Winter Count Lesson Plans

About Waniyetu Wowapi (winter count) A winter count is a pictographic record of historical/memorable events for a tiospaye (community). Many Plains Indians used the winter count as a method of preserving history. Significant events are recorded for future generations. The pictures, which are used as mnemonic devices, are arranged in chronological order.

Originally, the memorable events were recorded on rock (many paintings found on cave walls, canyons, and mountains throughout the Great Plains), on buffalo hide, deer hide, cowhide, and then ledger paper and muslin (cotton fabric). The keeper used natural dyes to draw the images. The dyes used to record the images also changed over time. Berries, clay, plants, roots, buffalo gall (liver bile), blood, and stomach contents were some materials used to draw the images.

Each tiospaye designates a winter count keeper... (More)

Screenshot of the Winter Counts a Closer Look lesson plan. A small picture of Lone Dog's winter count is shown.

Lesson Plan: A Closer Look

During the activity, your students will compare their own pictorial representation of an event with the original keeper of a winter count.

Screenshot of the Keeper of the Count lesson plan.

Lesson Plan: Keeper of the Count

During this lesson, your students will learn about the keeper of the winter count by competing in a drawing game.

Screenshot of the Class Winter Count lesson plan.

Lesson Plan: Class Winter Count

During this lesson, the students will create a winter count image by identifying an important event that occurred in their lives during the school year.

Screenshot of Winter Count Dyes lesson plan.

Lesson Plan: Winter Count Dyes

During this activity the students will learn about natural dyes/pigments used to draw images on winter counts.

Animated Native American boy standing next to a photo of a winter count on a projection screen.

Winter Count Video

Learn about Native American winter counts in South Dakota and complete an interesting activity (PreK-Elementary).

Photo of the Red Horse winter count at the Buechel Memorial Lakota Museum in St. Francis, SD.

Units for K-12

Topic Areas: Oceti Sakowin History and Culture, Social Science, Science, Language Arts, and Fine Arts

Image of the Lakota Berenstain Bears, Pappa Bear, Momma Bear, Sister, and Brother.

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South Dakota State Standards

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