A culture is made up of many aspects that are interrelated and dependent on one another. Cultures reflect the interaction between humans and their environment. The six tribes of the Iroquois Confereracy lived in harmony with nature and with each other. Stories and legends demonstrate how Indians lived in harmony with nature and what happened if that harmony was interrupted.
Stereotypes create a narrow view of Indian culture.
The Iroquois are used in this unit as a model for studying Indian culture. The unit was written, however, so that it could be adapted to any Indian tribe located in the various cultural regions of the United States. The bibliography contains resources pertaining to other tribes that can be used in classrooms throughout the United States. At the same time, it is hoped that students will also gain greater respect and empathy for Indian culture. Throughout the unit, content will be interrelated with the language arts skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.