Name:__________________ Date:_____________

Native American Identity Museum Exhibit

Throughout this unit, we have been examining the complex identity of Native Americans. In our
studies, we have also analyzed the complex historical interactions between Native Americans and
the United States government. After learning about this relationship, you are now responsible for
creating a class-wide museum exhibit that demonstrates your understanding of Native Americans,
their identity, and the history of violence that they endured. As a whole class, you will be museum
curators, specialists and historians. Together, you will produce an exhibit that will be available for
all students at Conard High School.

For this exhibit, you will create professional posters that will be displayed all throughout Conard
High School. Each poster will examine one particular theme that is relevant to Native Americans,
their identity, or the history of violence that they endured. You will work in groups to create each
poster. Each poster will have the following:

● Title
○ What is the theme that you are trying to portray?
○ What is the overall message/narrative of your poster?
● Information
○ What are the main points that you are using to illustrate your theme?
○ What evidence can you cite to support the main points of your theme?
○ How does your theme connect to Native Americans, their identity, or the history of
violence that they endured?
○ Why is it important to study Native Americans, their identity, or the history of
violence that they endured?
● Picture
○ What picture could you use to portray your theme?
○ What artwork could you illustrate to portray your theme?

To create this museum exhibit, we are going to break the process down step by step. Below is the
breakdown of the process:

1. Determine the themes that you would like to explore further. Take a few minutes now to
consider some of these topics and issues that we have studied and write down those that
you would like to research and investigate.
2. As a whole class, we will vote on the themes that we will use for the exhibit. Please write
down the themes that we decide on together in the box below. Remember, each poster will
explore one theme. Please make sure that you choose themes that you will be interested in
researching and investigating further.

Class Themes:

3. Now, choose the top three themes that you are most interested in. You will submit these
to the teacher on a separate piece of paper and be placed in a group accordingly. We will
try our best to ensure that you are in a group that you want to be in. Once you have been
placed into a group, please write your group’s theme below.

Group Theme:

4. With your group, come up with some questions that you will help you explore your theme
further. These questions will guide your research on your theme and help you convey your
group’s message on your chosen theme to others.

Questions:
5. Now, choose a title for your poster that is representative of your theme. Write the title of
your poster below. Consider the following questions to guide your thinking:
● What is the theme you are trying to portray?
● What is the overall message/narrative of your poster?

Theme: _____________________________________________
6. Working together with your group, please assign each member of your group with one of
the following roles. Remember, these roles will be integral to putting your poster together,
so please choose a role that you will be most successful at.

I. Researcher: Your task will be to research and look up information on your

group’s specific theme. You are responsible for giving context on this theme. In
conducting research, consider the following questions. You will produce a set of
notes that will be given to the historian to aid in their writing of the explanation.
○ What are the main points that you are using to illustrate your theme?
○ What evidence can you cite to support the main points of your theme?
○ How does your theme connect to Native Americans, their identity, or the
history of violence that they endured?

II. Historian: Your task will be to use the information produced by the researcher and
write an explanation of your findings. In your explanation of your theme, consider
the following questions. You will produce a written explanation of your theme that
will be included on the poster.
○ What are the main points that you are using to illustrate your theme?
○ What evidence can you cite to support the main points of your theme?
○ How does your theme connect to Native Americans, their identity, or the
history of violence that they endured?

III. Illustrator: Your task will be to locate pictures or create artwork to represent your
group’s theme. You are responsible for making sure that the picture you find or the
artwork you create illustrates your theme and connects to Native Americans, their
identity, or the history of violence they endured. You will produce a caption to go
along with the image or artwork. For this caption, please write a brief explanation
of what the image or artwork is as well as any citation information that is needed.

IV. Curator: Your task will be to aid in putting the finished product together. You will
be working with the rest of your group to finalize your poster and your theme. You
will produce a design of what you would like your poster to look like on a separate
piece of paper. You will submit this design to the teacher.

V. Marketer: Your task is create a section of the poster that explains why this theme
is important to learn about. Why is it important to study Native Americans, their
identity, and the history of violence they endured? Feel free to make connections to
current events and current day issues that will support your group’s message.