We’re putting together a triorama project all about the Cherokee Culture, using peg dolls, clay and paint to create their environment. Also, look at my pages Trioramas: How To Create Engaging Visual Narratives For Kids for more ideas and free Native American Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning.
Cherokee culture has a long and proud history.
The Cherokee people are one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States, with a population of over 300,000.
Originally from the Southeastern Woodlands, they lived in what is now the southeastern United States.
This area includes parts of present-day Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.
In the 1830s, the Cherokee were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in the Southeast in a process known as the Trail of Tears.
This forced removal resulted in the deaths of thousands of Cherokee people as well as the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole people.
Despite all that they endured, the Cherokee people have maintained their culture and traditions.
And the Cherokee Nation is a federally recognized tribe with over 300,000 citizens and their own government, schools, and healthcare system.
There is so much to learn about the Cherokee.
BOOKS ABOUT THE CHEROKEE FOR KIDS
First, look at these books for kids.
When possible, I add living books to our reading list.
8 Cherokee Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
Grab some of these books about the Cherokee to add to your reading list or to a unit study.
Tells of everyday life in the Cherokee Nation and how it changed with the coming of the white man
A work of historical fiction about Sequoyah and the creation of the Cherokee alphabet, from the acclaimed author of Code Talker Thirteen-year-old Uwohali has not seen his father, Sequoyah, for many years. So when Sequoyah returns to the village, Uwohali is eager to reconnect. But Sequoyah’s new obsession with making strange markings causes friends and neighbors in their tribe to wonder whether he is crazy, or worse—practicing witchcraft. What they don’t know, and what Uwohali discovers, is that Sequoyah is a genius and his strange markings are actually an alphabet representing the sounds of the Cherokee language.
The story of one of the great leaders of the Cherokee nation... as well as the fascinating and disturbing story of cultural transformation and subsequent oppressive injustice that ended in The Trail of Tears.
A Cherokee boy plants an apple seed, already seeing the apple tree it is meant to be. But the little apple tree is not so sure. Young and impatient, it begins to doubt its calling after apples fail to appear that first fall. How can the boy convince the tree to give the seasons the time to work their magic? The story is told in English with Cherokee translation, and includes a Cherokee syllabary.
Step back in time for a captivating glimpse of Cherokee life in pre-Columbian North America. Join Little Wolf and his family as they prepare to celebrate Itse Selu, the harvest festival. As night approaches the village, the magic of anticipation fills the air. The luscious feast, Grandfather's storytelling, and the sacred corn dance weave a magical tapestry of tradition.
From an award-winning Native American storyteller comes this captivating re-telling of a Cherokee legend, which explains how strawberries came to be. Long ago, the first man and woman quarrelled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife's retreat.
After Possum and Buzzard fail in their attempts to steal a piece of the sun, Grandmother Spider succeeds in bringing light to the animals on her side of the world.
From 1837 to 1838, thousands of Cherokee Indians were marched from their homelands in Georgia to exile in Arkansas by the same white men they has once befriended. The Cherokees journeyed through bitter cold and blazing heat, with little food or water. One out of every four died --- and with them died a culture that had existed for hundreds of years, a civilization that had existed for hundred of years, a civilization that had embraced the white man's ways only to perish through his betrayal. Today, only the names remain of this once great nation.
Here are some facts and a handful of great activities and resources to make this a fun and education packed study for you.
Then we will dive into a giant triorama project.
FACTS ABOUT CHEROKEE CULTURE
Here are some facts and a handful of great activities and resources to make this a fun and education packed study for you.
Then we will dive into a giant triorama project.
Language: The Cherokee language is an Iroquoian language spoken by over 30,000 people. It is one of the most widely spoken Native American languages in the United States.
Religion: The Cherokee people have a complex religious system that includes a belief in a creator god, a pantheon of lesser gods, and a belief in the power of spirits.
Art: Cherokee art is known for its intricate designs and vibrant colors. Cherokee artists use a variety of materials, including wood, stone, clay, and beads.
Music: Cherokee music is a strong and vibrant tradition. Cherokee songs are often used for storytelling, religious ceremonies, and social gatherings.
Dance: Cherokee dance is a powerful form of expression. It is used to tell stories, celebrate special occasions, and connect with the spirit world.
People: The most famous Cherokee Indian is widely considered to be Sequoya. He was known for inventing the Cherokee syllabary, a writing system for the Cherokee language that helped their people assimilate with American Society.
Also, look at more Cherokee hands-on activity.
CHEROKEE RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES
- Take a look at my lapbook The Trail of Tears 1820 – 1845 Unit Study & Lapbook.
- Make Cherokee Stickball Sticks, a game that is and was an important cultural tradition.
- Explore Native American Culture: How to Make a Cherokee Rattle Craft
- Cherokee Tribe History is a video just over 20 minutes long that paints a picture of the where, when, and how of their history.
- Native American Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning.
- If you want to focus on the most well known of the Cherokee tribe is Sequoyah, Creator of the Cherokee Syllabary, Lesson Plans.
Then look at more triorama ideas.
TRIORAMA IDEAS
- How to Make an Easy Rainforest Triorama With Kids
- How to Make a Water, Land, and Sky Animal Habitat Triorama
- How to Make an Amazing Shakespeare Triorama Book Report
- How to Make a Cool Greek Mythology Triorama With Kids
- How to Make a Giant Triorama Project About Cherokee Culture
- How to Make A Desert Triorama About the Gobi, Sahara, & Antarctica
- Amazing Geography Landforms: An Engaging Triorama Tutorial for Kids
- How to Make a Triorama Teaching the Primary Colors with Dollar Tree Supplies
- How To Build A Water Habitat Triorama With Kids
- How to Craft a Stunning Wolf Animal Triorama
- How to Make a Biome Triorama That Explores Alaska’s Amazing Features
- How to Make a Native American Triorama Highlighting Tribes in 3 Regions
- How to Make A Pyramid Diorama For States Of Matter
- The Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef: An Ecosystem Triorama
Finally, look at how to make this giant triorama project about Cherokee culture.
HOW TO MAKE A GIANT TRIORAMA PROJECT ABOUT CHEROKEE CULTURE
You will need:
- A poster board
- Wood peg dolls
- Craft felt
- Air dry clay
- Craft paint
First, cut your poster board into a square.
I have one that is 22×28. I simply cut 6” off one side.
Fold the poster board from corner to corner at an angle like this.
Open and fold the opposite corner, be sure to press clean creases into each.
Cut one of the center creases from the outside edge right up to the center point, the sides on either side of the cut will form your base.
Draw or paint a scene on the triangles above the cut portion.
You can paint and design the background while it’s flat.
Or paint it after it’s glued together
Use a very thin layer of paint so that it dries quickly and doesn’t warp the paper.
Bend the bottom cut portion in and glue one side over top of the other, paint the exposed portion of the bottom to blend into your background.
Paint peg dolls to look like Cherokee people.
Before the influence of Europeans, Cherokee people wore buckskin clothing which included leggings that went past the knee, breechcloths, and moccasins.
The women wore wraparound skirts.
Men decorated their bodies and faces with tribal tattoos and war paint.
Use fine point paint pens or markers to add details. Set aside to dry.
While your paint is drying, use any kind of air-dry clay you like to create the details of your village like fire, homes, etc…
I prefer the model magic because it is super light and very easy to work with.
Allow clay to dry overnight and paint.
Use markers or paint pens to add details like design to your small pots.
Set up your scene and step back to admire your amazing giant triorama.
