How to Make a Model Teepee

Traditional tepees

A tepee is the traditional home for Plains Indians. Tribes use either three or four poles for the traditional cone-shaped dwelling. The poles in a four-pole tepee represent the cardinal points and seasons of the year. The tepee traditionally faces east so when leaving the dwelling the person faces the rising sun. It was the woman's responsibility to set up and care for the tepee. This simple model demonstrates the traditional structure of a Plains Indian four-pole tepee.

Things You'll Need

• 4 wooden dowels--a foot long each
• Ruler
• Rubber band
• Cardstock paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Paper grocery bag
• Markers
• Tape
• Glue
• Cardboard

Instructions

1. Hold the four wooden dowels together in a bundle. Wrap the rubber band loosely around one end of the twigs approximately three inches from one end. Adjust the dowels so they form a tepee shape. Lay the tepee shape on the card stock. Trace one side of the tepee to form a triangle template. Cut out the triangle template.

2. Open the paper bag along its seams. Lay the template with the short side along one edge of the paper bag and trace with a pencil. Lay the template with a long side against one long side of the traced triangle and trace again. Repeat twice for a total of four triangles traced to form a polygon.

3. Cut out the polygon along the edges. Cut out a half-circle door along the short edge of the second triangle from the right. Decorate the tepee with markers. Fold paper bag along the lines drawn on the bag. Tape the edges of the tepee shape together. Cut off the top of the tepee shape a half-inch down from the top.

4. Place the bundle of dowels inside the tepee. Each dowel should line up with a folded corner of the tepee shape. Tape each dowel in place. Glue to the cardboard for a base.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Tepee Model
• Shelter Pub: Indian Tepee
• Forever Montana: Tepee History