Title: Interactive Presention On West Coast Indian Totem Poles Culture
1Interactive Presention On West Coast Indian Totem
PolesCulture Historical Facts
Karen L. Fisher Grade 7 Date June 10, 2008
- Students are required to complete the
presentation and required assignments.
2Northwest Native AmericanTotem Poles
Click The Mouse For 5 Facts On Totem Poles
- Found in Alaska, Washington state and Canada
- Illustrate legends Family Crests
- Symbolized Characters of mythology
- Adventures of ancestors and people
- Circles and Ovals represent joints in body,
- spirit or power
3Internet Totem Pole Activity
You will create a totem pole on-line, then bring
to class the printout of your personal totem
pole. Be prepared to discuss the reasons for your
selections when creating your totem
pole. http//www.mrnussbaum.com/totem/index.html
Click Music Icon for a sample of traditional
Lakota Indian music.
4Why Did They Make Totem Poles?
Click The Mouse For 4 Facts On Why West Coast
Indians Created Totem Poles.
- Show-off wealth of family(Clan)
- Identify Families by Crests
- To Pass-down stories of their ancestors
- Record Major events Floods, Wars, Migrations and
Celebrations
5Information Scavenger Hunt
Find the answer to the questions on the following
websites and fill-out the scavenger sheet word
document in the link found at the bottom of the
page http//members.aol.com/Art1234567/Totemart.h
tml http//content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/wright
.html http//gocalifornia.about.com/od/ak/a/totemp
ole.htm
1. Name the two main Indian clans. 2. Name three
additional animals representing other clans. 3.
What does an up-side-down figure on a totem pole
symbolize? 4. What wood is used in totem Pole
creation? Why? 5. Describe the process to create
dyes used in painting totem poles. 6. Describe a
few activities surrounding a totem pole raising
ceremony. 7. What is a bent box? 8. What is the
name of the ceremonial cape worn by a high
ranking clan member? 9. What does the Indian word
gyáa' aang mean? 10. From what Indian language
did the word gyáa' aang originate?
Click Here for the Word Document to print
question answer worksheet for class.
6Top Figure Symbolizes the Family (Clan)
- Watch the following YouTube video of a modern day
artist sculpting a totem and be prepared to
discuss the following questions in class. - http//www.youtube.com/watch?vfB-_uf3SeIE
- What animal do you think the sculpture is
carving? - What information are you basing your animal
selection? - What strengths does this animal represent?
- Additional videos on totem poles
- http//www.youtube.com/watch?v648gwElcPzU
- http//www.youtube.com/watch?vCdpffEUhHpc
- Extra credit will be given for a brief one page
paper discussing the contents of the following
video. - http//www.youtube.com/watch?vb5XWiOnbew4
7Allegory In Art
- Many artists used allegory in their paintings to
teach a lesson. Nothing was what it seemed.
Artists used circles, candles, lamb and light
symbolized God. The use of fruit, clocks, tipped
glass cracked walnut and flowers symbolized mans
mortality. West Coast Indians also used allegory
in their totem pole sculptures. They used Circles
and Ovals to represent joints in body and spirit
or power.
You are an artist and you need to create the next
masterpiece in art history. The following website
will allow you to create an art work online. Take
time to create a work with at least one symbol
signifying an allegorical idea. Print your
artwork and bring into class for
discussion. http//www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm
8References
Totem Poles An Illustrated Guide by Marjorie M.
Halpin The Wolf and the Raven by Garfield
Forrest Where The People Gather Carving a Totem
Pole by Vickie Jensen Art Fundamentals by Theory
Practice http//thefuntimesguide.com/2007/04/wet
paint_online_art_project.php http//www.youtube.co
m/watch?v648gwElcPzU http//www.youtube.com/watch
?vCdpffEUhHpc http//www.youtube.com/watch?vb5XW
iOnbew4 http//www.youtube.com/watch?vfB-_uf3SeIE
http//www.mrnussbaum.com/totem/index.html http/
/gocalifornia.about.com/od/ak/a/totempole.htm http
//members.aol.com/Art1234567/Totemart.html http/
/content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/wright.html