The Meaning and Making of the Tipi
V. Elaine McIntosh
Grade
4
Subject
Social Studies
Topic
Aboriginal Culture. The Making of a Tipi
Descriptive Sentence
The tipi provided the First Nations People with shelter from the heat, rain, snow and hail. Yet for the
people, a Tipi was more than just a shelter or a home. The Tipi held spiritual meaning, for this portable
structure connected with Mother Earth and the Great Mysterious One, Gitchie Manitou.
Students will learn about and create a miniature tipi.
Outcomes or Expectations
Please see the lesson plan preview for the expectations/outcomes for your province.
Materials
• Pictures of Tipis
• Cut twigs about 30 cm. long (or use wooden skewers)
• Brown, Kraft or freezer paper, small pieces of canvas
• String, twine or elastic
• Cardboard or Bristol board
• Scissors
• Glue or tape
• Markers
• Acrylic Paint
• Paint Brushes
Getting Ready
Please take a moment to review the
“Introduction to the Tipi” video
• Look at pictures of tipis and notice how they are put together. It was a portable womb-like shelter
used for housing, ceremonies and places of healing.
• Ask the students what materials would be used to make the tipis?
• The poles were often made from birch and willow trees and buffalo hide was used to make the cover.
A hole was dug into the ground for the first pole and the rest of the poles were wrapped together
with sinew or rope. The poles were wrapped 3 times, for the body, the soul and the spirit. The tipi
was put together by women.
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• Students may recognize some of the symbols used to decorate the sides of the tipis. Look for
different styles of tipis.
Development
Please take a moment to review the
“Assembling the Poles” video
• To begin making a miniature tipi, give each student 4 twigs (or wooden skewers) and twine. Begin
by tying the twine onto the first stick about 8 cm. from the top, then wrap the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sticks
to the first stick. Remember to wrap each stick to the first stick 3 times but do not bind too tightly.
Stand the structure on a flat surface and gently adjust so the twigs form the tipi.
• Notice that the poles are connected to Mother Earth and move upwards, making the connection to
Gitchie Manitou. Sometimes 18 -20 poles were used to make a tipi. Notice also that the floor of the
tipi is a circle and a fire pit was dug in the centre of the circle. Smoke from the fire would rise up to
the top of the tipi and out the hole. The tipis were easily assembled and disassembled by women
working cooperatively when it was time to move.
Please take a moment to review the
“Creating the Cover 1” video
• To measure for the covering around the tipi, look at the triangular shape formed between two of the
poles. Take a piece of cardboard and hold it to the shape leaving about 3 cm. at the top. Draw the
shape, and cut a template from the cardboard.
Application
• Trace the triangular shaped template onto the brown paper, moving it around the paper until you
have a full circle.
Please take a moment to review the
“Creating the Cover 2” video
• On the circle, cut out the opening for the doorway by following one of the angles that were drawn
onto the circle. Now cut out the smoke hole in the center of the circle to complete the cover for the
tipi.
Please take a moment to review the
“Painting the Tipi” video
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• Most of the tipis were not painted. If they were, it signified who lived there or the purpose of the tipi.
Symbols or pictographs were painted using earth tones and the patterns were not elaborate.
• Ask the students to choose a symbol that represents them or their family. Using earth colours, have
the students paint a simple design on their tipi. Remember that the rounded part will be the bottom
of the tipi.
Please take a moment to review the
“Completing the Tipi” video
• Take the covering and wrap it around the pole structure. Tape the inside of the covering to the base.
The door of the tipi should face to the east.
Closure
• When the classroom tipis are finished put them on display. Students could create a realistic diorama
with their tipi and other found materials.
The following books are good resources to use in the classroom.
Houses of Hide and Earth, Bonnie Shemie
The Old Woman Who Sang To a WigWam, John Blackned
The Tipi, David and Charolotte Yue
Houses of Bark, Bonnie Shemie
Indians of the Plains, Ruth Thompson
Indians of the Plains, Vera Kirkness
People of the Buffalo, Maria Campbell
Our People: Indians of the Plains, Lee R. Updike
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