Create a Legend

• Native Americans told legends, or stories passed down through generations, to explain how things came to be. Read a variety of Native American legends to preschoolers. "The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses," by Paul Goble, is a classic story to share with preschoolers. As a class, create an original legend. As the children make up a story, write it on chart paper. Add to the story every day until it is complete. Keep the story in the reading center and share it with the children throughout the year.
  
  

Build Native American Homes

• Look at pictures of many types of early Native American homes. Allow children to collect branches, bark, leaves and rocks from nature. Add some craft items like paper towel and toilet paper rolls, brown butcher paper, play dough and construction paper to the preschoolers' supplies. Together, build a variety of Native American homes such as Adobes, teepees, hogans, wigwams and igloos. Explain that the Native Americans used the resources they could find in nature around them to build their homes.
  
  

Play Native American Games

• Research games Native American children played such as "Pass the Stone," "Butterfly Hide and Seek," "Foot Toss Ball" and "The Moccasin Game." Teach preschoolers how to play the games. Vote on which game was each student's favorite. Show the results on a classroom graph.
  
  

Make Maize Recipes

• Corn was an important crop to many Native Americans. Read the picture book "Corn is Maize: The Gift of the Indians," by Aliki. Discuss the different ways various tribes cooked with corn. Share recipes for cornmeal pudding, corn tortillas or popcorn.
  
  

Create Native American Arts and Crafts

• Read "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush," by Tomie dePaola. Paint with watercolors or try rock painting. Collect rocks outside and paint them with tempera paint. Decorate construction paper headbands with drawings and feathers for ceremonial headdresses. Create dream catchers using paper plates, netting from mesh bags and feathers. Save paper towel and toilet paper tubes and turn them into totem poles.
  
  

Native American Drums

• Drums were an important part of Native American culture. Recycle coffee, yogurt and oatmeal containers. Give the students sequins, foil, feathers, construction paper and markers. Have them decorate their drums. Listen to recordings of Native American drumming and have a drumming ceremony with the students.