National Native American Heritage Month

Early Childhood

Native Americans for decorations on many of their tools, such as arrows. If the man had 8 arrows with red feathers and 3 arrows with yellow feathers, how many more arrows have red feathers than yellow feathers? Use a math model to show how you know.

Upper Elementary

Corn was one of the primary foods grown and consumed by Native American. If a corn stalk produces three ears of corn, and one ear of corn has 600 kernels, how many kernels of corn would be found in 22 stalks?  Create a math drawing with a matching equation with a variable to show your thinking.BONUS: Can you write a rule using a variable that could be used to find the number of kernels in any number of corn stalks?

Middle School

The Wampanoag, one of Massachusetts’ native tribes, traveled primarily on foot (~2.5 miles/hr), as horses were not introduced until settlers brought them from Europe.  Using a map, find the distance and calculate the travel time for a Wampanoag Native American living in Plymouth to visit a neighboring tribe in Natick.  If a Native American walks about 8 hours a day, how many days will it take him to get to Natick?  Explain your thinking.

Featured Websites:

K-5 Using Native American Legends to Solve Word Problems (PDF)

Early Childhood: Native American Games

Upper elementary: Using Native American Legends to Teach Mathematics 

Middle School: Star Quilts