Description (April 11, 2005)

Lakota Winter Counts - This online exhibit was created in response to requests from Lakota educators and community members to make primary source materials in Smithsonian collections available online for Lakota researching their cultural heritage. Lakota "winter counts" are pictures drawn on cloth or buffalo hide to remember each year's key events (1701 to 1905). If you are studying American Indian cultures this site will be a great resource in understanding and learning little known facts about the Sioux culture.

Classroom Integration

• This site will be a wonderful additon to your collection of interactive websites. This flash site is interactive and has a most informative and interesting collection of video and and images.
• Winter counts are histories or calendars in which events are recorded by pictures, with one picture for each year. The winter counts represent a rich Lakota tradition of oral history and storytelling. After studying this website, students create their own winter counts of their life this winter.
• Ten Lakota bands' winter counts are shown side by side on a timeline. Compare how the bands depicted a particular year. Students can collect counts of interest and email that collection.
• Students will collect images and watch interviews with Lakota to learn about the culture of this Sioux tribe of the northern plains. They will synthesize this information and design a Powerpoint slideshow depicting what was most informative to them.
• Teachers Guide - 33 pages of resources and lesson plans