Integrating Geography and Native American Tribes

                                                                

Asking the essential question: what influence did geography have on Native American tribes?  My Social Studies Research Methods class utilized the jigsaw, a social interactive strategy for learning in the classroom. 

 The class broke up into groups of 5 (base groups).  Each group member was assigned a Native American tribe to research focusing information related to geography.  The members of each base with the same tribe collaborated together creating expert groups who were then responsible for teaching the learned material to members of the base group.

Giving students the opportunity not only to learn material but to teach it to others allows allows for an increase in understanding and an ability to remember content material. Students are actively engaged with the curriculum.  This is also a forum where students learn to work cooperatively and develop social skills.

Each group member in my class was assigned one of the following:

• The Iroqois
• The Tlingit
• The Navajo
• The Muskogee
• The Lakota

Myself and Lindsay, as members of the expert group put together the Prezi below to share what we learned about the Tlingit tribe.  Click on it to check it out...

Click on the Prezi below to see the presentation that was then developed by the base group which highlighted the information from all 5 tribes.

It was a positive learning experience for all and we ended the activity with a treasure hunt using QR codes.

More Technology....

Teacher candidate students in the class used IPads or IPods to scan bar codes and then read the question that come up to move onto the next station...It was fun and highly interactive!

Take a look at the following sites for information on QR codes:

For information: Class Tech Tips

To download IPod and IPad:  ITunes

Download For Android:  Google Play

Download For Smart Phones: App World