Lesson Plan Template

Historic Nez Perce Clothing and Adornment

The National Park Service [NPS] Teaching with Museum Collections provides lesson plans for teachers to use NPS

museum collections in student-centered educational activities. The collections tell the story of America; its peoples,

cultures, varied habitats, significant events, and ideas that continue to inspire the world. Teaching with Museum

Collections [TMC] emphasizes the links between the ‘real things;’ the collections, and the sites where those collections

were found, collected, or used. NPS collections include cultural objects, natural history specimens, archival documents

and photographs. Lesson plans link to national education standards.

A. Header

 Lesson Unit Plan Title: Historic Nez Perce Clothing and Adornment

 Developer: Amy Woods, Kamiah Middle School, Kamiah, Idaho

 Grade Levels: 8

Grade

 Length of Lessons/Lesson Unit: Four to five 45 minute lessons

B. Overview of this Collection-Based Lesson Plan

 Park name: Nez Perce National Historical Park

 Description: The purpose of this lesson is to give students an awareness of the similarities

and differences in Nez Perce clothing and adornment worn over 200 years ago, and

traditional clothing and adornment worn presently. Students will also develop an

understanding of the processes involved in simple clothing construction and jewelry making.

Photographs of a historic Nez Perce dress, a pair of moccasins and a necklace, articles in the

Nez Perce National Historical Park museum collections, may be viewed online at

www.nps.gov/nepe

and at www.cr.nps.gov/museum.

 Essential question

What clothing and adornment would a Nez Perce youth have worn 200-400 years ago? How

would these articles be constructed and with what materials?

C. Museum Collections Used in this Lesson Plan

NEPE 34191 Dress

NEPE 2383 Moccasin

NEPE 1990 Grizzly Bear Claw Necklace

NEPE-HI-2279 Photograph of Chief Joseph’s Band Women Leading the Horse Parade

NEPE-HI-C9713 Nez Perce Drummers at the Long House, Spalding, Idaho

NEPE-HI-C9687 Studio Portrait of Three Nez Perce Women

D. National Educational Standards

Middle Grades

I. Culture

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and

cultural diversity, so that the learner can:

a. compare similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures meet

human needs and concerns;

b. explain and give examples of how language, literature, the arts, architecture, other

artifacts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behaviors contribute to the development and

transmission of culture;

c. explain why individuals and groups respond differently to their physical and social

environments and/or changes to them on the basis of shared assumptions, values, and

beliefs;

d. articulate the implications of cultural diversity, as well as cohesion, within and across

groups.

II. Time, Continuity, and Change

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ways human

beings view themselves in and over time, so that the learner can

a. identify and use key concepts such as chronology, causality, change, conflict, and

complexity

b. to explain, analyze, and show connections among patterns of historical change and

continuity;

IV. Individual Development and Identity

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual

development and identity, so that these describe the ways family, gender, ethnicity, nationality,

and institutional affiliations contribute to personal identity;

a. describe the ways family, gender, ethnicity, nationality, and institutional affiliations

contribute to personal identity;

b. relate such factors as physical endowment and capabilities, learning, motivation,

personality, perception, and behavior to individual development;

c. identify and describe ways regional, ethnic, and national cultures influence individuals'

daily lives;

d. identify and describe the influence of perception, attitudes, values, and beliefs on

personal identity;

e. identify and interpret examples of stereotyping, conformity, and altruism;

V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions

among individuals, groups, and institutions, so that the learner can:

a. demonstrate an understanding of concepts such as role, status, and social class in

describing the interactions of individuals and social groups

b. analyze group and institutional influences on people, events, and elements of culture

VII. Production, Distribution, and Consumption

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people

organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, so that the

learner can:

a. give and explain examples of ways that economic systems structure choices about how

goods and services are to be produced and distributed;

c. describe the role that supply and demand, prices, incentives, and profits play in

determining what is produced and distributed in a competitive market system;

d. explain the difference between private and public goods and services;

e. describe a range of examples of the various institutions that make up economic

systems such as households, business firms, banks, government agencies, labor

unions, and corporations;

f. describe the role of specialization and exchange in the economic process;

g. explain and illustrate how values and beliefs influence different economic decisions;

h. differentiate among various forms of exchange and money;

i. compare basic economic systems according to who determines what is produced,

distributed, and consumed;

j. use economic concepts to help explain historical and current developments and issues

in local, national, or global contexts;

k. use economic reasoning to compare different proposals for dealing with a

contemporary social issue such as unemployment, acid rain, or high quality

education.

