LAI 521

LESSON TITLE: The People of the Longhouse

GRADE LEVEL: 4

ESTIMATED TIME:
35 minutes

OVERVIEW:
The lesson will focus on the homes in which the Iroquois lived. The purpose of this is to gain
basic knowledge of longhouses, as well as understand the differences between modern homes
and longhouses.

PREREQUISITE LEARNING:
Reading skills
Writing sentences
Basic internet research skills; i.e. Google search
Basic computer keyboard skills
Artistic skills

STANDARDS/BENCHMARKS ADDRESSED:
New York State Common Core Writing Standard 7. - Conduct short research projects that
build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
New York State Common Core Social Studies Standard A2. - Recognize, use, and analyze
different forms of evidence used to make meaning in social studies (including sources such
as art and photographs, artifacts, oral histories, maps, and graphs).

CONNECTIONS TO OTHER TOPICS/DISICPLINES:
This lesson incorporates writing skills and the ability to research and recognize facts. Also,
this lesson incorporates an artistic portrayal based on accurate depictions found during
research. This lesson includes the ability to contrast two things.

OBJECTIVES:
Students will gain basic knowledge of longhouses. Students will learn how to recognize and
write facts found through researching. Students will be able to comprehend what a longhouse
looks like and draw their own accurate version. Students will be able to compare how a
longhouse differs from their own home.

MATERIALS:
Computer lab
Worksheet
Pen/Pencil
Colored pencil/crayons/markers
Chalkboard
Chalk
Visuals of different homes
LAI 521

ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY:
The teacher will ask students to brainstorm ideas of the types of different homes people can
live in or have lived in.
The teacher will call on students who raise their hands.
The teacher will record all the different ideas on the chalkboard.
The teacher will hold up photos of certain homes that the students may not come up with on
their own (i.e. Igloo, teepee, cave, houseboat, etc.)
The teacher will ask the students what kind of home they think the Iroquois lived in.
The teacher will call on students who raise their hands.
The teacher will pass out the worksheet and assign computers to each student.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN:
Students will type in the website link:
http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/northeast/iroquois/longhouses.html.
Students will independently read about longhouses.
Students will write their name and todays date on the top of their worksheet.
Students will answer six fill in the blank questions on their worksheets.
Students will complete one sentence including a fact from the website that they found
interesting and that is not previously stated in the preceding section of the worksheet.
Students will use a Google search to find what a longhouse looked like on their worksheet.
Students will draw a longhouse on their worksheet.
Students will state at least one sentence stating a difference between their own home and a
longhouse on their worksheet, ensuring that all different cultural and socioeconomic
backgrounds will be properly recognized and represented.
Students will hand in their worksheet to be assessed.

SUSTAINING, CONCLUDING, OR EXTENDING ACTIVITIES:
The teacher will ask students what they determined was different about their own homes in
contrast to longhouses.
The teacher will lead a discussion of similarities (i.e. families live together).

EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT:
Students will be assessed on if they complete the worksheet with an 85% accuracy
showing they can comprehend what they research.
Students will provide one additional fact with correct spelling, punctuation, and
capitalization showing they can form a proper, complete sentence and recognize a fact
from their research.
Students will accurately depict a longhouse showing they are able to artistically recreate
what they have seen during their research.
Students will provide at least one difference between their own home and a longhouse
showing they are able to compare two things.

REFERENCES
LAI 521

Donn, L. & Donn, D. (2014). Longhouses. Mr Donns Social Studies Site. Retrieved May 10,

2014 from

http://nativeamericans.mrdonn.org/northeast/iroquois/longhouses.html


New York State Common Core Social Studies Framework Grades K-8. (2014, March 1).

Retrieved May 9, 2014, from

http://www.engageny.org/sites/default/files/resource/attachments/ss-framework-k-8.pdf