INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

IN CARIBBEAN PREHISTORY

Supplementary Curriculum Materials

for Virgin Islands Teachers

Vol. 1: Elementary School Level

1997

AUTHORS

This elementary school material was created by the following

Virgin Islands teachers:

Deborah S. Ferry - Julius E. Sprauve Elementary School

Edna A. Figueroa - Evelyn M. Williams Elementary School

Faith Dane George - Ricardo Richards Elementary School

Shirlene E. S. Harvey - Alexander Henderson Elementary School

Mable Hurtault - Peace Corps Elementary School

Winifred Loving - Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School

Cynthia A. Morris - Evelyn E. Marcelli Elementary School

Bernadette Palton - Juanita Gardine Elementary School

Sandra S. Price - Joseph Gomez Elementary School

May Richardson - Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School

In conjunction with Emily R. Lundberg, Ph.D.,

archaeologist and anthropological researcher of Caribbean prehistory.

Produced by Island Resources Foundation

6296 Estate Nazareth No. 11, St. Thomas, VI 00802

Supported and distributed by the Virgin Islands Humanities Council

Kongens Gade 5-6, Corbiere Complex, Charlotte Amalie, VI 00802

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN CARIBBEAN PREHISTORY

Supplementary Curriculum Materials for Virgin Islands Teachers

Vol. 1: Elementary School Level

CONTENTS

Background for the Teaching of Caribbean Prehistory

Lesson Plans (targeted grade levels are indicated in parentheses):

1. A Story-Based Lesson on Indigenous People (K-3)

2. A Geography-Based Lesson on Prehistory (1-3)

3. Nutrition and the Foods of Pre-Columbian Indigenous Peoples (2-4)

4. Exploring the Environment of the First Peoples in the Virgin Islands (2-6)

5. Caribbean Ethnic Diversity and Interaction in Prehistory (4-6)

6. The Tainos (4-6)

7. Culture and Ethnicity: Keys to Understanding the Peoples of Past and Present (4)

8. Legacy from the Indigenous Cultures (4-6)

Resources for More Information

Blank Caribbean Map

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

IN CARIBBEAN PREHISTORY

Supplementary Curriculum Materials

for Virgin Islands Teachers

Vol. 2: Junior High Level

1997

AUTHORS

This junior high school material was created by the following

Virgin Islands teachers:

Lisa Gaye Hall - Antilles School

Luther Renee - Good Hope School

Margaret Keylin - St. Croix Country Day School

K. Leba Ola-Niyi - Addelita Cancryn Junior High School

Victor Sydney Somme, III - John H. Woodson Junior High School

In conjunction with Emily R. Lundberg, Ph.D.,

archaeologist and anthropological researcher of Caribbean prehistory.

Produced by Island Resources Foundation

6296 Estate Nazareth No. 11, St. Thomas, VI 00802

Supported and distributed by the Virgin Islands Humanities Council

Kongens Gade 5-6, Corbiere Complex, Charlotte Amalie, VI 00802

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN CARIBBEAN PREHISTORY

Supplementary Curriculum Materials for Virgin Islands Teachers

Vol. 2: Junior High Level

CONTENTS

Background for the Teaching of Caribbean Prehistory

Lesson Plans, by principal subject areas:

V.I. & Caribbean prehistory, world cultures, social science:

1. Understanding Culture and Ethnicity

2. Ethnic Definition of the Taino People

3. Culture and Ethnicity Expressed in Material Objects: Creating and Analyzing Culture Boxes

4. The Archaeological Study of Material Objects: Simulating a Dig

Geography, V.I. & Caribbean prehistory:

5. Settlement Areas of the First Caribbean Peoples: A Map Activity

Art, V.I. & Caribbean prehistory:

6. Experimenting with Prehistoric Design Elements

Language arts, V.I. & Caribbean prehistory:

7. Indigenous Word Game

Resources for More Information

Purposes:

This material is intended to help the teacher instill an awareness of the richness of the pre-Columbian component of Virgin Islands heritage. The prepared lesson plans ease the task of meeting curriculum guidelines regarding the islands' early inhabitants and cultural studies in general.

The curriculum guidelines for elementary grades in Virgin Islands public schools require student exposure to these subjects, with complexity increasing through the grade levels. By current standards, for example, grades K-2 introduce pre-Columbian peoples, past lifestyles, cultural variation in meeting human needs, and relationships between people and their environment. Grade 4 focuses on pre-Columbian lifestyles while developing the concept of people as a force for social and environmental change. Grade 6 more thoroughly explores the causes and effects of cultural change. The lessons herein can be adapted to several objectives appropriate for each level.

At the Junior High level, specific curriculum guidelines for grades 7 and 8 in Virgin Islands public schools encourage student understanding of culture, cultural change, and plurality, as well as the study of pre-Columbian inhabitants and their legacy. The lesson plans here may be used individually or as a unit. The optimum utilization would be within an interdisciplinary unit coordinated between two or more teachers.

A suggested approach takes advantage of the contributions of modern archaeology. Teachers who include archaeology in their curricula discover that it lends itself to interdisciplinary units, to practice in critical thinking skills, and to cooperative learning. It can be the basis for building cultural sensitivity, understanding of multicultural perspectives, and awareness of the commonalities among all peoples. It naturally lends itself to classroom lessons that are active, fun, and experiential.

For students, archaeology is a mystery-laden experience that requires imagination, creativity, and logic, linking multiple areas of learning. It provides a source of pride in cultural heritage and informed, responsible behavior toward all irreplaceable cultural resources.

Origin: The lesson plans posted here are products of a teacher seminar held on St. Thomas during August 16-20, 1996, titled "The Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean." The seminar involved V.I. teachers from K-12 grade levels and resulted in classroom materials designed for three grade divisions. This project was sponsored by Island Resources Foundation and the V.I. Department of Education, and it was funded in part by a $14,278 major grant from the Virgin Islands Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Acknowledgments: The guest speakers for the 1996 seminar provided inspiration for many of the classroom ideas. In addition, other individuals made valuable contributions to this final product, including: Patricia Hector, DOE teacher (review, suggestions); Bruce E. Tilden, Fort Frederik Museum (review of "Background"); Jay B. Haviser, Jr., Archaeological-Anthropological Institute of the Netherlands Antilles (curriculum examples); Toni Thomas, UVI Cooperative Extension Service (botanical information); Magda G.-Smith, VI Humanities Council (resources, review, and motivation); Ken Wild, Archaeologist, National Park Service; Friends of Virgin Islands National Park (web publication).