Apache Native Americans

This lesson falls under our homeschool curriculum on Native American History. We recommend that this lesson be taught after the lesson on Cheyenne Native Americans.

1. Internet Access – Pull up the following:

1. United States Map of Native American Populations by Geographic Region

2. Picture of wiciup

2. Geronimo Coloring Worksheet

3. Crayons

1. Teacher: Ok – moving right along our Native American people, today we’re going to learn about a fierce group called the Apache. This group of Native Americans is known for their warrior spirit and lived in the Southwest part of the United States in today’s Western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona area [point to the Southwest area of the map].

2. Teacher: The southwest part of the United States is mostly desert with cactus and dirt and mostly hot weather in the daytime and cold at night. This made it very hard to grow anything from the ground (at least the plains provided some soil to grow food if you wanted it). And so, you’re going to learn how the Apache Native Americans had to deal with living in a desert.

3. Teacher: OK - So are you ready to learn about the Apache? [Get positive response from Student and begin lesson].

1. Teacher: Apache is pronounced “uh-pah-chee”. Can you say that? [Have the Student practice several times].

2. Teacher: Good. Apache means “enemy”. Just like the Iroquois, I think the Apache got their name from their enemies, huh?

3. Teacher: Like I said before, the Apache lived in the desert so they couldn’t eat anything except things that grew in the desert like nuts, seeds, and some desert fruits. Of course, the Apache also hunted some buffalo and deer, but because they lived in the desert, the Apache were never farmers like the Cheyenne were long ago.

4. Teacher: So in the desert since food isn’t available everywhere, do you think the Apache were nomads like the Cheyenne? [Engage the Student in conversation but make the point that the Apache were nomads].

5. Teacher: That’s right, the Apache were nomads and so their houses must have been pretty easy to make since they had to take them apart again every time they moved. In fact, the houses that the Apache made were called “wiciups”, or brush shelters. Wiciups are made of wood and covered with branches, leaves, and grass. Here’re some pictures of wiciups. [Show picture of wiciups to Student].

6. Teacher: These wiciups were small; one grown-up could not even stand up straight in a wiciup. But they were really easy to make and take apart. It took about 2 hours to build a new wiciup if there was enough brush lying around. Like the Cheyenne, the women were in charge of building and taking apart wiciups.

7. Teacher: The Apache clothes were about the same as the Cheyenne (leather shirts and breech clothes for men, dresses made from deer skin for women) except that their leaders did not usually wear headdresses or war bonnets, although a few did.

8. Teacher: And the weapons of the Apache were similar to the Cheyenne, bow and arrows, spears and shields made from buffalo skin.

9. Teacher: As for the men and women, the men were in charge of hunting, trading and war while the women were in charge of the family and the house. I said earlier that since the houses (wiciups) belonged to the women, the women were in charge of building, taking apart and carrying their wiciups. But one thing different about the Apaches compared to the Cheyenne was that Apache women learned to ride horses and shoot bow and arrow and defended their villages. What do you think about women fighting in battle? [Engage the Student in conversation but come to the point that it is up to the people in the Native American tribe to decide what is best for them given the situation].

10. Teacher: Something else interesting about the Apache was the way they thought about war. You see, the Apache thought that one way to show bravery was to try to be sneaky and steal from your enemies since you really needed to be smart about how to steal without your enemy knowing about it. On the other hand, the Apache thought that attacking your enemy while directly in front of his soldiers was bad since you usually need to attack the enemy’s entire people which could hurt older people and children. The Europeans thought completely the opposite of the way that the Apaches thought about war. What do you think shows bravery in war? [Engage the Student in conversation].

11. Teacher: Well, like the other Native Americans, the Apache were eventually gathered up and sent to reservations while the Americans took over their lands.

12. Teacher: Ok – time for an activity [Take out the Geronimo coloring worksheet]. This is a picture of a famous Apache warrior named “Geronimo”, you may have heard about his name. When the Americans forced the Apaches into reservations while taking their lands, Geronimo actually helped some of the Apache escape into the country located just under the United States, called Mexico. Let’s spend some time coloring this worksheet of Geronimo. [Give Student 10 minutes to color the worksheet].

13. Teacher: Alright you did a good job coloring the picture of Geronimo. OK – time for review. Get in front of the class. [Have the Student stand in front of you (consider inviting other members of the family also to set the stage) and ask her the following:

1. What does “nomad” mean? It means a way of living in which you move a lot with no fixed home

2. Were the Apache ever farmers? Why or why not? Apache were not farmers since they lived in deserts which did not grow enough to feed the people

3. What’s the name of the homes that the Apache made that was easy to make and take apart? Wiciups

4. What was different from the way the Apache thought of war compared to the Europeans? The Apache thought that it was good to be sneaky and steal you’re your enemies since it showed bravery while they thought it was bad to attack when everyone knew you were attacking since children and older people may get hurt. The Europeans thought the opposite.

Next Week's Lesson: Ute Native Americans >>