May
2005
Lakota Winter Counts
Native American artifacts "counted" time by picturing a key
event each year.
Grade Level: Pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
http://wintercounts.si.edu/

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CONTENT:
This online exhibit features the Lakota Winter Counts from the Smithsonian's
National Anthropological Archives and National Museum of the American
Indian as well as other general information about the culture and
history of the Lakota. |
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SITE DESIGN:
This interactive site is user friendly and easily navigated. It can
be viewed in Flash for high bandwidth or in HTML for low bandwidth
users. There is a top navigation bar for both versions and a search
tool is available. In the Flash version, the winter counts are shown
on a timeline and users can click on individual pictures to bring
up more information. |
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REVIEW:
“Winter counts are histories or calendars in which events
are recorded by pictures, with one picture for each year.”
This site features the Lakota Winter Counts as a frame for learning
about the culture and history of this tribe of Native Americans
that lived in the northern plains. An audio glossary provides pronunciation
of the Lakota terms. There are sections of the site that explain
what the winter counts are, who the Lakota are, and video interviews
of six Lakota men and women who have connections to the tradition
of keeping the winter counts accompanied by photographs provided
by the speakers. The teachers’ guide can be downloaded and
printed in its entirety or separately by chapter. It includes relevant
background information, visual material, topic suggestions, sample
lesson plans and resource lists, instructions on navigating the
Lakota winter count online exhibit and a glossary for anthropological
terms and Lakota words.
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