Optional Field Trip
Native Americans & the
Environment
Find the location of a
Native American Indian site in your area. You can identify native
American communities in Florida by first taking a look at the Miccosukee Web
Site and the
Seminole
Tribal Web Site.
If possible, take a guided tour in a Native American community.
If you are unable to do this, then do a virtual tour of Native
cultural. You might begin this trip at Native
American Public Telecommunications. You might also be able to access one of
several Florida
Seminole Library sites,
to research the questions below. There is a Native
American Online developed by fourth graders in Tallahassee that can tell you about
the ancient Apalachee people of North Florida. Likewise, you
might find this site on Historical
Florida Indians
helpful. Finally, you might find Native-American.Com to be a useful resource.
Regardless of how you proceed on your tour, be prepared to address
the questions below. You may substitute another region's Native
American population for your own.
Use the topics below as
guidelines to fulfill the objectives of the field experience. We
realize it may not be possible to meet everyone of them at every
place
- Name and describe
the native American Indians that originally occupied your
region.
- How did the natives
use the natural resources? How is this the same or different than
how the resources are used today?
- Have the original
natives survived to the present time? If so, where are they now,
how do they live?
- Name and describe
the archeological sites relating to the original
natives.
- How did the natives
shape the environment? How did the environment shape
them?
- Describe how local
people have worked with scientists, public officials, and agencies
to acquire and protect this historic and ecologically significant
area as an educational/research center.
- In your opinion, do
you think the native Americans had a sustainable relationship with
their environment? How would you describe their "sense of
place?"
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