As part of our Native American study, we learned about wants vs. needs, and what Native Americans needed and used for survival. One area of discussion was shelter, and that Native Americans had to use the resources available to them in their environment. We learned about the different types of homes that different tribes lived in, such as Longhouses, teepees, igloos, wigwams, pueblos, etc. After learning about the benefits of each type of housing, the students were assigned a project to build a replica of a Native American home of their choosing. Students were able to choose how they wanted to work (alone, in pairs or in groups), as well as which materials they wanted to use. We made sure to come up with a plan, of what to build and how, before choosing their materials. The students had to work and problem solve, with minimal guidance from me. Their goal was to build a home structure that could withstand the elements - in particular, the wind (aka my hair dryer). I'm happy to report that every home built withstood the wind!!! Not one structure was blown apart. It was a great, fun experience!
Slideshow 1: Coming up with a plan, a strategy and building.
Slideshow 2: The test against the elements (wind)!
Photographer credit: Nolan