This unit was adapted from the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) curriculum: A Life in Beads: The Stories a Plains Dress Can Tell. In this unit, students will explore the traditional art of dressmaking and dress decoration among Native American women from the Great Plains region. Through the stories and art of contemporary women who continue these traditions, students will learn about materials used in the past and today, as well as the cultural values and meanings behind dress decoration.
This unit overview expands on the description of the unit and provides additional context from the National Museum of American Indian about essential understandings.
This unit includes four lessons, all found in one google doc. Use the table of contents to navigate to individual lessons.
The resources below are the reproducibles included in the National Museum of American Indian's curriculum. The original full curriculum is linked in the unit description and overview.
Reproducible 1.1 - Resources and Materials Used to Make Dress
Additional information about the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes