Berlin Elementary Fourth Graders Study the Iroquois
Submitted by Rachel Turetsky
The Berlin Elementary fourth-grade class recently completed a study of the Iroquois, a powerful alliance of native tribes of colonial New York. The Iroquois were first known as the Five Nations, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca. The Tuscarora eventually joined, and the Iroquois became the Six Nations, also called the Iroquois League.
The goals for the students during the Iroquois unit were as follows: to learn about Iroquois history; to know how the Iroquois got their basic needs (food, water, shelter); and to gain an understanding of the way in which the Iroquois used their natural resources.
The class also studied the impact of colonization on the Iroquois League and what contributions the Iroquois made to today’s society.
The cross-curriculum study of the Iroquois and their ways of life included reading realistic fiction and non-fiction texts. The fourth-grade students were asked to write an essay as well as create and present dioramas reflecting what they had learned about the Iroquois.
This unit followed the guidelines of the New York State Social Studies standards.
The student’s dioramas were displayed in the BES main hallway to share with all the students at BES. Please find a video slideshow of all the student’s Iroquois dioramas on the BCSD website www.berlincentral.org.