Plains Indians Way of Life

US History Reconstruction Era and the Western Frontier Plains Indians Way of Life
Students learn about the Plains Indians and their way of life. Then, they learn about the importance of the American bison to the Plains tribes and how the near extinction of the buffalo affected them. Finally, students select a Plains Indian tribe for further research.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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The Pack contains associated resources for the learning experience, typically in the form of articles and videos. There is a teacher Pack (with only teacher information) and a student Pack (which contains only student information). As a teacher, you can toggle between both to see everything.

Here are the teacher pack items for Plains Indians Way of Life:

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Overview

In this experience, students learn about the Plains Indians and their way of life. Then, they learn about the importance of the American bison to the Plains tribes and how the near extinction of the buffalo affected them. Finally, students select a Plains Indian tribe for further research.

 

Note that the student pack includes a link to a set of interactive games, Tracking the Buffalo, for learning more about the Plains Indians. If time permits, have students explore this site. 

Objectives:

  • Describe the life of the Plains Indians and their uses of buffalo.
  • Explain why the Plains Indian way of life ended.


Long before white settlers came to America, Native Americans lived on the North American continent. In the region between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, north of Texas and in southern Canada, the Plains Indians made their home.

Objectives:

  • Describe the life of the Plains Indians and their uses of buffalo.
  • Explain why the Plains Indian way of life ended.


Map of Plains Indians

Map of the Area Occupied by the Plains Indians


Based on what you know about the geography of the midwestern states, what do you think life was like for the Plains Indians?

Post your answer

Students’ answers will vary but might include that the Plains Indians were hunters relying on the animals they found on the plains for their food and clothing. They might also mention that the Plains Indians were nomadic—moving to where the food source was located.


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