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4th grade · Social Studies · Unit 8 of 8

The Wabanaki Nations

The People of the Dawnland today

What your child practices

The four Wabanaki Tribes in Maine today (Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi'kmaq Nation), their communities, governments, languages and arts, Wabanaki place names, and how Wabanaki history is taught in Maine. Light, in the present tense, with nothing sacred or ceremonial.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: History 2; Global Connections · the cultural traditions, contributions and economic life of Maine Native Americans

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The Wabanaki are the People of the Dawnland.
  2. Four Wabanaki Tribes are in Maine today: the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians and Mi’kmaq Nation.
  3. Each has its own government. Languages include Penobscot and Passamaquoddy-Maliseet.

Example: How many Wabanaki Tribes are in Maine today? Count Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Mi’kmaq. That makes four. Answer: four

The Wabanaki Nations in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 8 of 8 in 4th grade Social Studies, after Maine at Work.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Wabanaki languages include Penobscot and…

    • Passamaquoddy-Maliseet
    • German
    • Spanish

  2. Question 2

    Wabanaki people today live…

    • only in the past
    • only in museums
    • in their communities and in towns and cities everywhere

  3. Question 3

    Maine Native Americans and immigrant families both add to Maine's…

    • weather
    • culture and economy
    • mountains

  4. Question 4

    Since 2019, Maine celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day on…

    • New Year's Day
    • the Fourth of July
    • the second Monday in October

  5. Question 5

    The Penobscot Nation's main community is on…

    • Monhegan Island
    • Indian Island
    • Mount Desert Island

  6. Question 6

    Wabanaki Tribes run businesses such as…

    • oil drilling in the ocean
    • car factories
    • forestry, health care and stores

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