This lesson plan outlines a 4th grade field trip to the Palm Springs Art Museum to learn about Native American culture. The objectives are for students to apply their knowledge of Native American tribes in California and how their environments shaped their lifestyles and art. At the museum, students will sketch artifacts and provide details on the tribes that created them. Back in class, students will label a map of California with tribe locations and facts. For homework, students will write a reflection on their favorite parts of the trip and artifacts.

1. Cindy Alvarez
Geography 300
Final Lesson Plan
A story of the American West and Native American
Grade Level: 4th grade
Subject: History and Social Studies, Art, and Geography
Objectives: This lesson plan is intended to be the final part in learning about the Native
American culture. Students will apply their gained knowledge of where the Native American
tribes are located in California and how their location affected their life styles, culture, and art.
The field trip to the Palm Springs Art Museum will enhance the student’s appreciation for the
Native American culture through its exhibits.
List of Materials:
Sketch Notebook
Pencils
Color Pencils
Map of the Palm Springs Art Museum
Sack Lunch
Standards:
History and Social Studies
4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that
define places and regions in California.
1. Explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute
locations of places in California and on Earth.
3. Identify the state capital and describe the various regions of California, including how their
characteristics and physical environments (e.g., water, landforms, vegetation, climate) affect
human activity.
4.2 Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among
people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican
rancho periods.
1. Discuss the major nations of California Indians, including their geographic distribution,
economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs; and describe how they depended on, adapted
to, and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and use of sea resources.

2. Geography
Places and Regions
4. The Physical and human characteristics of places.
Human Systems
9. The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface.
11. The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement.
Environment and Society
15. How physical systems affect human systems.
The Uses of Geography
17. To apply geography to interpret the past.
Museum Activity:
Students will have a list of Native American exhibits to see while at the museum. They will be
required to have a sketch form each exhibit stating what they liked, or disliked. They will need to
identify the piece with the name of who created it, date it was created, what it is, where it was
made, and what materials were used to make it. By this activity students will have a better
understanding for Native American culture, their artifacts, and way of life.
Follow up Activity: Once back in the classroom students will fill in an empty map of California
they will need to label the physical characteristics of California and plot the locations of the
Tribes that had exhibits in the museum. On the map students will need to add facts about the
tribes they have plotted, for example the types of artifacts that were found in the museum and
any plants or dyes that the tribe would use.
For homework students are to write three paragraphs about what they liked best of their field
trip, that artifacts were most interesting, and give a description of how the artifacts were used, or
if it had any special meaning to the tribes people.
Rubric: Student will be graded on their sketch notebooks whether they are complete or not. If
they listed the required information of each piece they sketched like the name of creator, date,
and materials used. They will be graded on their neatness of filling in the California map and if
all required information and facts are present. The homework assignment will look at the
grammar and punctuation of student writing and if student gave examples, and answered all
questions.