Native American Tribes Project Reflection Paper

Meaghan Brenna Foley  
NAT Project Reflection Paper                                                                                       

ED 3120-02
December 2, 2014                                                                                       

The Land of Marvelous Diversity

       The project on the Native American Tribes involved both critical thinking skills and collaborative work efforts. I believe it is important to learn about the different people of the world. A broadened mind is one that has profound respect for mankind and its originality. For this project, each base group of students was assigned to conduct research about one specific Native American Tribe. Once the research was conducted, we were told to work collaboratively with our "Tribes" and plan how we would teach that information to our original base groups. My tribe was the "Iroquois." My group members and I each created PowerPoint slides with information regarding the Iroquois.

       Our individual efforts greatly contributed to the success of our holistic group effort. I believe that my group was so successful because we maintained our focus on the task at hand and valued each other's contributions. It is stated that, "only through reflection on their cooperative efforts do students become committed to the value of their cooperative learning" (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 205). The five main elements of cooperative learning (i.e., Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Group Processing, Social Skills, and Face-to-Face Interaction) are greatly emphasized during projects such as the NAT project. Since we were divided into small groups of 2 to 3 people, it was easier for each person to be held “individually accountable for their work” (thirteen.org). In my opinion, the greatest of these elements is that of group processing. The whole point of group processing is to work together towards a common goal. Therefore, "leadership responsibilities for both content of the lesson and the success of the group belong to all group members" (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 206). In conclusion, I can honestly say that this project has encouraged me to develop the key social, and pragmatic skills essential in matters of public speaking (i.e., teaching).

       The NAT project relates well to both the classroom and teaching geography. The NAT project relates well to the classroom because it provides the opportunity for the teachers to put their students’ inquiry skills to the test. Projects like the NAT project “provide opportunities for both teachers and students to collaboratively build, test and reflect on their learning” (teachinquiry.com). The Jigsaw method of the NAT project divided our main (base) groups into subgroups. This prompted us to focus solely on our Native American tribe and pay close attention to detail. The main component of research in Jigsaw involves group processing and the act of communication. It has been stated, “communicating is part of what defines us as social beings” (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 66). I completely agree with that statement! Positive mutual communication and support is essential within groups of any size. In my opinion, the continuous process of research is very important along with obtaining successful results. Researching information requires students to “talk about, draw, list, and photograph what they consider important observations” (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 380). Geography is such an integral piece of the pie known as the social studies curriculum.  The NAT project relates to geography because “emphasis is placed on the people of a region” (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 382). In addition, studying the culture of Native Americans is also included in teaching geography.  

       The NCSS Standards that coincide with this project involve the subordinate concept of People, Places, and Environment. In addition, the NYS Standard that accords with the NAT project is Standard 3 (Geography). NYS Standard 3 requires students, “use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface” (p12.nysed.gov). The various Native American tribes lived all across the United States. Therefore, geography is the predominant subject of interest when dealing with this project. Likewise, the NAT project supports the geographic elements and concepts known as “location, place, movement, physical systems, human systems, environment, and society” (Sunal & Haas, 2011, p. 383). The environment plays a tremendous role in the lives of Native Americans. Specifically, the Iroquois utilized the environmental resources (i.e., wood) to build their homes, tools, and so much more. I learned a lot just by researching the information for my NAT project. I think this project truly benefits the student in the long term because progression is key. We must always reflect upon our findings and monitoring our advancements. According to Sunal and Haas (2011), “reflecting builds our inquiry abilities so that our next inquiry is more thoroughly planned and carried out” (p. 66). Their beliefs are absolutely correct. No one is perfect and we all make mistakes. Mistakes one makes are a part of the learning process and the individual should never be looked down upon. 
 

References

Cooperative and Collaborative Learning: Explanation. (2004). Retrieved December 2,

            2014.

Stephenson, N. (n.d.). Introduction to Inquiry Based Learning. Retrieved December 2, 2014.

Sunal, C., & Haas, M. (2011). Social studies for the elementary and middle grades:

            A constructivist approach (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

LINKS

Attached is the link to my group’s Native American Tribe Project on the Iroquois. Enjoy! :)

Attached is the link to my Individual Feedback & Group Processing Form.

Attached is the link to my Week 4 blog post on my NAT experience (Geography and History).

WEBSITE RESOURCE LINKS

Attached is the link to the New York State Standards website.

Attached is the link to a website about Cooperative and Collaborative Learning.

Attached is the link to a website about Inquiry Based Learning.