Native Tribes of Nevada Shelters

(Cooperative Lesson)

Activity Goals:

• Students will identify and describe the types of shelters made by the four (4) Native Tribes of Nevada.
• Students will construct a diorama of the immediate area of one shelter used by the Natives of Nevada.
• Students will understand that shelters were built based on differing factors: difficulty in procuring materials, projected use and duration of stay.

Materials:

• Four (4) Student Information Workbooks
• Daily Activities chart
• Nevada Tribes Map (Optional)
• Cardboard or box for diorama base
• Natural materials such as soil, grasses, sticks or rocks

Procedures:

1. Explain to the students the activity goal, 1 - 2.
2. Divide the students into their same tribal bands.
3. Name and review the different plants and areas using a transparency or wall map of Nevada.
4. Have each group decide which type of shelter they would like to work on for these activities.
5. Write topic questions on the board/chart.
   1. Where in Nevada was your home (N, W, E, or S)?
   2. What environment are you living in (mountains, (foothills, deserts, woods, or near water)?
   3. Are you hunters, fishermen, gatherers, or farmer?
   4. What was your shelter made of (wood, grass, mud)?
   5. How many people lived in your shelter (estimate)?
   6. What type of tools, household items, animals or food did you have at this shelter?
   7. What time of the year is it?
   8. How long will you be staying here?
6. Students will meet in their cooperative groups and make a diorama based on the group's decisions.
7. Record information on comparison chart as each group speaker shows their diorama and presents information.
8. Compare and discuss the charted information.

Additional Activities of Lesson:

1. Compare present day homes with past shelters.
2. Discuss the effects of seasons on the types of shelters needed.
3. Add on the Seasonal Timeline chart, the types of shelters based on the seasons.