If you want to know how to make a kid’s paper bag Native American vest, you’ll love this fun craft. Also, you’ll love my page Native Americans The Plains Indians Unit Study & Lapbook.
Plains Indians are made up of many tribes.
For example, they are the Arapaho, Assiniboine, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Comanche, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kiowa, Lakota, Lipan, Plains Apache (or Kiowa Apache).
Also, the Plains Cree, Plains Ojibwe, Sarsi, Nakoda (Stoney), and Tonkawa tribes.
These tribes made their homes among the grasslands between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.
Too, they made homes in the modern-day provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada down through the present-day state of Texas in the United States.
As development and colonies continued to push to the west around the 19th century many plains Indians adopted some of their style of dress, like vests.
But early on vests were made with Native American traditional buckskin and lots of seed beading for decoration.
Before we make a simple paper bag native American vest to wear ourselves, complete with faux beading, learn more.
Let’s learn about the Great Plains Indians and how the detail in their beadwork evolved throughout their history.
Children’s Books about Native Americans
First, you’ll love to add some of these living books to your list to read about Native Americans.
16 Books About Native Americans
You’ll love these books about various Native American tribes and how they lived and their rich history.
Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It’s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people Saxso’s people by their side. Without enough warriors
to defend their homes, Saxso’s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso’s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it’s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it’s too late.
In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull tells the exciting story of Sitting Bull's life using real drawings, letters, and speeches from him and from his friends and family.A warrior I have been. / Now, it is all over. / A hard time I have.With these words, Sitting Bull surrendered to the U.S. government on July 20, 1881. Sitting Bull spent most of his life trying to protect his people. A proud father and brave warrior, Sitting Bull wanted the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo and roaming the Plains. Although he lost this battle, Sitting Bull is remembered for his brave actions and notable accomplishments.
Here are the great stories of the Blackfeet, recorded by the famous conservationist and ethnologist, George Bird Grinnell, who became a tribal member in 1885. The Nizitapi, or Real People, as they call each other, were people of the buffalo. They originated on the plains of today’s southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan, and central Montana. Famed frontier artist George Catlin called the Blackfeet “the most
powerful tribe of Indians on the continent.” Like many native people, the Blackfeet have stories and legends that originated centuries ago, perhaps thousands of years ago, and were passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition.
In a story that is as gripping as it is historical, Newbery Honor-winning author Jean Fritz reveals the true life of Pocahontas. Though at first permitted to move freely between the Indian and the white worlds, Pocahontas was eventually torn between her new life and the culture that shaped her.
Countless herds of majestic buffalo once roamed across the plains and prairies of North America. For at least 10,000 years, the native people hunted the buffalo and depended upon its meat and hide for their survival. But to the Indians, the buffalo was also considered sacred. They saw this abundant, powerful animal as another tribe, one that was closely related to them, and they treated it with great respect and admiration.
"Hidden Roots" focuses on the greater impact that the generations of Abenaki that followed had to deal with. Readers will learn about the loss of identity, history and culture;lack ofself worth and fear that Abenaki people were feeling, and still feel today. Middle grade readers love to see life as "being fair", and will totally understand that life is not fair in this story. This is a book that should be read in every middle school class, so that this history will not be forgotten, and never be repeated.
When Ohkwa'ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa'ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber's wrath?
Through the eyes of a brave and independent young woman, Scott O'Dell tells of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce, a classic tale of cruelty, betrayal, and heroism.
This powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph's strong and brave daughter.
When Sound of Running Feet first sees white settlers on Nez Perce land, she vows to fight them. She'll fight all the people trying to steal her people's land and to force them onto a reservation, including the soldiers with their guns.
But if to fight means only to die, never win, is the fight worth it? When will the killing stop?
Before dying, Pyesa, Black Hawk’s father and chief of his people, commanded his son to defend their land from whites, who were trying to force the tribe off their land. Black Hawk, however, has no taste for killing and scalping and goes through great internal conflict. The story of this great-hearted leader shows how some whites and Native Americans were peaceful and kind, while others were not. Based on true events, this powerful book teaches about a difficult time period and shares profound, unique messages about love, faith, mercy, humility, friendship, forgiveness, and faith. Recommended for ages 13-18/Grade 7-12
Jim Keath has lived for six years as a Crow Indian when he learns that his two younger brothers and a sister are journeying west to take up land. Although Jim finds it difficult to fit in with the family he hasn’t seen since childhood, and though they are wary and distrustful of him, Jim feels his duty is at their side. But slowly, as they survive the dangerous trek west, the perils of frontier life, and the kidnapping of their younger brother, Jim and his family realize that the only way to survive is to accept each other and truly reunite the family.
