North American Indians

I purchased this book for my daughter when she was in fourth grade, as a resource for some fun activities to do over the summer. When she entered fifth grade, we found that the curriculum was heavily tied into Native Americans! "Yay!" we said. "We can use the Make it Work book!" We have already used the book to make four different class projects! The instructions are very clear and precise, and the projects were very "do-able" for a ten-year-old (with a little assistance from mom or dad.) The resulting "artifacts" are quite realistic looking, and perfect for class projects.As a craft book, this is a terrific purchase. However, if you need a book on Native Americans for a research paper, this is not the book for you. There is some background information, but only a bare minimum.

I loved this book and its simple and general approach to native indians. It goes over the life and history of ther the different tribes as well as their diet, art, housing, sports and games, different languages, customs and traditions. It also answers questions about why they fought, who were their Gods and what they believed in. There are clear instructions to build a tepee, masks, mocasins, typical clothing, baskets, canooes and miniature villages. Very informative and entertaining. I do think however it is addressed at slightly older children (9-12)

For the first time, my 4th grader had to do a research project and oral presentation on the Ute tribe. We found this book at our library and it was a wonderful source, not only for us but for other tribal groups. This book provides good visuals, followed by clear step-by-step instructions on how to make things such as native clothing, musical instruments, housing, and so on. It also gives a good amount of information on habitat, diet, religious life, tribal structure, etc. and compares various tribes, according to geographical area and lifestyle. This book inspired my daughter and her classmates to design a diorama which included a wickiup (typical Ute living space), teepee and willow house. We made dresses, tunics, and moccasins and painted them with traditional designs, using symbols from the book. We also made a drum, shaker, and spear, all with directions and pictures from this book. The presentation was fabulous. Their teacher liked this book so much we are donating a copy to the classroom.