Students learn that the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole Nations were established, interconnected societies with their own traditions, governments, and cultures, and that they made decisions to protect land, identity, and community in the Southeast.
Students are introduced to the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole Nations through brief background text emphasizing that tens of thousands of people lived in these established societies. They respond to a collaborative prompt about what large populations suggest about how these nations were organized, then view an image labeled “Portrait of a Cherokee woman.” Students read an overview of the experience and the learning objectives, including the vocabulary term “assimilate.”
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview, vocabulary, and objectives, emphasizing that these nations were large, complex societies with systems that supported daily life. Facilitate discussion of the initial prompt, steering students toward ideas about farming, housing, governance, language, and traditions as indicators of strong, organized communities, while keeping the conversation open-ended. Highlight that all scenes are important, especially the later forum, and set expectations for the longer time frame of the experience before unlocking the next scene.
Students read Indigenous People of the Southeast to learn how the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole organized their governments, used land, and practiced cultural traditions, noting both shared and unique characteristics. They then answer comprehension questions about how these nations met their needs and how language and other features connected them.
Teacher MovesFrame the reading as foundational background for later research, emphasizing both similarities and differences among the nations. Review student responses to the questions, prompting them to recognize that farming and hunting supported large populations and that related languages reveal cultural connections. Use discussion to reinforce that these nations were part of a broader, interconnected Southeastern world, then organize students into small groups before moving on.
In small groups, students select and are assigned one nation—Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, or Seminole—to research. They indicate their top two choices in a shared response space. After reviewing the focus areas, they use a graphic organizer to gather information from at least three sources about: (1) government organization and decision-making, (2) traditional homelands and how agreements with the United States changed land control, (3) ways the nation adapted to and resisted U.S. policies and settler expansion, and (4) how it maintained cultural identity, traditions, and language. Using their completed organizer, groups create a slideshow that uses text and images to present their findings.
Teacher MovesRevisit and clarify the term “assimilation” so students can recognize its role in U.S. policies toward Native nations. Collect groups’ top nation choices and assign each group a nation, ensuring all five are represented and coordinating groups that share the same topic. Provide guidance on finding and evaluating reliable secondary sources, modeling how to extract key information and organize it with notes or the graphic organizer. Offer a curated set of resources as needed. Support students with the technical aspects of building slideshows, circulating to help them transfer research into clear, accurate presentations before unlocking the next scene.
Students learn what a class forum is and review guidelines for structured discussion. Each group presents its slideshow on the assigned nation within a set time limit. As they listen to other groups, students use a graphic organizer to record the name of each nation and at least one question they can ask its presenters. During the forum, they participate in question-and-answer sessions, asking clarification and reasoning questions based on their notes and listening to responses to deepen their understanding and compare the cultures and experiences of all five nations.
Teacher MovesExplain the purpose and structure of the class forum, stressing that it is a key part of the experience. Review and reinforce discussion norms, including respectful listening, evidence-based questions, and thoughtful responses. Clarify timing and expectations for presentations and question-writing, reminding students to note “This is the nation I researched” on their organizer instead of posing a question about their own topic. Facilitate the presentations and Q&A sessions, prompting a wide range of students to participate, helping reframe unclear questions, and keeping the tone respectful and focused on clarification and reasoning rather than debate.
Students reflect on their learning by answering multiple-choice questions about their confidence in researching topics and finding evidence with a group, creating and sharing social studies presentations, and how effectively their group worked together to complete the slideshow.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to respond honestly by reminding them that reflections are shared only with the teacher. Review their responses to identify strengths and areas where students feel less confident, and use this feedback to plan reteaching, adjust future grouping, and provide targeted support for research, presentation skills, and collaboration.
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