Pacific Northwest Indians and Totem Poles

This week my fourth graders and I are studying one region of Native Americans: Pacific Northwest.  They are located on the Northwest side of the United States.  One prominent symbol that we recognize from their tribe is the totem pole.  
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved on poles, posts, or pillars with symbols or figures made from large trees, mostly western red cedar, by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. They are not religious objects.  However, they do communicate important aspects of the Pacific Northwest culture.