Young hawk lived over 400 years ago, but the civilization of the pueblo indians, already well advanced before any white settlers came into their land, has changed very little since his day.
Captured by her enemies, married to a foreigner, and a mother at age sixteen, Sacajawea lived a life of turmoil and change. Then, in 1804, the mysterious young Shoshone woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, Sacajawea bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Hear her extraordinary story, in the voices of Sacajawea and William Clark in alternating chapters, with selections from Clark’s original diaries.
She was named Omakakiins, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop.
Omakakiins and her family live on an island in Lake Superior. Though there are growing numbers of white people encroaching on their land, life continues much as it always has.
But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever—but that will eventually lead Omakakiins to discover her calling.
After being taken prisoner by an enemy tribe, a Shoshoni girl escapes and makes a thousand-mile journey through the wilderness to find her own people
Tells of the adventurous life of the Wampanoag Indian,Squanto.
This title teaches readers about the first people to live in the Plains region of North America. It discusses their culture, customs, ways of life, interactions with other settlers, and their lives today.
Great Plains Indian Beadwork
Next, learn about some of the beadwork by tribes on the Great Plains.
Plains Indian men typically wore shirts, loincloths, hip leggings, and bison robes.
While the women wore two-piece dresses, leggings, and bison robes.
Moccasins were typical footwear for both men and women.
Beading was very important and early on beadwork consisted of a very simple design using large beads in a couple of colors.
It was most prominent among the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes.
Great plains Indians lived a nomadic life, which meant that they needed to be able to move the entire village at a moment’s notice.
They would escape enemies and the government as well as follow wild game around.
So they focused on putting their artwork on items that were carried around easily with them- utensils, tipi, and of course on their clothing.
When the Great Plains tribes were conquered by the American Army, during the “reservation period” they no longer lived a nomad life.
And their beadwork became more advanced and detailed.
Through barter, they acquired steel needles, commercially tanned hides, cotton thread, even looms, and a wider variety of beads which led to the beadwork evolving into more elaborate designs.
Also, look at more Native American activities.
Native American Crafts and Resources
- How to Make A Spin Drum | 10 Native American Crafts for Kids
- 13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead
- Daniel Boone Explorer Facts And Make a Fun Birchbark Canoe Craft
- Native American Activities For Kindergarten Create A Fun Cradleboard Craft
- Make a simple DIY Moccasins Craft to go along with your vest, wonderful for dramatic play.
- Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot
- Build a Wigwam with this How to Make a Wigwam Craft for a Fun Native American Unit Study.
- Grow” your own colorful corn –Geronimo Stilton Field Trip to Niagara Falls Summary And Fun Corn Craft.
- 100 BEST Hands-on Free Native American Resources
- National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet
- Texas Native American History Quick Unit Study (Middle School)
- Plains Indians Free Writing Prompts. For Elementary, Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids
Finally, look how to make a kid’s paper bag Native American vest.
How to Make a Kid’s Paper Bag Native American Vest
You will need:
- Paper bag
- Scissors
- Craft paint
- Masking tape
- Craft paint
- Paintbrushes
- Pencil
First, lay your bag out flat with the folded bottom face down on the work surface.
Use a pencil to draw oversized armholes and a neck hole.
Cut out the holes you drew through both sides of the bag.
Cut a straight line up the front of the bag from the bottom to the neck hole.
Flip the bag over and tape down the fold that is the bottom of the bag if it were opened with a line of masking tape.
Carefully turn the bag inside out so that the tape is inside. This will give you a smooth unprinted surface to work with on the outside.
Kid’s Paper Bag Native American Vest
Then you want to push the sides of the bag out and cut off the little odd piece that is still left in the armhole on both sides, you can see I cut it off on the left side.
Reinforce the shoulders by taping a couple of layers of masking tape over them, shoulders usually tear out first as your child puts the vest on and off.
With the slit you cut facing you, fold the sides of the vest inward to make it smaller.
You might need to try it on them a few times to get it right. I like to trim off some of the excess and then connect the centers back together with masking tape in a couple of layers to reinforce it.
Now you can leave the base color as is or give it a wash with a lighter color and then let it dry.
Next, lay out your “beadwork” design with a pencil. Look on Google or in your reference books for examples of Plains Indian beadwork.
To create a bead look without the weight or expense use a pencil eraser or the end of a paintbrush to create little dot “beads” over your design.
To make fringe cut a strip of paper bag scrap and make little slits across leaving a small amount uncut, and glue down to the vest.
Leave a Reply