Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Jamestown Elementary: 2nd Grade Native American Totem Poles!

2nd Grade artists added to their knowledge of Native American Art and Culture when they looked at why the Pacific Northwest tribes made Totem Poles, how they created them, and what significance totems had to their culture. We had wonderful discussion around a totem pole slide show, sketched some totem pole ideas, read a fiction book about totem poles (Called "Totem Tale"), and created our own 3D (form) totem poles.




Download Native American Overview Slide Show Here

Download Native American Totem Pole Slide Show Here

After discussing the slide show on Native American Totem Poles on the first day, students sketched multiple ideas for their pole. We though about which animals we could tell a story about like the Native Americans did. After they chose their best sketch, we began our own animals for our class pole.



On the second day of our project, we read the book "Totem Tale" and looked at images of totems from the internet and from our other resource books. 


Students were proud to display their fabulous creations in our school library!








Learning Goals:
Students will be able to discuss why Native Americans used Totem Poles
Students will sketch multiple ideas for a totem pole of their own
Students will create their own totem pole
Students will understand the difference between form and shape
Students will practice with their knowledge of warm and neutral colors

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