The First Americans

So lately we've been talking a lot about Beringia (the Land Bridge) and the first Americans.  To re-cap, according to the Land Bridge Theory (which is just a theory and isn't proven by science), large glaciers formed during the Ice Age.  These glaciers drew the water out of the ocean and lowered the oceanic water level.  This caused a strip of land to be exposed, connecting northern Asia to North America (in what is now Alaska).  During this time, tribes of people were hunting mammoths and mastodon for food.  The animals crossed this exposed strip of land from Asia into North America and so the hunters crossed as well.  Remember..."the food migrates; I migrate; the food migrates; I migrate."  Eventually, the Ice Age came to an end (and we're talking over a span of tens of thousands of years).  The glaciers melted.  The water returned to the ocean, causing the oceanic water levels to rise.  The strip of land connecting North America and Asia was covered with water.  It is now known as the Bering Strait. 

If your parent(s) will allow it, please check out this video to review the Land Bridge Theory.  Be nice!  Don't laugh at the guy and his goofy "Hellllloooooo" at the beginning of the clip.  Cut the guy some slack.  He's just trying to get you excited about Social Studies. He doesn't know that I've already gotten you SUPER EXCITED about Social Studies!!!  :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3kiGXYfg78

We will continue to discuss the major Native American groups that developed in North America.  Groups will include the Eastern Woodland Tribes, the Plains Tribes, the Southwest Tribes, the Great Basin Tribes, and the Northwest Coast Tribes.

Want to earn some EXTRA CREDIT and show your new teacher that you are really on the ball?  Research one of the Native American groups listed above and create a poster to present to the class.  The poster should include information about their resources and how they used the environment to meet their needs; their religious practices or beliefs; their homes; and their food (hunter-gatherer?  farming?  hunting?  fishing?---basically, how are these people eating?).  This will count for extra Social Studies credit. 

See you in the four-o-four!  :)