Design Topic Native Americans Subject(s).

Social Studies Grade(s) 3rd Grade Designer(s) Cynthia Ruiz

STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Unit Title: Tongva American Indians; Civilizations_______________________________________________

Established Goals: 3.2 Students describe the American Indian nations in their local region long
ago and in the recent past.

Relevant excerpt from the History-Social Science Content Standards.

“Students in grade three learn more about our connections to the past and the ways in which
particularly local, but also regional and national, government and traditions have developed and left
their marks on current society, providing common memories. Emphasis is on the physical and cultural
landscape of California, including the study of American Indians, the subsequent arrival of
immigrants, and the impact they have had in forming the character of our contemporary society.”

Understandings: Essential Questions:

• Students will understand there were local
American Indians living where we are today.
• Students will also understand that the Tongva
had their own way of life.
• Students will also understand the culture,
traditions, and folklore of the Tongva.
• Who were the American Indians that lived in
our local region?
• How did the local American Indians live?
• What were some of the local American Indian’s
beliefs and customs?
• How were the local American Indians affected
by explorers and settlers?

Students will know: Students will be able to:

• Students will know that the local American • Students will be able to read and understand
Indian tribe in our region was the Tongva. information relating to the Tongva tribe.
• Students will know about the way of life of the • Students will be able to analyze and interpret
Tongva including: facts about the Tongva way of life.
- Beliefs • Students will be able to compare and contrast
- Customs Tongva culture and traditions to their own.
- Traditions • Students will be able to form conclusions
- Daily life regarding the Tongva and settlers/explorers.
- Interaction with settlers • Students will be able to make connections
- System of government between the Tongva system of government and
our own.

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:
The students will live a day in the life of Tongva KWL on Tongva Tribe
Indians by creating a comic strip. The comic strip Quiz about the Tongva Tribe
needs to have an illustration of clothing, food, Quiz from facts about the Tongva’s culture and
home, and transportation. traditions
Quiz on California Map Region Worksheet
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1
Design Topic Native Americans Subject(s). Social Studies Grade(s) 3rd Grade Designer(s) Cynthia Ruiz

Goal – You will create a comic strip that

represents the day in the life of Tongva Tribe.
Role – You will be a chief and illustrate the
aspects of how your people lived.

Audience – Your audience will be the second-

grade class.

Situation – The current issue is that the Tongva

Tribe has been forgotten and left out of history
and we need to bring awareness to the culture.

Product, Performance, and Purpose – You will

bring awareness of the Tongva Tribe by
illustrating the aspects of their culture. You will
do this by creating a comic strip that represents
the people and their culture. Then you will
present your comic to the second-grade class.

Standards and Criteria for Success – In order

for you to be successful in this task you will need
to identify the different aspects of the Tongva
Tribe’s culture and create a comic strip. Then
present to the second-grade class the problems of
being a forgotten tribe.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 2

Design Topic Native Americans Subject(s). Social Studies Grade(s) 3rd Grade Designer(s) Cynthia Ruiz

Key Criteria:
Points 4 3 2 1
Tongva Tribe Students have a Students have Students have a Students have
complete partial partial little to no
understanding of understanding of understanding understanding of
who the Tongva who the Tongva and with some who the Tongva
Tribe and their Tribe and their misconceptions Tribe and their
culture culture of who the culture
Tongva Tribe
and their culture
Comic Strip Students Students Students Students
illustrated 4 illustrated 3 illustrated 2 illustrated 1
aspects of the aspects of the aspects of the aspects of the
Tongva Tribe Tongva Tribe Tongva Tribe Tongva Tribe
daily life. daily life. daily life. daily life.
(Clothing, food, (Clothing, food, (Clothing, food, (Clothing, food,
transportation, transportation, transportation, transportation,
and home) and home) and home) and home)
Picture Drawing has Drawing has Drawing has Drawing does
many details and many details and very little detail not have much
is on topic. is related to and is related to detail and or not
topic. topic. related to the
topic.

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
1. Introduce the Essential Questions: Who were the American Indians that lived in our local
region? What were some of the local American Indian’s beliefs and customs?
2. Introduce the Tongva Tribe using a KWL Chart.
3. Read, The Whale in the Sky by Anne Siberell and write about why animals are important to
Native Americans and draw a Totem Pole with animals.
4. Students will look at the different types of homes that the Tongva Tribe lived in write about
how they would feel to live in one of those homes.
5. Read, The Mud Pony by Carson Lee Cohen.
6. Students will discuss the picture story worksheet.
7. Students will create a story using pictographs.
8. Students will use the California Region Map worksheet to locate the Tongva’s.
9. Art Lesson Plan – Animal’s characteristics.
10. Read, The Tongva by Mary Graham.
11. Venn Diagram – Tongva’s traditions and culture to own traditions and culture.
12. Students will use guided worksheet and we will create a story about our clothing, food, home,
and transportation.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3
Design Topic Native Americans Subject(s). Social Studies Grade(s) 3rd Grade Designer(s) Cynthia Ruiz

13. Students will use the worksheet to identify the meaning of the Tongva’s clothing.
14. Students will use the symbol worksheet to learn what the symbol means.
15. Students will create their Performance Task: Create a comic strip to illustrate the Tongva’s
clothing, food, home, and transportation.
.

Week 1 Introduce the Essential
Questions: Who were
the American Indians
that lived in our local
region? What were
some of the local
American Indian’s
beliefs and customs?
Week 2 Students will look at
the different types of
homes that the Tongva
Tribe lived in write
about how they would
feel to live in one of
those homes.
Week 3 Quiz about the Tongva
Tribe, what were some
of the local American
Indian’s beliefs and
customs?
Week 4 Read, The Tongva by
Mary Graham.
Venn Diagram –
Tongva’s traditions
and culture to own
traditions and culture.
Introduce the Tongva Read, The Whale in
Tribe using a KWL the Sky by Anne
Chart. Siberell and write
about why animals are
important to Native
Americans and draw a
Totem Pole with
animals.
Read, The Mud Pony Students will create a
by Carson Lee Cohen. story using
Students will discuss pictographs.
the picture story
worksheet.
Students will use the Art Lesson Plan –
California Region Map Animal’s
worksheet to locate the characteristics.
Tongva’s.
Quiz about Tongva’s Students will use
traditions and culture. guided worksheet and
we will create a story
about our clothing,
food, home, and
transportation

Week 5 Students will use the Students will use the Students will create
worksheet to identify symbol worksheet to their Performance
the meaning of the learn what the symbol Task: Create a comic
Tongva’s clothing. means. strip to illustrate the
Tongva’s clothing,
food, home, and
transportation.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4
Design Topic Native Americans Subject(s). Social Studies Grade(s) 3rd Grade Designer(s) Cynthia Ruiz

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5