Language Tree
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 8-10
Topic: Language
Content: Students will examine the Language tree hand-out and put in the context of migration of Siouan peoples.
Goals: Students will understand the migration of the Siouan language and how it branched into separate languages.
Standards:
Social Studies Content Standard 3: Students apply geographic knowledge and skills (e.g., location, place, human/environment interactions, movement, and regions).
Social Studies Content Standard 4: Students demonstrate an understanding of the effects of time, continuity, and change on historical and future perspectives and relationships.
Essential Understanding 1: There is great diversity among the 12 tribal Nations of Montana in their languages, cultures, histories and governments. Each Nation has a distinct and unique cultural heritage that contributes to modern Montana.
Objectives: After completing this lesson students will understand more about the history of the Siouan language.
Materials:
Lesson plan, language tree hand out and lesson information
Introduction: The Apsáalooke language is a part of the Siouan language family. When looking at the language tree you can almost see how it will fit onto a map of the United States, with languages lying in their distinct regions.
Development: Students will learn more about language families.
Practice: Students will follow the language growth and spread on the language tree and then trace it onto a map of the United states.
Checking for Understanding/Evaluation: Students will turn in handouts.
Closure: Students will discuss what other language families they know about, and what they learned from this lesson.