Manual Main Page | Preschool

Texas Indians

Books to Share

• The First Strawberries retold by Joseph Bruchac.
• Itse Selu: Cherokee Harvest Festival by Daniel Pennington.
• Jingle Dancer by Cythia Leitich Smith.
• Mrs. Scott's Beautiful Art by Alice K. Flanagan.
• The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale by Joseph Bruchac.

Books to Display and Booktalk

• American Indian Games and Crafts by Charles L. Blood.
• The Apache Indians by Bill Lund.
• The Comanche Indians by Bill Lund.
• The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie dePaola.

Display

Learn About Texas Indians

Display pictures of Native American Indian clothing and objects, such as moccasins, bows and arrows, arrowheads, jewelry, feathers, etc. along with books about Texas Indian tribes, or display Native American artifacts.

Craft

Dreamcatcher

Many Native Americans, including the Cherokee, believe good and bad dreams float around at night. A dreamcatcher catches the bad dreams and holds them until they disappear when the sun rises. The good dreams float through the web, down into the feather, and onto the person asleep underneath.

Materials

• 5" paper plates
• Yarn cut into 36 inch lengths
• Yarn cut into 4 inch lengths.
• Beads
• Feathers
• Tape
• Scissors
• Hole punch

Directions

Use the illustration as your guide as you make this dreamcatcher. In advance, cut the center out of a paper plate, punch holes on the rim of the plate about one inch apart, and put a small piece of tape on one end of yarn and tie the other end in a knot. The children thread the 2-inch length of yarn through a hole and tie it into a loop to hang the dream catcher. They then thread the 36-inch lengths of yarn through one hole near the top of plate and then through the hole opposite of the first hole. They then move to the adjacent hole and continue weaving through opposite holes until the yarn is threaded through all of them. The final result should look like a web. Place a couple of beads on the loose taped end, then insert the pointed end of a feather through the beads so that both stay in place.

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Games and Activities

Sign Language

Teach the children some of these signs.

• Texas: The word Texas came from the Caddo Indians and means "friends." Teach the children how to sign the word, friend. Hook the right index over the left with the left palm-up and then repeat in reverse.
• Cow: Tuck all fingers from both hands under except for the thumb and pinkie. Place the right thumb to the right temple and the left thumb at the left temple and bend them forward and backward several times representing the horns.
• Buffalo/bison: Make a fist with each hand with the thumb over top of the index and middle fingers. Put your hands at the sides of your forehead, palm side forward. Move them forward and around until the palm side faces to the back.
• Snake: Point the index finger of your right hand with the rest of your fingers in a fist. Move your right hand forward in a circular motion, passing it under the left arm showing a crawling movement.

Strawberry Chart

Read or tell the story of The First Strawberries. Serve the children ripe strawberries and create a chart showing how many children like or dislike them.

Musical Recording

The Choctaw way: A Blend of Music, Chant and Story that Honors the Choctaw Indian tribe. Storytribe Publishing, 4417 Morningside Way, Canyon Lake, TX 78133. (830) 899-5678.

Table of Contents | Texas Plant Life

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