Library @ Little Big Horn College

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:

Language Tree Handout [PDF]

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.