Seminole Traditional Foods…YUMMY!

DESCRIPTORS

Curriculum Areas: History and Culture

Recommended Levels: High School

Time Frame: 5 days (1 hour lessons per day)

Tribal Affiliation: Seminole Tribe

Geographic Location: Southeast

Developed by: Jessica Cohen, Leroy King, Renee Morales, Celesta Osceola, Lenora Roberts and Lee Zepeda

Email address for further questions: tribune@semtribe.com

Date lesson was developed: July 26, 2001

American Indian Standards:

Social Studies

Standard 1: Culture

Standard 2: Time, Continuity, and Change

American Indian Oratory

Standard 2.1: Practices of Culture

Standard 3.2: Acquiring New Information

Standard 5.1: Language Beyond School

American Indian Community Service

Standard 5.2: Lifelong Learning

INSTRUCTION

Goal: The students will identify Seminole foods from the past and present.

Behavioral Objectives: Students will:

• Label Seminole foods in Miccosukee (native language) and English
• Construct a chart on traditional Seminole foods
• Prepare a traditional Seminole meal

Prior Knowledge Needed:

• Miccosukee (native language) words for labeling foods
• Charting skills
• Computer skills
• Multimedia skills

Materials and Resources Needed:

• Guest speakers (who have knowledge of food preparations)
• Pots/pans
• Fire wood
• Cooking area (food is prepared outside)
• Interview sheet (attached)
• Food supplies
• Utensils
• Websites: http://members.tripod.com/~shamm/food.htm

http://www.seminoletribe.com/culture/food.shtml

http://www.nativepeoples.com/np_features/np_recipes/winter97_recipe.html

Culture Content and Strategies:

• Visit from guest speakers (community members)
• Learn about the history of traditional Seminole food by visiting various websites (see materials/resources)
• Use Miccosukee (native language) words to describe Seminole foods
• Prepare Seminole meal

Lesson Summary and Performance Tasks:

Seminole food is very important to the Seminole way of life. Early day Seminoles lived off the land and they were very adaptable to their environment. Seminoles knew what to eat to survive. For this lesson, students will construct a chart on traditional Seminole foods. The chart will list the foods in English and Miccosukee. A brief description of the food will also be included in the chart. Students can visit the various websites (see materials/resources) to get information about traditional Seminole foods. Following the advice of elders, guest speakers and community members, the culture teacher will supervise the students in the preparation of traditional Seminole foods. When finished, the class will eat the traditional meal.

Assessment:

• Participation/Discussion (checklist)
• Completion of food chart
• Observation of meal preparation (checklist)

EXTENSION

Technology Integration:

• Students can use a digital camera to take pictures of the food preparation
• Students can post food preparation information on the school’s website

Enrichment/Remediation:

Students can make a cookbook with traditional Seminole food recipes. Individual students can do a PowerPointÔ presentation on the past and present Seminole foods.

Interview Sheet

Interviewee: ____________________________________

Interviewer: ____________________________________

1. How are certain Seminole foods prepared? (Explain)

2. Are the traditions of Seminole foods carried on today? (Explain)

3. What types of food do the young people eat today? (Explain)

4. Are animals still used as food like in the days of old? (Explain)

5. Do Seminoles still get commodities? (Explain)

6. How is the cabbage palm prepared? (Explain)