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8th Grade: Native American History and Survivance: Project Guidelines

A research guide for your History and Survivance poster.
First Nation Warrior by Natasha G/Pixabay

First Nation Warrior by Natasha G/Pixabay

"Whose Land?" photo by jetsonorama

poster by Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Dakota)

poster by Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Dakota)

Project Details

This project will require you to research the history of individual tribes as well as to investigate the ways in which these tribes are fighting the injustices they are experiencing today. Though there will be two groups working on each tribe (one from each homeroom), this is NOT a large group topic. Rather, your research will serve as an opportunity for you and your partners to become experts on a particular tribe. 

Grading

  • Content on Poster: The poster includes all required elements (photos, graphs/tables when appropriate, relevant facts and information). All elements clearly explain the topic. The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness. 
  • Presentation: Presenters are able to speak fluently about their topic. In-depth knowledge of subject matter is clearly apparent. There is a clear indication that the topic has been considered critically and all sides of the issue have been explored.
  • Annotated Bibliography: Each group member is responsible for their own set of (different) annotated sources. There are a minimum of 4 sources cited for the information presented on the poster. They are all from acceptable, trustworthy sites. You indicate, in a minimum of 5 sentences, why you chose the source, why the source itself is a legitimate place to find factual information, and how you used your source (what you learned, etc). There are (a minimum) of 2 primary sources included. 
  • Image Bibliography: There is a separate bibliography for the images you used on your poster.

Contact the Library

Profile Photo
Karen Grenke
Library Director
Contact: Website

Research

You will research both the history of the indigenous tribe to which you have been assigned and the way in which the tribe has demonstrated survivance today. 

 

History: What is the history of your tribe with respect to the US government/State government?

 

Survivance: Survivance is a term that means survival and resistance. How has your tribe demonstrated survivance today? Here are some possibilities (keep in mind that they do not apply to all tribes):

  • Education (has your tribe changed the way children are educated?)
  • Protests (individual or group)
  • Political office (perhaps there are members of your tribe who have won political office and have managed to demonstrate survivance in that way?)
  • Any other examples you find are also great. (Not sure? Ask me!)

 

As you research your topic, please consider the following questions:

  • Why is this topic important? Think critically.

  • Who is involved?

  • How have actions (or inactions) by the US government impacted your topic?

  • Are there people or organizations involved in making the situation better? Worse? How?

  • How have past events impacted your topic? (ie: broken treaties, politics, forced removal, etc)

  • Have recent events (COVID, Trump’s presidency, Biden’s presidency, etc) affected your topic?

 

TRIBES: Cherokee, Lakota, Ojibwe, Inuit, Kō Hawaiʻi Paeʻāina (Hawaiian Kingdom), Tlingit

Requirements

You will be creating a poster on which you will clearly present your information. Your finished poster should be neat, thorough, factually correct, and professional looking.

 

  1. Use pictures and maps to bring your topic to life.

  2. If applicable, use graphs or charts to more fully explain your topic.

  3. Title and detail anything (pictures, maps, graphs, charts, etc) you opt to put on your poster. 

  4. Compile your factual information in easy-to-read lists/bulleted outlines – don’t write long paragraphs.

  5. Are there words that need to be defined? Include those definitions on your poster.

Include an annotated bibliography of each of your sources. A minimum of 4 sources per person in your group is required for your FACTUAL INFORMATION. Each group member will submit their annotated bibliography to Schoology. Do not include it on your poster. Each group member will be graded individually on their annotated bibliography.

  1. Do not just list the URL in your bibliography. Please put each source into bibliographic format.
  2. If your group has 3 members, you must have a minimum of 12 UNIQUE sources. If your group has 4 members, you must have a minimum of 16 UNIQUE sources. Of the total number of sources, each group member is responsible for TWO primary sources.
  3. In addition to properly citing your sources, you must also, in a minimum of 5 sentences, explain why you chose the source, why the source itself is a legitimate place to find factual information, and how you used your source (what you learned, etc). Do not tell me that the source is a CARS/PICT source.
  4. Each of your annotations should be unique – please do not cut and paste the same explanation for each of your sources.
  5. The annotated bibliography serves as a way to share what you’ve learned with me. It’s a great place to mention that you had a particular question in mind when you found the source and what you learned from the source (or what you didn’t find).

Your group must provide a SEPARATE bibliography for all of the images you find (this does not have to be annotated). Please note that your image sources DO NOT count towards the required annotated sources. Your image bibliography should be on your poster.