THE FIRST PEOPLE
CREE-ASSINIBOIN NATIONS

Grade Level:
4^th-8^th

Standards Integration:
Minnesota:
Grades 4-5: Write and Speak-Speaking
Demonstrating effective delivery techniques.
Economics and Business-Technology Skills
A. Gathering and evaluating information from electronic sources.
Grades 6-8: Inquiry and Research-Accessing Information
1. Generating a question to be answered or a position to be supported through investigation.
Economics and Business-Technology Applications
1. Gathering and evaluating information from electronic sources.

North Dakota:
Grades K-4: Language Arts: Students gather and organize information.
1.4.4 Use vocabulary knowledge to gather information.
Grades 5-8: Social Studies-Nature and Scope of History
8.1.3 Understand how key events, people, and ideas contributed to United States history.

Materials:
Internet

Objectives:
In order to demonstrate understanding of Cree Indian culture, students will attempt to create a sentence using Cree hand signals.By active participation and following directions, students will acknowledge class rules and signals.

Background-Hand Signals Activity
Cree history is very hard to synopsize because the Cree span such a broad territory, from the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Their numbers and range prevented them from being destroyed by European diseases as happened to many smaller nations. The Cree’s particular cultural affinity for intertribal marriage (remarked upon in the oral histories of their neighbors) meshed well with the intent of the French, the primary Europeans to have dealings with them. Where the English tended to try to move Indian groups further away from their civilization, the French tried to engulf them. The Cree, who had held a similar attitude towards colonization before the French ever got there, engulfed back. The result was the merging of the Cree with the Assiniboin, a Plains tribe decimated by smallpox in the late 19^th century, and the creation of the Métis culture. The Cree language is one of the few North American languages assured of surviving into the next century with over 20,000 registered Cree speakers, education of Cree language in schools, and teaching to non-Cree peoples.

Pre-Visit Activity
Ask the class the brainstorm (polite) hand signs they use everyday (wave, peace sign, hand shake). Talk about how these signs were introduced into present day culture. Inform the students that a large number of these signs came from communication with aboriginal cultures and European settlers. Later these signs became not only apart of American culture, but also laid a foundation for American Sign Language.

Post-Visit Activity Use the website http://collections.ic.gc.ca/sifc/firstchart1.htm, lessons 4 and 5 to teach your students traditional Cree hand signals. As a class, create your own signals for terms such as quiet, listen, sit down, etc.

THE FIRST PEOPLE
CREE-ASSINIBOIN NATIONS
Activity 2

Background-Games Activity
Long ago, the survival of many Indian people depended on their skills as hunters. The children were taught these skills at an early age either by their fathers or by playing among themselves. Games filled an important role in educating the young by cultivating life skills together with their physical and social development. Children often played the same games that their fathers once. The games were usually modified in some form by each tribe. Many tribes could play one game, each using their own variations. Despite these slight differences, one tribe would often challenge another tribe in some of their games. (Source: Saskatchewan Indian Federated College, Department of Indian Education website)

Pre-Visit Activity
Pick a selected number of games from the Plains Cree website (http://collections.ic.gc.ca/games/index.html) and demonstrate these games with your students based on time and materials available. Have the students comment on the familiarity of the games.

Post-Visit Activity
Instruct the students to modify one of the games played or to create a new game based on the games of the Cree. Have them create a step-by-step procedure for playing the game using clear, concise instructions, listing materials needed, and the purpose of the game. If time allows, play the students games.