America's Beginnings

Prehistory - 1700

8.5.2  Read a timeline and order events of the past (Era I,II,III,IV,V)
8.5.3  Differentiate between a primary and secondary source (Era I,II,III,IV,V)
8.5.1  Contrast the characteristics of major native civilizations of the Americas (Era I,II,III)
8.1.4  Compare and contrast the tenets of America's early religions (i.e., Olmec beliefs, Native American Earth/Mother spirit, African Traditional religion, Puritanism, Quakerism) (Era I,II,III)
8.5.6  Classify the characteristics of major historic events into causes and effects (i.e., exploration, colonization, revolution, expansion, & Civil War) (Era I,II,III,IV,V)



The First Americans
Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans
Worksheet on Aztecs, Incas and Mayans use track #104967
http://trackstar.4teachers.org
Aztecs
This site has several links and activities!
http://www.eduscapes.com/42explore/aztec.htm
A Guide to North American Indian Cultures
Fifth Grade Unit in .pdf format
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CKproto2/resrcs/lessons/02_5_GuideIndian.pdf
The Ancient Architects of the Mississippi
http://www.cr.nps.gov/aad/feature/feature.htm
Native Americans
Suggestions for activities centered around Native Americans
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ssNativeAmericanActivities.htm
The Iroquois Women's World
http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/exhibits/north-south-east-west/iroquois/women.html
Create Your Own Native American Board Game
Designed for grades 4-5
http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/nativeamericans/
Native American History and Culture
A resources of the Smithsonian
http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmai/start.htm
The People of West Africa
8.1.4 Compare and contrast the tenets of America's early religions (i.e., Olmec beliefs, Native American Earth/Mother spirit, African Traditional religion, Puritanism, Quakerism) (Era I,II,III)
8.3.1 Recognize the cause and examples of immigration in early America (i.e. land, religion, money, pioneer spirit, indentured servitude, displacement, & slavery) (Era I,II,III,IV,V)
French in West Africa
http://cygnus.sas.upenn.edu:80/African_Studies/K-12/French_16178.html
On the Line - Virtual Tour of Eight African Countries
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/index.html
The Slave Trade
Spartacus Internet Encyclopedia links about the slave trade
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/slavery.htm
European Exploration
8.2.1 Recognize America's natural resources (i.e., land, timber, fish, animal pelts, peppers, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkins, turkeys, peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, cacao beans, & vanilla)
8.5.7 Recognize the historical impacts of European settlements in North America (Era I,II,III)
8.5.6 Classify the characteristics of major historic events into causes and effects (i.e., exploration, colonization, revolution, expansion, & Civil War) (Era I,II,III,IV,V)

1492: An Ongoing Voyage
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
The Columbus Navigation Homepage
http://www.columbusnavigation.com/
Christopher Columbus and Early European Exploration
http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/grd/resguides/columbus.html
The Floridian Conquistadors
http://www.floridahistory.org/floridians/conquis.htm
Spain Builds an Empire
Links for Columbian Exchange, Aztecs and Cortez, De Vaca
http://www.fsd157c.org/Tech2001/1493_1700.htm
Web Quests
On a Safari to an African Kingdom
http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/webquest/social/safari.html
An Adventure to the New World
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/newworld/
A Voyage Back to 1492
http://www.manteno.k12.il.us/webquest/elementary/General/
VoyageBack/A%20Voyage%20Back%20To%201491.htm
 Back in Time: A Historical Fiction Web Quest
http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/ath/library/webquests/backintime/default.htm



Please send comments, questions, suggestions, or any broken links to
Linda Hensely or John David Shanks
Gifted Education Teachers, Greene County Schools
Christine Ingram, Assistant