FREE Indian in the Cupboard lesson plans for a literature-based unit study. This collection of resources is perfect for homeschool but also for the classroom.
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FREE Indian in the Cupboard Lesson Plans: a Homeschool Unit Study
Are you reading Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks with your homeschooler? Then have I got the resource for you today! It’s a FREE Unit Study centered around the book. Find links to free printables, free educational videos, worksheets, lesson plans and more. This post contains affiliate links; please see my disclosure for more information.
Imaginations abound in this simple story about a boy and his toy Indian. Reading The Indian in the Cupboard alongside your 8 to 11-year-old will inspire imaginative play, questions of curiosity, moral lessons in character and friendship, and even lessons in Native American culture.
Your child will embark on a remarkable adventure as they follow the story of Omri and his birthday present – a little plastic Indian brave. Omri was disappointed with his present, so he put the toy inside a cupboard and locked the door. The story turns magical when it turns out that the mysterious key that he used to lock the cupboard changes the toy into a real live man. The tiny warrior’s name is Little Bear, and they form a special friendship that Omri must fight to keep secret.
This book has a lot of noteworthy qualities, but you can read the reviews for yourself. I enjoy this book because of the complexity of the characters, the exciting plot that appeals to children, and the exemplar example of writing by the author. The book also portrays valuable character lessons about integrity, bravery, and friendship.
There’s even a movie based on the book! Watch it after reading (simply click the image above)
Free Indian in the Cupboard Unit Study Ideas
As you can plainly see there is an adventure in store and a whole slew of topics that can be explored in this literary unit.
- Reviews of the book by real parents (so we know the content ahead of time). Please note the review of the movie as it does contain a few unfortunate swear words, better to know this than to be surprised while viewing.
- Start out with a list of vocabulary words that you can even print out.
- Then move along to a list of characters and their traits.
- It is always a good idea to learn about the author
- Don’t have time to read a chapter? Have your child follow along on audiobook!
Snacks
Snacks add another element to a unit study that makes the lessons memorable. Try these fun snack ideas!
- Prepare some sugar cone teepees as a snack for your reading time
- The Iroquois ate popcorn using hot sand! It’s the perfect snack for this unit study.
Learn about Native American Culture
One of the really cool aspects of a book that has a different culture in it is the opportunity to learn about that culture.
- The character of Little Bear was from the Iroquois tribe…learn more here.
- You can even watch an Iroquois Indian war dance here (video is embedded below).
- When your kids want to get busy working on a project here is a free lapbook about what it would have been like to live with the Iroquois
- Introduce your children to historical Iroquois art and games.
Arts and Crafts
Pull out your inner artist, and try some of these craft ideas. They’ll make the information “stick”!
- Make a diorama by watching a video showing one being made (embedded below) or learning about making shoebox dioramas here.
- Print and create an Iroquois longhouse with this free craft. Or, get even more creative by building it out of popsicle sticks! Also take a look at this cool one that one child on Youtube made (video embedded below).
- Also fun is coloring! Do some ornate coloring with these free coloring printouts.
The Indian in the Cupboard is fantastic, especially for boys with an active imagination. Read some parts aloud, share some of the fantastic free homeschool resources above with your student, and enjoy this homeschool adventure you are on!
Read On
If you really enjoyed the book, check out the sequel, The Return of the Indian, or read the whole collection!
More Literature-Based Unit Studies for Homeschool
Free Charlotte’s Web Unit Study
Free The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Novel Study
