Overview
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Author(s) : This unit was researched, authored, and edited by the Center, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center, California Indian Education for All, and the San Diego County Office of Education. Key writers and researchers of this unit are Nicole Lim, Rachael Barger, Denise Davis, and Dr. Staci Block. The unit resources were designed and created from funding through the California Department of Education’s Native American Studies Model Curriculum grant and contract.
We gratefully acknowledge PBS KIDS and the creators of Molly of Denali for providing the video resources utilized in this unit. Their dedication to sharing Indigenous knowledge and fostering cultural understanding through engaging storytelling has significantly enriched our educational experience. For more episodes and resources, please visit PBS KIDS: Molly of Denali.(PBS KIDS) https://pbskids.org/molly/videos
Grade(s) : K-2nd Grades
Suggested Amount of Time : 45 Minutes
Curriculum Themes:
- Cultural Strengths
- Relationship to Place
Learning Goals
By the end of the lesson, students will:
Learn about the role of acorns in Native American cultures, particularly as a food source.
Understand how Native Americans sustainably harvested and processed acorns.
Explore the importance of acorns in the ecosystem.
Participate in a hands-on activity related to acorns.
Lesson Overview
- This lesson focuses on how California Native American communities traditionally harvested, processed, and respected acorns as a staple food. Students examine real acorns, engage in simulated grinding activities, and explore sustainability through the concept of taking only what is needed. They reflect through art and writing on the cultural importance of oak trees.
Procedures
Engage
Show an acorn and ask:
"What do you think people in the past used these for?"
"Can you guess how important these were to Native Americans?"
Briefly explain:
Native Americans, especially in California, used acorns as a staple food.
Acorns were gathered, ground into flour, and made into meals like bread or porridge.
Native Americans valued the oak tree and treated it with respect because it provided food and other resources.
Explain
Share a short story, picture book, or video about Native Americans using acorns (e.g., Mama’s Cookin’ Acorn Pancakes or similar).
While sharing, highlight key points:
Acorn harvesting (collecting from the ground).
Preparing acorns by grinding them into flour.
The importance of taking only what was needed to ensure oak trees stayed healthy.
Explore
Activity 1: Acorn Parts
Give each student an acorn to examine. Discuss its parts:
Cap: Protects the seed.
Shell: Holds the seed inside.
Seed: The part that grows into a tree or is eaten.
Activity 2: Grinding Acorns
Use a mortar and pestle or have students mimic grinding acorns using bowls and sticks.
Explain how Native Americans removed the bitter taste by washing the ground acorn flour with water.
Elaborate
Students draw an acorn and an oak tree on their worksheet.
Add a cultural connection:
"Draw or write one thing you learned about how Native Americans used acorns."
Evaluate
Review key points:
How did Native Americans use acorns?
Why is it important to take care of oak trees?
Ask:"What can we learn from how Native Americans respected nature?"
Extend
Outdoor Exploration: Go on a nature walk to look for oak trees and acorns.
Cooking Activity: Make a simple acorn-based recipe (if safe and feasible) or discuss modern recipes inspired by acorn use.
Cultural Connection: Learn about other Indigenous foods and how they were sustainably harvested.
Assessment
Observe participation in discussions and hands-on activities.
Review worksheets to check for understanding of acorn parts and Native American practices.
Unit Background
This interdisciplinary unit invites students to explore the acorn—a small seed with enormous ecological and cultural importance. Through hands-on experiences, storytelling, video content, and creative expression, students will develop an understanding of the life cycle of acorns and oak trees, their role as a keystone species, and the vital ways Native American communities have used, respected, and protected oak trees and acorns for generations. Drawing from Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems, students will engage in place-based and inquiry-based learning that nurtures curiosity, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for the natural world.