Curated OER
Totem Poles - Storytellers of Long Ago
Third graders should enjoy these fabulous lessons on Totem Poles created by Native Americans of the Northwest. Learners investigate what totems are, the meaning of their symbols and figures, and how they were made by the Native...
Minnesota Department of Natural Resoures
Getting to Know Trees
Celebrate the beauty of trees with a packet full of activities designed to help kindergarteners get to know about their leafy nature friends. Covering a variety of subjects, scholars go on a nature hike, read Shel Silverstein's The...
Pinecrest Preparatory Middle and High School
Touching Spirit Bear: Final Novel Project
Close up your study of Touching Spirit Bear with any of these assessment options. Each of the four project options is described in detail. Also included is a page that learners can use to portion out their time to make sure they fulfill...
Curated OER
Whale in the Sky
Students gain a greater understanding of Native Americans and why they build totem poles. They listen to a story and then create a similar story of their own.
Curated OER
Indian Village ( Totem Poles)
Students become familiar with Indian culture and why they built totem poles. In this totem pole lesson, students understand that totem were built to keep away evil spirits. Students create totem pole.
Curated OER
Totem Poles -- Storytellers of Long Ago
Third graders discover the main purpose for totem poles was to communicate with others. In groups, they compare and contrast the four types of totem poles and the various symbols used. They write their own stories based off of pictures...
Curated OER
Literature: "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelson
Students participate in various activities regarding the book, Touching Spirit Bear. They examine the Native American Tlingit tribe, and discuss anger, forgiveness and Spirit Bears.
Curated OER
Mini Totems
Young scholars create a totem pole in the vain of those made by tribes of British Columbia and Alaska.
Curated OER
TOTEM POLES
Second graders learn the cultural significance of Totem poles and create a section of a totem pole in the style of the Northwest Indians using foil and markers.
Other
Carving at Skidegate
A site describing the process artists use to carve and raise a totem pole at Skidegate. Great photos and descriptions of the tools, preparations, and the animals carved into this fabulous piece of artwork.
Text Project
Text Project: Fyi for Kids: Vol. 2, Issue 3: Totem Poles [Pdf]
This magazine article provides information about Totem Poles such as what they are made of, their purpose, and who makes them.
Other
New Haven Unified School District: Peoples of the Northwest
Learn about the Kwakiutl, Native Americans of the Northwest culture region. Richly illustrated, this school-sponsored site emphasizes the link between Native traditions and the natural resources of the region.