By examining the pictures on the remains of these pots, we learn about the beliefs, customs, and everyday lives of these people. Teacher asks why Native Americans didn't just write down their stories like we do today. Teacher explains that Native Americans did not use the alphabet we use today. They used pictures to represent what they wanted to say. These pictures are called pictographs.
Teacher passes out a pictograph dictionary to each student.
Students are then told that they will use pictographs to write a short story, imagining themselves as a tribal member. The story will then be transferred to a clay pot using black marker. Students then transfer their stories to the pots. Students are then asked how examining their pottery can teach us about their culture. Teacher then asks students to share their clay pot stories with the class.