Mini-Unit Topic: Native Americans
Karri Smith
grade 1
Table of Contents
Overview
I chose to do a mini-unit for first graders on Native Americans. I
have very obvious reasons for choosing this topic. The first is that
my cooperating teacher was going to be doing a unit on Native
Americans. I felt it would be easy for me, then, to fit my lessons
into her planning. I also didn't want to teach a couple lessons that
were unrelated to anything the children were doing. I felt this might
confuse the children. My other reason was that in L & L my
children's literature project was in part about Native American
literature.
I have used a lot of literature in this mini-unit, because I feel
that, in first grade, reading needs to be stressed. Being able to
read is one of the major components of learning in all subject areas.
I also felt that legends were a good way to get a glimpse into the
way of life for Native Americans long ago. I feel that looking at
history is a good way to understand why people act in certain ways
today. It is my hope that these lessons will help children understand
a culture very different from their own. I realize that I have to be
careful setting up a unit this way. Many children, especially young
children, believe that Native American still dress and act exactly as
they used to. This unit may strengthen these beliefs if I am not
careful to point out these facts. I hope to address many subject
areas without the children realizing that they are learning. A unit
like this may be a good disguise for a student who has decided he
doesn't like science or another subject. As I mentioned before, I
believe strengthening literacy at this age is very important. My
lessons focus on understanding and hopefully enjoying the reading
material. I have also focused on the skill of being able to write a
complete sentence since I know many students are still struggling
with this. Mostly I hope to strike up a lot of enthusiasm about
learning.
Arrow to the Sun
Objectives:
- Given a reading of the book Arrow to the Sun, children
will demonstrate comprehension of the book by accurately answering
questions about the reading.
- Given a discussion of the book, students will demonstrate
knowledge of the Sun by explaining what is unrealistic about the
way the Sun is depicted in the book.
- Given a discussion of the book and a demonstration of the
assignment, students will demonstrate knowledge of what a kiva is
used for by writing what fears would be found in their own
kiva.
Materials:
- book- Arrow to the Sun
- pencil, crayons and paper
Procedure:
- Have the children sit in the back of the room.
- Talk about what a legend is and explain that Arrow to the
Sun is a legend.
- Talk about the origin of the legend- the Southwest
tribes.
- Begin reading the book.
- Ask the children if they would rather be a corn grower, a pot
maker or an arrow maker. Discuss.
- Ask the children if it is possible to shoot an arrow to the
Sun.
- Ask the children what the Sun is like. (Could a person stand
on it?)
- Explain what a kiva is and what it is used for. (This was a
place where a person went to confront his fears. It is a room
accessible only through a ladder in the roof.)
- After reading, ask the children about what they are scared
of.
- Tell them that they are going to write about their fears. They
will use the prompt: "I am scared of _______ because..." They will
then draw what they are afraid of in a kiva.
- Demonstrate an example.
- Have students return to their desks to begin working.
Evaluation:
Informal-
- Students will participate during discussion giving relevant
and accurate answers.
- Students will be able to accurately describe the Sun.
Formal-
- Through writing, students will demonstrate their understanding
that a kiva is a place to face personal fears.
Raven
Objectives:
- Following a discussion, students will demonstrate knowledge of
what a legend is and why it was created by giving accurate answers
in discussion.
- Following a review of how to write a proper sentence, students
will demonstrate their knowledge of a sentence by writing one
correctly.
Materials:
- book- Raven, by Gerald McDermott
- pencil, crayons and paper
Procedure:
- Students will come to floor at the back of the classroom.
- Ask the students if they know what a legend is. Discuss that
it is a tale, passed down from generation to generation, which is
usually not true. A legend is sometimes created to explain an
occurrence in the world.
- Explain that Raven is a legend.
- Begin reading the book.
- Discuss why Raven is searching for light. Ask the children if
they think this is good.
- Discuss that Raven must have magic to become a boy.
- Ask the children if they have a special possession. Ask if
they keep it in a special place and explain that the Sky Chief
kept his in the box.
- Talk about how hard it must be to give up a favorite
possession as the Sky Chief does.
- Ask the children if they think it was right that Raven took
the Sun. Discuss how they would feel if someone stole a favorite
possession.
- Ask if it was good that Raven gave the people light.
- After reading, explain that the children are going to write
about what their favorite possession is.
- Write the prompt: "My favorite possession is _______
because..." Tell the children to illustrate their sentence.
- Review the elements of a sentence and tell the children to
make sure they write a complete sentence.
Evaluation:
Informal-
- Students will describe what a legend is during
discussion.
Formal-
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of a sentence by writing
their sentence using the correct format.
Peboan and Seegwun
Objectives:
- Following a reading of the book Peboan and Seegwun and
a discussion, students will demonstrate knowledge of the four
seasons by drawing an accurate picture of each season.
- Given a reading of the book, students will demonstrate
knowledge of the changes that take place with each new season by
participating in discussion.
Materials:
- book- Peboan and Seegwun, by Charles Larry
- white construction paper
- markers
Procedures:
- Students will go to the back of the classroom and sit on the
floor.
- Explain that this is a story from the Ojibwa, a tribe who
lived in what is now Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. They call
themselves Anishinabe, which means, "One of the People."
- Tell the children to think about who the men might be.
- Begin reading the book.
- Explain that it is a custom to pass a pipe.
