Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

Design Topic: Pre-colonial Native American tribes of northern California

Subject: History Grade: 5 Designer: Ziana Bagot
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: The pre-colonial culture of the Shasta, Yurok, and Hupa tribes.
Established Goals:

Standard 5.1 : “ Students describe the major pre-Columbian settlements, including the cliff dwellers and

pueblo people of the desert Southwest, the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, the nomadic

nations of the Great Plains, and the woodland peoples east of the Mississippi River.” (California

Department of Education, 2000, p. 16)

2. “Describe their varied customs and folklore traditions.” (California Department of Education,

2000, p. 16)

Relevant excerpts from the framework:

“In this unit, students examine major pre-Columbian settlements. Teachers can frame students’

exploration of pre-contact native people by introducing the following question: How did geography,

climate, and proximity to water affect the lives of North American Indians? North American Indians

were diverse in language, culture, social and political organization, and religious traditions. They

adapted to and actively managed and modified their diverse natural environments and local resources.

Depending on where they lived, pre-Columbian people subsisted through farming, hunting and

gathering, and fishing. Their diets included grain crops, local vegetation (roots, plants, seeds), fish and

other seafood, and small and large game.” (California Department of Education, 2017, p. 97)

“Students may explore the social and cultural diversity of American Indians by addressing this

question: How were family and community structures of North American Indians similar to and

different from one another? Students learn how American Indians expressed their culture in art, music,

dance, religion, and storytelling. They also gain a fuller understanding of how gender roles and family

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

life varied between different tribes by examining the multiple roles and influence of women in

American Indian communities. Students are introduced to the rich legends and literature of American

Indian cultures and spiritual traditions about people’s relationship to the earth. Finally, students should

appreciate the diversity of Native American communities and connect this national story of diverse

natives to their fourth-grade studies of California Indians.” (California Department of Education, 2017,

p.98)

Understandings: Students will understand that… Essential Questions (2-5 max):

a) Students will understand that present a) What distinguishes people of distinct

attempts at environmental conservation are cultures?

built upon the past. b) What unites people of different cultures?

b) Students will understand that diversity c) What is the impact of ancient cultures on

exists among groups of plants or animals present day society?

inhabiting the same region.

c) Students will understand that unity exists

among groups of plants or animals

inhabiting the same region.

Knowledge: Skills:
Students will know the following facts regarding Students will be able to:
a) Students will be able to write a
the Hupa tribe in pre-colonial times:
composition that is representative of those
a) Babies were looked after by their mothers and

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

grandparents. created by the pre-colonial Shasta, Yurok,

b) Once they reached nine years of age, males and Hupa tribes.

would fish (ex. for salmon), hunt (ex. elk and b) Students will be able to analyze and

deer) and gather firewood. In addition, they connect newly acquired knowledge to

crafted various clothing and accessories (ex. previous related learning, along with

robes, quivers, and pouches) with animal current U.S. cultural practices.

skins and made hunting tools. c) Students will be able to listen actively to

c) The richest man in a Hupa village was known Native American mythology and folktales

as a headman. that are read aloud.

d) Women who were nine years of age or older d) Students will be able to make inferences

prepared food (ex. acorns), baskets and regarding Native American artwork in

gathered plants for sustenance, medicine, and order to aid in the creation of their own

baskets. Some women also served as doctors. interpretations.

e) Takimildins were spiritual Hupa centers in e) Students will be able to compare their art

which religious leaders were chosen and some pieces to the Native American works off of

ceremonies were conducted. which they are based.

f) Magical formulas and Shamanism were

integral components of the Hupa religion.

g) Shamans profited from their spiritual services.

They were paid in dentalium shells and

deerskin blankets.

h) Many Hupa folk and mythological tales took

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

place in a land void of humans and filled with

supernatural beings and gods.

i) The Hupas performed three dances in the

belief that they would restore balance to the

world. The first ceremony, known as the

White Deerskin Dance (Xonsil-ch’idilye),

was performed in order to release any evil in

tribal members who took part in the

subsequent Boat Dance (Ta:’altul), which was

conducted as a method of prayer. Finally,

members of the Hupa tribe participated in the

Jump Dance (Xay-ch’idilye) for the purposes

of restoring earthly stability.

Students will know the following facts regarding

the Yurok tribe in pre-colonial times:

a) Men were responsible for hunting (ex. deer),

fishing (ex. salmon, eels, and sturgeons) and

defending their tribe. Furthermore, males

could be slaves or shamans.

b) Women were responsible for maintaining the

household. Additionally, they filled the

position of doctors/shamans.

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

c) Women and children were tasked with

gathering food (ex. shellfish, acorns, roots).

d) The Yurok believed that Redwood trees were

sacred guardians of holy places.

e) The Yurok tribe believed in the creator

Wohpekumew as their God.

f) The Yurok associated the strength of their

spiritual relationships with social status, the

ability to acquire food, and to achieve

stability in the world.

g) Magical formulas and shamanism were

integral components of the Yurok religion.

h) Yurok mythology and folktales focused on a

plethora of ideas (ex. the middle) revolving

around the past. Many legends were

organized around a central figure and a

particular setting.

i) Some of the main ceremonies performed by

the Yurok were the White Deerskin Dance

(pyue-wes), Jump Dance (woo-neek-we-ley-

goo), and Brush Dance (mey-lee), which all

incorporated dentalia shells. The White

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

Deerskin Dance and the Jump Dance were

components of the World Renewal

Ceremony, performed with the purpose of

repairing the earth. The Brush Dance (mey-

lee) ceremony was an affair that took place in

a Yurok family’s home over several days. It

was conducted with the purpose of ensuring

the good health of children.

Students will know that basket weaving was a

popular functional and aesthetically pleasing

artform among the Yurok and Hupa tribes. Both

groups utilized materials such as willow, hazel,

bear grass, conifer root, and woodwardia fern to

craft and color baskets, which usually had designs

on one side. These baskets were made using a

technique known as the single sided overlay. Other

common techniques for basket weaving included

plain twining, lattice twining, and three strand

twining. Simple designs, which included flint and

oblique parallelograms, were commonly found on

the baskets.

Students will know the following facts regarding

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

the Shasta tribe in pre-colonial times:

a) Men owned and inherited fishing areas.

b) Men from the richest families were known as

headmen. They were responsible for

maintaining peace among the tribe.

c) Men fished (ex. salmon) and hunted for such

animals as deer, elk, and bears.

d) Women dictated their children’s social

positions.

e) Women could be doctors. Additionally, many

women gathered seeds, roots, insects, bulbs,

and nuts (ex. acorns). They also made

baskets.

f) Members believed that they were brought to

their native lands and given plentiful salmon

by the Great Spirit, otherwise known as

Waka.

g) Female shamans were believed to possess

supernatural powers derived from trance.

h) Common characters in Shasta mythology and

folklore were the loon woman, chareya (aka

old man above or great man) and coyote.

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
Design Topic ____________________________ Subject(s) ______________________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) ___________________________

i) Every year during the summer, the Shasta

would conduct the First Salmon Ceremony, in

which “big medicine” would be created to

ensure a prosperous salmon fishing season.

The first salmon to ascend their fishing

stream was believed to be traveling with

positive elements bestowed upon it by the

Yurok, who also performed a First Salmon

Ceremony.

j) Deerskin was integral in the creation of many

Shasta arts and crafts including clothing,

instruments, and containers. Wearable art was

often decorated with shells (ex. dentalia),

beads, and feathers (ex. woodpecker).

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Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)