Independent reading level: Grades K-2

The story first describes what America looked like before people were here. It describes each region of the U.S., which settlers lived there first, and how they ate, worked, and survived. ( )

This a good book to use as a classroom resource to teach about the first Americans. It features the Sioux, Hopi, and Seminole tribes. It also features regions such as the Northwest Coast, Southwest, Plains, and Woodlands. It is an interesting book with colorful illustrations. It is appropriate for early grades. ( )

The Very First Americans gives the story of the Americans who took place, even before Columbus did. Tribes such as Sioux and Hopi. This books gives details as to how they lived their lives, what they were eating, what a day to day basis would look like for them. It gives information as to how lifestyles were back then, without all the tools society has now. ( )

This book mentions several tribes who lived in the various places of America (i.e. Northwest, Southwest, Woodland, Plains). The book describes what life was like and how the Native Americans lived. INFORMATIONAL ( )

This books provides information about what American was like long ago. It talks about how people first came here (before Columbus) and the different names they called themselves. There are great illustrations that represent the Native Americans and animals as they were. ( )

Summary: This children's book is about the tribes that lived in the United States before Columbus discovered America. The book teaches everything about what the tribes wore, what language they spoke, and how the lived. This book has a lot of information.
Personal reaction: I liked the book because it spoke about many things that children should learn about other cultures.
Classroom extension idea:
1.Color a current make of the states, and place the tribes where they would have lived. ( )

From the Makah who set out in canoes to hunt whales to the Comanche who chased buffalo on horseback . . . here is a fascinating look at how the first Americans lived. Beautiful watercolor paintings accurately depict clothing, dwellings, art, tools, and other Native American artifacts.

Summary
The very first Americans by Cara Ashrose
The very first Americans is a book about the Native Americans called the Comanche. It tells about how they lived on the land. This book has beautiful amazing water color paintings which depict their clothing, art, tools and other Native American artifacts. This book is great for kids to read and understand on how Native Americans lived and hunted on the land before civilization took over.
Personal Reaction
This book is amazing to me, I am also Native American and love to learn how the other tribes lived as well. I love the watercolor paintings they are rich and beautiful. This is a great book to depict how the Comanche tribe lived and hunted the lands.
Classroom Extension
• I will ask my class to color and cut out buffalos that the Native Americans hunted. I will ask them to briefly describe how the buffalo was essential to the Native Americans and they used them for.
• I will ask my class to draw (illustrate) how they believe Native Americans live back than and tell why they drew what they drew.

showing culture and history of america and how we first started. ages 3-5

a very informative book about the first Americans, It would be a great addition to any library to show culture and the rich history of america
ages 5-7
source amazon

The Very First Americans by Cara Ashrose is an informational book about Native Americans and how they lived. I enjoyed this picture book mainly for the intricate illustrations. The pen-like drawings help add detail to the complicated aspects of Native American culture. For instance on one page the pillars were carved into various animals and the use of pen really enhances the details of each animal. Also, on each page there is a strip of various objects that represent the Makah tribe, which helps the reader understand their culture. The language is also very simple and straightforward to appeal to a younger audience. It states “the Makah were very good whale hunters. They carved great canoes from the trunks of huge trees.” The audience can clearly understand how the Makah people lived through the transparent language. Overall, I think that this informational book helps the reader understand the history of America, as well as how different the Native American culture is to our own culture now. ( )

Summary:
This book begins with the first natives’ migration to America and how they got the name “Indians”. Then Cara Ashrose takes the reader from the Northwest Coast to the Woodlands describing several tribes that made their home there and why. There are several examples of each tribe’s customs, traditions, and history. By the end, the reader will have a list of information about several Native American tribes from all over the country.

Personal Experience:
Being Native American is a big reason I chose this book. I thought it would be good to read to my boys. I am also excited about adding this book to my repertoire. Native American history is especially important to Oklahoma education. When I read it to my boys, they were very interested and they enjoyed the illustrations. I also looked up several photographs of some still standing monuments/structures that were built by American Indians.

Classroom Extension Ideas:
1.) The first thing I thought of after reading this book was building a totem pole. If I end up teaching an art class, I could divide the class into groups. Each group will get to pick an animal. Then we would papier-mâché and paint the head. After they were all dry, we could stack them all and attach them for our own version of the Northwest Indian’s totem pole. This can also be done in a regular classroom on a much smaller scale with play-doe.
2.) The Hopi Indians built homes of clay into the mountains called Mesas. These homes were box shaped with few rectangle windows up very high and the doors where on the room. After reading this book, the class could make a Mesa out of a card board box.
3.) The plains Indians built tipis to live in. We could all make our won tipis with construction paper and sticks. After reading this book, I’d explain that The Plains Indians were native to Oklahoma and our surrounding areas. I would let the children decorate their tipis however they like. Then we would display them in our classrooms. ( )

Summary of Book: In this book called The Very First Americans it describes and discusses how the Americans first lived. This book has amazing watercolor pictures. This book describes some specifics such as their clothing, art, and the tools they made and used to survive. Through the pictures it helps put a visual picture in the children’s mind to understand how Americans back in the day actually lived.
Personal Reaction to Book: This book stood out to me by the water color paintings. I loved that this book serves as an important tool for children to see and compare how Americans lived back then to how we live today. Great book and illustrations.
Extension Ideas:
1. The students will paint with water colors a picture of how they think Americans back then looked like.
2. The students will do a comparison and contrast of how we live the same now as back then and how there are differences.

A great book about native american's and their culture.
Ages 4-6 and up. ( )