Puget Sound Native Art and Culture


Welcome | Salish Art and Culture | Overview of the Exhibition | About Native Teaching | Resource List | Acknowledgments

Tree People | Skokomish Basket | Song For the Moon | Bone Game


 

 

We are very excited to provide you and your classroom with this new resource to complement your visit to the exhibition Song, Story, Speech: Oral Traditions of Puget Sound’s First People at the Seattle Art Museum. The primary goal of this resource is to help students understand the importance of oral traditions in Salish culture. The artworks provide the foundation upon which the Salish curriculum unit is based. Background information and suggested interactive discussion questions and activities allow teachers and students to explore these artworks in depth.

 

Materials focus on four different modules (see below) which provide extensive information on Salish art, culture, song, storytelling, and design. Each module can stand alone or be used in conjunction with the others. Be sure to read About Native Teaching to gain an understanding of the conceptual framework of the project.

 

 

Each module contains the following information:

 

  1. About the Artwork   Information about the artist and subject matter for each image represented on the CD is provided.

 

  1. Learning from this Work  Information provided on Salish design, basket making, the importance of song, and the role of the Native teacher.

 

  1. Classroom Activities  This section includes the goals for each module, suggested pre- and post-tour activities, and interdisciplinary classroom activities.

 

§         Suggested Pre- and Post Activities enrich the student’s consideration of an artwork by encouraging discussion and careful observation. Your students may generate diverse answers to the Looking Questions, as they are intended as a starting point for teachers to facilitate the student’s close viewing. The questions may be expanded to be more thought-provoking:

§         Interpretive – “What do you think the artist’s intent was in…?”

§         Comparative – similarities and differences between paintings…

§         Hypothetical – “What if…?”

 

§         Suggested Activities engage students in various experiences relating to Art, Social Studies, and Language Arts. You can develop these activities according to the level and needs of your students.

 

  1. Vocabulary  Definitions for the bolded words within each module are included after the Suggested Activities.

 

  1. Resources  Books, tapes, CDs, videos, and other resources that complement this exhibition are also available for you to check out (free of charge) at the Wyckoff Teacher Resource Center at SAM’s Volunteer Park location.

 

 

 

The Four Modules

 

§         Teachings of the Tree People –Video: The Native Teacher  introduces students to concepts and stories that demonstrate the characteristics of a teacher and the uses and importance of cedar to the Coast Salish people.

§         Song for the Moon: Salish Design Elements  introduces students to the role of design in Salish art. Students will explore basic Salish design elements and how they are used to create a complete artwork, and how artists use stories and the natural world as inspiration for their artwork.

§         Basket-making and the Natural World  introduces students to Salish culture and art through basket-making. Students will explore how knowledge is transmitted through stories and how basketry designs relate to the natural environment and to stories.

§         Bone Game Objects: Importance of Song  introduces students to the ways in which songs transmit cultural knowledge and emotive expressions, and the role that songs play in ceremonial and leisure activities.