alaska Native Culture. Explain how each
area has unique characteristics that dictate how each tribe lives off the land based on the environment they
are located in. Technology inclusion: Watch PBS Learning Media: The Spirit of Subsistence Living
(Cupik people of Chevak - coastal village) and PBS Learning Media: People of the Arctic (Inuit people
of Nunavut interior village) to illustrate the similarities and differences of coastal and interior
communities. Lead a group discussion comparing and contrasting the two. Record their answers. Art
integration: students draw a map of Alaska and label the five traditional territories of Alaska Native
cultures (map shown below).
Assessment
Informal 80% of the students will accurately draw and label their own map of traditional territories of
Alaska Native cultures. 85% of the students will actively participate in large group discussion comparing
and contrasting coastal and interior village life.

Day 2: What is a Detective?

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PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION

Learning Target/Focus
Students will identify and predict how and where Alaska Native artifacts are used and located; comparing
and contrasting them to their way of life and the lives depicting in various Alaskan tribes.
Social Studies Standard (NCSS and district standards)
NCSS #3: People, Places, and Environments
ASD G. B4, B8: A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and
physical features of places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should discuss how
and why groups and individuals identify with places; and compare, contrast, and predict how places and
regions change with time.
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
Students should be able to recall information from the first lesson regarding Alaskas vast environment
and how it impacts a way of life. Using the map, they drew from the first lesson, they can recall a coastal
or interior tribe that may have used one of the artifacts presented in this lesson.
LEARNING ACTIVITY AND ASSESSMENT
Learning Activity

Watch the introductory video clip, Alaska Native Artifact, pausing to answer and record student
responses to the questions.
Begin a large group discussion by asking: What is a detective? What/how do they do their job?
Teacher model - Show a familiar artifact. Predict/think out loud: What is it made out of? How
was it used? Is it still used today? What region was it used in? What tribe would benefit from it

the most? Why?

Guided student model Show an unfamiliar artifact. Students answer the same questions with
you.

Technology inclusion: Locate the region/tribe on an Alaskan map using the Smartboard program. Watch
video clip of object in use. Physical integration: Play Alaska Native music and have students tell a story
through dance.
Assessment
Informal: 85% of the students will actively participate in large group discussions, to include: (YouTube
video), What is a Detective?, and artifact identification.
Day 3: Collecting Information
PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
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Learning Target/Focus
Students will research, identify, and predict how and where Alaska Native artifacts are used and located.
Social Studies Standard (NCSS and district standards)
NCSS #3: People, Places, and Environment
ASD G. B4, B8: A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and
physical features of places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should discuss how
and why groups and individuals identify with places; and compare, contrast, and predict how places and
regions change with time.
Literacy Standard
W.4.8: Recall information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources;
take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources
W.5.8: Recall information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources;
summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
Students should be able to recall information presented in previous lessons regarding predictions of
artifacts and locate the general location of tribal territories utilizing the map they made.
LEARNING ACTIVITY AND ASSESSMENT
Learning Activity
Divide students up into at least 4 small groups (2 coastal villages, 2 interior villages), assign each group a
region and 3-4 artifacts. Instruct them to research the artifacts using computers, and/or research books to
answer: What does it appear to be? How was it made? How was it used? What does it tell us about the
people who made/used it? What does it tell us about the environment they live in? Instruct them to
record their findings in a social studies journal. Health integration: Discuss where their food came from.
Possible topics include: gathering, traditions, and nutrition of Alaska Native food (www.ankn.uaf.edu).
Technology inclusion: Using a Smartboard program, students will drag and click a familiar artifact to a
region. When placed correctly, a short video clip will play showing the object in use.
Assessment
Informal: At least 90% of the students will actively participate in their small groups, 75% will record their
findings in their observational journal, 75% will correctly identify the origin of artifacts on Smartboard.
Day 4: Putting it All Together
PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
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Learning Target/Focus
Working in small groups, students will compile the information they collected and prepare a visual aid
accurately illustrating their findings.
Social Studies Standard (NCSS and district standards)
NCSS #3: People, Places, and Environment
ASD G. B4, B8: A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and
physical features of places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should discuss how
and why groups and individuals identify with places; and compare, contrast, and predict how places and
regions change with time.
Literacy Standard
W.4.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of
a topic.
W.5.7: Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation
of different aspects of a topic.
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
Students should be able to recall information presented in previous lessons regarding predictions of
artifacts, general location of tribal territories utilizing the map they made, and their social studies journal.
LEARNING ACTIVITY AND ASSESSMENT
Learning Activity
Tell students they will work in the same small groups they were previously assigned too. Each group will
work together to prepare a poster board to share with the rest of the class. The requirements are: they
must include at least two of the artifacts they researched in the last lesson (include pictures and
information about each one), the location of the tribe, and everyone in the group must speak during the
presentation. Presentations will be given during the next lesson. Art integration: Students use markers
to prepare their posters for class presentation.
Assessment
Informal: At least 85% of the students will actively participate in their small groups.
Day 5: Presenting Our Findings
PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION
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Learning Target/Focus
In small groups, students will present their findings to the class.
Social Studies Standard (NCSS and district standards)
NCSS #3: People, Places, and Environment
ASD G. B4, B8: A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and
physical features of places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should discuss how
and why groups and individuals identify with places; and compare, contrast, and predict how places and
regions change with time.
Literacy Standard
SL.4.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using
appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive detail to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an
understandable pace.
SL.5.4: Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and suing appropriate
facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes, speak clearly at an understandable
pace.
Prior Knowledge and Experiences
Students should be able to recall information presented in previous lessons regarding predictions of
artifacts, general location of tribal territories utilizing the map they made, and their social studies journal.
LEARNING ACTIVITY AND ASSESSMENT
Learning Activity
In small groups, students will present their findings to the rest of the class using the visual aid they made
in the previous lesson. Pass out assessment papers (see below) to each student and tell them they will
assessing each other and themselves based on their overall performance today and their participation
throughout the course of the study.
Assessment
Informal: At least 85% of the students will actively participate in their presentations. Formal: 100% of
the students will grade each other on their overall presentations. Teacher will assign grades based on
informal observations throughout the unit, final presentation, and peer reviews (if relevant).

Needs Work

Developin
g

Good

GREAT!

Criteria

Accuracy of Information
Were the sources of information
presented?
Were the artifacts from the correct
tribal region?
Creativity/Presentation
Were there at least 2 artifacts
presented?
Was the poster colorful and
contain pictures?
Did you tell were the artifacts
were used, how they were made,
and what type of environment
they may have been used in?
Peer Assessment
Did you speak to the audience?
Did you keep your audience
interested and entertained?
Did you use proper vocabulary?
Participation and Use of Class
Time
Did you participate in discussions
and fully use your time in class to
help your group?
Your Name: ____________________________

Name of Tribe: _________________________

List one thing that you learned: ___________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Resources:
Alaska Native Knowledge Network. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from www.ankn.uaf.edu
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(Additional resources for health integration extension.)

PBS Learning Media: People of the Arctic. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ean08.sci.ess.earthsys.arcticppl/people-of-the-arctic/
(Inuit people of Nunavut - an interior village.)
PBS Learning Media: The Spirit of Subsistence Living. (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ean08.sci.life.evo.spirit/the-spirit-of-subsistence
-living/
(Cup'ik people of Chevak - a coastal village.)
Walter, P. (2012). Social Studies in Elementary Education (14th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Whitney, J. (2016.). Alaska Native Artifacts. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23of7GJMAs
(Video I created to be used in conjunction with the curriculum unit to introduce similarities and
differences of Alaskan tribes.)

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