Middle School – Ingenuity

Ingenuity—the clever and creative use of knowledge and skills—is a quality that can be found in abundance in Utah’s Indian nations. From the ingenuity of native leaders, seeking to help their tribe through modern changes, to the unique botanical and seasonal knowledge needed to survive the harsh environment of the Great Basin, the people of the Ute, Paiute, Northwestern Shoshone, Navajo and Goshute nations have constantly demonstrated their ingenuity.

These lesson plans, designed to coordinate with the existing state and national standards for seventh grade social studies curriculum, focus on the theme of ingenuity. They include lessons that are broad in scope, looking at ingenuity in Indian communities across what is now the United States and throughout Utah, and five lessons that focus on specific examples of ingenuity demonstrated by each of Utah’s Indian nations. These lessons look at the way ingenuity has been expressed through such things as leadership and education, both in ancestral and modern times.