One type of totem pole created by Native Americans uses people and animals to describe family or clan history. In this lesson, students will research their own family history and create a totem pole to reflect and communicate that history. In the process they will learn about symbols and how they are used. On This PageLesson plan information|
School level | | Curriculum areas | | Class time | | Software required | | • | Microsoft Internet Explorer | | • | Microsoft Office PowerPoint |
| Materials needed | |
Teacher guideGoals| • | Students are introduced to the concept of symbol. | | • | Students learn about Native American totem poles. | | • | Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. |
Objectives| • | Students research their family history. | | • | Students symbols to represent historic events in their family history and a totem pole combining those symbols. | | • | Students create an Office PowerPoint presentation showing their family history totem pole and explaining each symbol in it. |
Lesson procedureIntroductionDoes anyone know what a symbol is? A symbol is something visible—such as an object, a picture, or a written word or particular mark—that stands for something else that is invisible, like ideas, actions, or events. For example, a red eight-sided sign stands for STOP in our country. Is our American flag a symbol? What does it symbolize or stand for? What other symbols can you think of? You have all seen pictures of totem poles. But what do you really know about totem poles? Totem poles are collections of symbols that represent important events, stories, status, and kinship or clan relationships in the history of families in Native American tribes of the Pacific Northwest. This picture, for example, taken from a totem pole in Old Kasaan, Alaska, shows a Haida ancestor. 
Other poles show what clan a family belongs to, for example, the eagle clan, as in this photograph: 
Or the frog clan, as in this photograph. 
One exciting way to discover who you are is to find out about your family history. In this activity, you will interview family members about your family's history, find symbols to represent that history, and build your own totem pole with the symbols you choose to communicate who your family is. Main activityStep 1: Research your family history| • | Software: Microsoft Internet Explorer
| | • | What to do Research your family history, and select symbols to represent that history 1. | Read the Student directions and make sure you understand what you will be doing. | 2. | Talk with your parents, and find out as much as you can about your family history. Take notes on interesting elements of your family history. | 3. | Decide which symbols you are going to use to represent the different elements of your family history. Think about including totems other than people and animals (for example, a type of food or a national flag). Select four to five symbols. | 4. | Use clip art, digital cameras, or scanners to capture a digital picture of each totem. |
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Step 2: Create a totem pole of your family and an Office PowerPoint presentation| • | Software: Microsoft Office PowerPoint
| | • | What to do Build a totem pole of your family's history, and explain it in a PowerPoint presentation 1. | Create a PowerPoint presentation with the symbols you have collected. Experiment with stacking the pictures to form a totem pole. | 2. | Show the completed totem pole on the first slide of the presentation, with your name. | 3. | Create a slide to explain each of the symbols in your totem pole. | 4. | Save your presentation. | 5. | Practice talking about your slide show so that you can share it with your classmates. |
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ConclusionStudents can be assessed on their PowerPoint presentations. | • | They should have four or five symbols to represent their family history. | | • | Each symbol should be explained in the presentation. |
Materials neededLesson extension activities| • | Students can make totems to represent historical figures or characters in books. | | • | Students can use art materials to make three-dimensional models of their totem poles. |
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