Craft Notes

Adult supervision is required at all times.

Background

Native Americans who lived on the Great Plains lived in tepees. These cone shaped dwellings were made of animal hides and saplings, young trees. Tepees could be set up quickly and were easily transported. The Great Plains Native Americans such as the Lakota were primarily nomadic people, so being able to move quickly from place to place was important. Tepees were often decorated to symbolize personal experiences of the families who dwelled in them, such as hunting. Have students make a miniature tepee of their own and decorate it with drawings that show scenes from their daily lives or experiences that are important to them.