English Language Arts Standards

The vision guiding these standards is that all students must have the opportunities and resources

to develop the language skills they need to pursue life's goals and to participate fully as informed,

productive members of society. These standards assume that literacy growth begins before

children enter school as they experience and experiment with literacy activities — reading and

writing, and associating spoken words with their graphic representations. Recognizing this fact,

these standards encourage the development of curriculum and instruction that make productive

use of the emerging literacy abilities that children bring to school. Furthermore, the standards

provide ample room for the innovation and creativity essential to teaching and learning. They are

not prescriptions for particular curricula or instruction.

1. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and

appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers

and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification

strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence,

sentence structure, context, and graphics).

2. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style,

and vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different

purposes.

3. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process

elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

4. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and

by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources

(e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, and people) to communicate their discoveries in

ways that suit their purpose and audience.

5. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries,

databases, computer networks, and video) to gather and synthesize information and to

create and communicate knowledge.

6. Students develop an understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns,

and dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.

7. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g.,

for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

E. Student Learning Objectives

After these lessons, students will be able to:

• Critically analyze objects from museum exhibits of historic Nez Perce clothing and

adornment

• Recognize similarities and differences in the cultural aspects, materials, and

construction of historic Nez Perce clothing and adornment and similar present day

items

• Construct replicas of historic clothing and adornment

• Create and display a collection of exhibits for a classroom museum, cataloged in a

Museum Collections Spreadsheet

• Communicate their ideas and hypotheses through oral and written presentations

E. Background and Historical Context

The Nez Perce used materials from animals in their homeland and some trade items to

make and decorate their clothing. Dresses, shirts, leggings and moccasins could be

constructed of deer, bighorn sheep, or elk hides. Buffalo hides and various fur baring

animals were used to make winter wraps & heavier moccasins. Hides used for clothing

were cleaned, hair removed and softened with a mixture of animal brains and fat.

The type of decoration used was a combination of personal choice and what items were

available to the person. Dentalium, olivella, abalone and other types of shells were traded

from the west coast. Porcupine quills could be dyed and sown on clothing and personal

items. Feathers were used on headdresses or clothing and were sometimes dyed. Mineral

paint and plant dye were also used to paint designs.

Glass beads, made in many countries of Europe and Asia, became a very popular

decorative element for clothing and personal items. As a trade item beads were brought

into the Pacific Northwest by Europeans and Americans in the mid to late 1700s.

In making present day traditional clothing for ceremonies and pow wows the Nez Perce

have access to many of the same items used in the past. They also use modern materials

such as yarn, for fancy dance regalia or tin cones for the jingle dress. Many of the materials

are purchased from companies that specialize in making and selling beads, hides, etc.

G. Materials Used in this Lesson Plan

Similar Items: simple tunic style dress (very plain A-line without belts, pleats, ruffles, etc…),

necklace with large ornaments, high-top sneakers

Photographs: laminated copies of historic Nez Perce dress, moccasins, and necklace from

online park museum collection.

Handouts: Traditional Basket Designs, Two-Skin Dress pattern, Poncho patterns, Making

Cordage.

Writing Materials: Journal paper, pencils, color pencils, chart paper for compare/contrast

sheets, markers

Dress/Poncho Materials: Two yards unbleached broadcloth or faux leather, paint in a variety

of colors suitable for painting on cloth, paint brushes, one spool of floss, scissors, needles with

large eyes, raffia, assorted beads, dress and poncho patterns, basket design patterns.

Necklace/Bracelet Materials: raffia (natural color), scissors, assorted beads (varied in size,

color, and shape), paper cups

Class Museum Materials: Museum catalog spreadsheet, black ink pen, ruler, buff colored

construction paper

H. Vocabulary

Awl – tool used for punching holes in leather to allow sewing

Sinew – animal tendon used as a cord or thread

Tanned hide –cleaned and softened animal hide into buckskin

Natural pigment – a coloring property in animals, minerals and plants, used to paint or dye

items.

I. Teacher Tips

o Download and laminate color prints of the museum objects used in the Nez Perce

Attire Activity

o Download and laminate historic regalia photos.

o Separate beads and store in plastic containers with lids. Tape or glue a bead to each

lid so container contents are easily identified.

o Enlarge animal skin pattern to fit 8 ½ x 11 paper.

o Cut out several animal skin patterns to be used for two-skin dress pattern or poncho

pattern that students will use to trace onto fabric.

o Make a sample of a dress, poncho, necklace and bracelet for students to use as a

model for each activity.

J. Lesson Implementation Procedures

Activity One: Introduction

Tell students they will be using objects from a National Park Service site as source of

learning and information. Explain that they will learn to look very closely at an object or set

of objects to deduce historical, cultural and social information and to draw inferences about

people, events, and life then and now. Ask questions that draw on observational skills, and

develop activities that exercise powers of deduction, inference, and creativity based on this

introductory lesson.

Do the following with the students:

• Divide students into three groups. Assign students in each group the role of recorder

or presenter. You may have as many as three students performing each role.

• Hand out laminated pictures of Nez Perce attire, giving the dress to one group,

moccasins to another group, and necklace to the third group.

• Hand out the modern day dress, sneakers, and necklace to each group with a similar

historic Nez Perce item.

• Provide each group with a large piece of chart paper divided into three columns.

Instruct students to title columns by name of piece: Historic Nez Perce ___________

(name of item), Present Day _____________ (name of item), Common

Characteristics. Example: Historic Nez Perce Moccasins; Present Day Sneakers;

Common Characteristics

• Instruct groups to brainstorm unique characteristics of each assigned piece and the

common characteristics of the two items being compared. Recorders write group

comments on chart paper.

• Presenters from each group share group findings with class. Allow time for class

discussion after each group’s presentation. Display charts on wall or bulletin board

for future reference.

• Students summarize activity in response journal with writing and sketches.

Activity Two: Compare and Contrast Museum Objects with Contemporary Regalia

• Divide students into three groups. Assign students in each group the role of recorder

or presenter. You may have as many as three students performing each role.

• Hand out laminated pictures of Nez Perce attire, giving the dress to one group,

moccasins to another group, and necklace to the third group.

• Hand out the historic regalia photographs to each group.

• Instruct groups to look at the museum objects and see if there are versions of those

still worn by Nez Perce in the contemporary pictures. What’s different? What’s the

same? Record what each group sees.

• Presenters from each group share group findings with class. Allow time for class

discussion after each group’s presentation.

Activity Three: Create Authentic Replica of a Nez Perce Dress or Poncho

Do the following with the students:

• Students may choose to make a dress or poncho. (Most likely the boys will make a

poncho and the girls will make a dress).

• Provide each group with a collection of supplies to create the piece of attire assigned to

them (products will be small versions of authentic item).

• Write vocabulary words and definitions on board. Show students the supplies they will

be using in place of sinew, awls, tanned hides, and natural pigments.

• Dress/Poncho: (See diagrams of poncho and dress on handouts.) Students trace pattern on

fabric. Dress requires a front and back piece. Cut around traced lines. Thread needle

with arm’s length piece of floss. Sew dress front to dress back along sides and top,

leaving an opening for arms and head. Cut slit in poncho for head as shown on pattern.

Fold in half at slit, and sew sides leaving an opening for arms. Dress/poncho may be

embellished by tracing basket design patterns (handout) on garment and painting with

fabric paint. Pieces of beaded raffia may be attached to front of dress/poncho for added

decorative features.

• Students summarize activity in response journal with writing and sketches.

Activity Three: Create authentic Nez Perce necklace or bracelet

Do the following with students:

• Teacher demonstrates method for making cordage using raffia. See attachment of making

cordage.

• Arrange supplies in two separate areas of classroom. Place raffia and scissors in one area

and various containers of beads in another area to avoid congestion. Provide pieces of

raffia cut to the desired lengths for a bracelet or necklace as examples for students.

• Divide students into two groups and send one group to cut raffia pieces, and send one

group to choose beads and plan bead design for a necklace or bracelet. Instruct students

to place beads in paper cup. Groups trade areas when tasks are completed.

• Students return to desks or tables to string beads on the raffia. Twist raffia together

following the instructions for making cordage.

• Thread beads on the cord creating the desired pattern. A knot may be made between

beads or anywhere on the raffia for design purposes; however, knots need to be made at

each end to prevent beads from falling off cord.

• Students summarize activity in response journal with writing and sketches.

