Native American Clothing Doll

This is our second project paying homage to the Native American Indians who helped the Pilgrims survive those harsh winters after their landing in 1620

                                                           

Project: Thanksgiving: Native American Clothing Doll

Materials: Pencils, markers or crayons, scissors, construction paper, colored paper (construction) or felt.

This project will enable us as a family to further investigate the importance of the Native American Culture to the survival of the Pilgrims in the early 1620's.

Discussion Topics: Here are some topics that you may want to cover while working o the project.

     a) What was the difference between the Pilgrim clothing and Native American? (The Pilgrim's clothing was basically very light in nature and bland in color. They (the Pilgrims) believed in simplicity. While the Native American's "Everyday" clothing was simple, their ceromonial clothing was very colorful and detailed.

     b) Why was the Native American clothing more suited for the harsh winters?( The Natives used mostly Animal hides and they were much thicker than the weaved Pilgrim clothing. The Pilgrims were also just limited to the supplies they had brought with them, while the Natives planned well ahead for the cold winters.)

Helpful Vocabulary is located at the bottom of the page after the last step to the project.

Steps to creating the Native American Clothing Doll

( The examples I am using are very basic. This is done not to intimidate the child or parent.

However, feel free to add, take out or elaborate on any part of this project that you would like.)

Step 1: Take a regular white (or colored) sheet of paper and draw an outline of a person on it.

Step 2: Cut out the image

Step 3: Place a colored sheet of paper under the body for the shirt.

Step 4: Cut out the shirt and glue or tape it on to the figure outline.

Step 5: Place another color sheet of paper under the figure for the pants.

Step 6: Cut and glue the pants on and repeat these steps for the headdresses, Moccasins, Vests, etc. Keep in mind that this project can be as elaborate or basic as you want it to be.

Step 7: Here when I finished the clothing I added facial features.

Step 8: Here I added the "War Bonnet" and drew in a basic vest and moccasins.

Again, keep in mind that this project can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be.

Let your child's imagination run wild.

You might even want to print examples of the Native Americans in the clothing from the internet to show as examples.

Helpful Vocabulary:

1) Coonskin Cap: This is a basic "Davey Crockett" style cap that is made from the fur of a raccoon. The cap usually consists of the whole fur including the head and tail of the raccoon.

2) Buckskins: Is clothing that usually consists of a jacket and pants. These are traditionally made from Deer or elk hide. Buckskins are also traditionally fitted with "fringes" made from leftover hide pieces.

3) Moccasin: Is a soft shoe usually made of deerskin or other soft hides (leather).

4) War Bonnet: was a feathered headdress believed to carry special magical charms to the wearer during battle.