ARCHIVED NDNAEU LESSON

Connecting Cultures

Middle school (6–8) · Social Studies · NDNAEU 1, 6

This lesson is preserved from Teachings of Our Elders. Its original standards and instructional content are historical; review alignment, source availability, cultural protocols, and suitability for your learners before use.

[link unavailable; checked 2026-10-15] Inquiry Design Model (IDM) Blueprint™

Connecting Cultures

NDNAEU 1 “Sacred Relatives”, NDNAEU 6 “Native Contributions”

Compelling Question	Why is it important to understand different cultures?
Standards and Practices	G.6_12.3.1 Describe the differences and similarities among cultures around the world.
Staging the Question	How can different cultures be connected?

Supporting Question 1	Supporting Question 2	Supporting Question 3
How does/did trade connect different cultures?	How did the people in each group go about building their Legos?	In what ways did other students or groups impact the way you built your Legos?
Formative Performance Task	Formative Performance Task	Formative Performance Task
Give students or groups of students Legos of the same color. Give them two to five minutes to trade and assemble their Legos. There could be instructions given to each student/group on what they are trying to build or you can let them build however they want.	If you gave specific instructions, the instructions mean or relate different cultural values. If you gave no instructions discuss how the different groups went about deciding what and how to build their Legos.	Discuss how the “cultures” of the different groups show up in each of the Lego structures. One that will be obvious is the colors of the Legos. Discuss how trading the Legos spread each groups culture.
Featured Sources	Featured Sources	Featured Sources
Legos of different colors	none	none

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK: Supported Claim (written/spoken) or Demonstration of Process (project-based)	Do research and write an essay comparing and contrasting Tribal Origin Stories.
SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK: Extension	Use the Elder interview and discussion questions in the following link. Have students watch the video in pairs and discuss the questions. Then share with the whole class. https://teachingsofourelders.org/essential-understanding-1-jt-shining- oneside/
Taking Informed Action / Real World Application	Present the findings of the research in small groups.

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