Activity Four: Classroom Museum Exhibit

Do the following with students:

• Teacher demonstrates how to catalog items for classroom museum using a sample item

prepared earlier for Activity Two and Activity Three. (dress, poncho, necklace, bracelet)

• Give each student a worksheet with categories of information needed to catalog an

object; Catalog Number, Object Name, Material, Dimensions, Description, Manufacture

Date, Cultural ID, Artist/Maker. Instruct students on how to complete each category on a

spreadsheet using the teacher-provided sample item:

• Students write information on spreadsheet for the items they made in Activity One and

Activity Two

• Each student will make a place card out of buff colored construction paper folded in half

to measure 3 x 5 inches. Instruct students to write their name and the name of the item on

the folded place card.

• Students display items in glass display cases with place card.

K. Evaluation/Assessment for Measurable Results

Evaluated using a rubric which identifies the following components of the Nez Perce Attire and

Artifacts Unit:

• Art: hand made replica of a Nez Perce dress or poncho with artistic additions such as

painted or beaded designs

• Art: hand made replica of a Nez Perce necklace using various beads and meaningful

personal items

• Social Studies/History: classroom museum exhibits including similar objects of primary

sources with interpretive labels

• Language Arts: daily entries of text and graphics in Response Journal describing

processes for activity completion and results of lessons

• Language Arts: contribution to chart comparing and contrasting modern attire and

adornment to historical Nez Perce adornment

L. Extension and Enrichment Activities

• Encourage students to bring “old” items from home (with parent or grandparent

permission) and compare them to similar present day items.

• Visit a local historical society or museum and create a written record of the exhibits

which are representative of similar present day items.

• After doing some research conduct an on-line tour of a museum and create a written

record of the exhibits which are representative of similar present day items.

M. Resources

Bibliography

Shawley, Stephen Douglas. Nez Perce Dress: A Study in Culture Change. Washington State

University, 1974.

Grafe, Steven Leroy. “The Origins of Floral Design Beadwork in the Southern Columbia River

Plateau.” Ph.D dissertation, University of New Mexico, 1999.

Raymer, Dottie. Welcome to Kaya’s World 1764: Growing Up in a Native American Homeland.

Middleton, Wisconsin: Pleasant Company Publications [American Girls Collection], 2003.

Web Sites

Nez Perce National Historical Park www.nepe.gov/nepe

Nez Perce Tribe: www.nezperce.org

Nez Perce National Historical Park: www.nps.gov/nepe

Colville Confederated Tribes: http://www.colriletribes.com/

Umatilla Confederated Tribes: http://www.umatilla.nsn.us/

Site Visit

• Pre-Visit: Before the visit, have the students visit the virtual museum web site and look

at the online exhibit and complete activity one, how to read an object. After completing

activity one, choose two more objects and analyze those. Also, have the children come

prepared to analyze one or two objects of their choice on display in the museum.

• Site visit: Call the park to make arrangements to visit. Go to the park home page to

contact park staff at www.nepe.gov/nepe. Have the students pick an object in the

museum and analyze it using the knowledge gained in how to read an object.

• Post-visit: Have the students write down their reactions to what they learned about how

museum objects can tell stories. Conduct one of the lessons extension activities.

Making Cordage

If possible show students natural fibers used for cordage: year old dead stalks of milkweed

(carefully break open stalks and strip the fiber away); bark from dogbane, sage, or juniper, and

yucca leaves.

Demonstrate how to make cordage with raffia, this can be purchased at a craft store, following the

steps below. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 students. Give each student 2, 15-inch pieces

of raffia. Assist each group; also have students help each other.

Tie one end of Strand A and one end of Strand B together. Hold both strands side-by-side, in

your left hand between your forefinger and thumb (if right-handed, vice-versa if left-handed).

Pick up Strand A between your right forefinger and thumb, and twirl the strand away from your

body (clockwise), Step 1 on figure.

Figure 1

Take the twisted Strand A and bring it toward your body, over and then under Strand B, Step 2 on

figure.

Hold Strands A and B between your left forefinger and thumb about where you crossed A over B,

repeat the twirling and crossing sequence: pick up Strand B, twirl it away from your body, and

cross it over and under Strand A.

Continue these steps. The twirling in one direction and crossing in another direction forms an

interlocking pattern like that of machine-made rope. If the cordage looks all twisted in the same

direction, then the locking twist is not taking place, and usually the strands are being twirled in

the wrong direction.