- Ask what or who could make "streams stand still..."
- Continue to hint at who the men could be.
- At the end of the book ask the children if they think Peboan
will be back after the warm weather is ended.
- Ask the children what the four seasons are.
- Ask the children what happens in each season.
- Go back to the book to look for some answers.
- Explain that the children are going to make a drawing of each
season.
- Have the children gather around the back table.
- Demonstrate. Fold the construction paper into four equal
sections. Label them spring, summer, fall and winter. Using
markers draw a scene for each season. Ask the children for ideas.
Use the pictures in the book for more ideas.
- Have the children return to their desks to begin working.
Evaluation:
Informal-
- During discussion the children will be able to give examples
of the changes that take place in each season.
Formal-
Children will demonstrate knowledge of the seasons in their
drawings.
Knots on a Counting
Rope
Objectives:
After reading the story aloud, students will demonstrate an
understanding of how a counting rope is used through participating in
discussion.
Given the story, discussion, and examples of names, students will
demonstrate a knowledge of how names are given in various Native
American cultures by participating in discussion.
Given an example, students will demonstrate their knowledge of a
sentence by writing a correct sentence.
Materials:
- book- Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin and John
Archambault
- paper and pencil
Procedure:
- Students will come to the back of the room in small
groups.
- Each student will have their own book to follow along.
- Discuss the name of the book and ask students what a counting
rope might be.
- Explain that this book is a conversation (define conversation)
between two people.
- Begin reading to the students.
- Ask students who the conversation is between.
- Ask the students if they have ever heard the wind sound like a
voice.
- Discuss how the boy is named.
- Discuss why the boy might have to "live in the dark." Talk
about the clues given that the boy is blind.
- Talk about how the boy's horse is named.
- Ask the children how it would feel to ride a horse without
being able to see.
- Talk about what a counting rope is. See if the children
understand after reading the explanation. Reread this section if
necessary.
- Go back and discuss why the boy got his name.
- Suggest that the baby liked the horses and may have been named
after the horses.
- Tell the children they are going to create their own
name.
- Give examples of names in other books. Discuss why each person
was named this way.
- Give an example of what my own name might be.
- She-who-moves-with-the-water.
- Explain that I enjoy swimming.
- Ask for each child to tell what he or she likes.
- Give the prompt: "My name is _______ because I like..."
- Ask the students what a good sentence needs.
- Have students return to their seats to begin working.
Evaluation:
Informal-
- Students will demonstrate in discussion knowledge of what a
counting rope is used for.
- Students will demonstrate in discussion an understanding of
how people are named in Native American tribes.
Formal-
- Students will demonstrate through writing knowledge of the
proper way to write a sentence.
The Legend of
the Indian Paintbrush
Objectives:
Given the story read aloud, students will demonstrate an
understanding of the book by explaining how the flower, the Indian
Paintbrush came to be.
Given the story and discussion, students will demonstrate a
knowledge of how picture writing is used by creating their own
stories on an "animal skin."
Materials:
- book- The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush (big book by
Tomie dePaola)
- brown paper bags
- scissors
- paintbrushes
- cans of water
- markers (or paint)
Procedures:
Part 1-
- Students will come to the back of the classroom and sit on the
floor.
- Ask students to recall what a legend is.
- Ask students if they like to draw. If so, what?
- Explain that this is the story of a boy who drew well.
- Begin reading.
- Ask the children if, when they are older, they will go out
into the hills to think about growing up, as Little Gopher
does.
- Ask the children if they know what a buckskin is.
- Discuss the fact that paintbrushes are still made from animal
hair.
- Ask why Native Americans drew on skins.
- Discuss the importance of drawing pictures.
- Ask the children if they have ever tried to draw something
that didn't come out the way they wanted it to.
- Ask how Little Gopher got the colors he needed.
- Ask how the flowers came to be.
- Point out Little Gopher's new name.
- After reading go back and show the pictures Little Gopher had
drawn.
- Discuss how the Naive Americans used pictures to tell a
story.
- Go over some symbols and discuss their meanings.
- Create a few new symbols with the class.
Part 2-
- Have students gather around the back table.
- Demonstrate to the children how they will be making their own
picture stories on "animal skins" (See example)
- Begin by a short discussion about the types of animal skins
used and the types of symbols used.
- Cut open a paper bag and cut out the bottom.
- Trim the bag as needed.
- With a paint brush, wet the areas that need to be cut out to
represent the animal's legs.
- Tear out these sections.
- Wrinkle the bag to make it look more like an animal skin.
Stress the fact that animals skins are not perfectly formed.
- Using picture symbols write a story with markers (or paints if
desired). Explain that the stories are often written in a circle
on the skin.
- Have students return to their desks to begin working.
Evaluation:
Informal-
- During discussion, students will explain how the Indian
Paintbrush came to be.
Formal-
- By creating their own picture stories, students will
demonstrate knowledge of how Native American wrote stories.
Evaluation
Although I still believe my reasons for structuring my unit around
legends, I think it could be very beneficial for children to have
information about how Native Americans live today. I think this would
help children to break out of stereotypes they have already formed.
Although there aren't very many books about Native Americans today
that are appropriate for children, I think others ways could be found
to impart the information. Another thing I might change would be to
talk more about some of the hardships that Native Americans have
experienced. I don't think this is too young an age to introduce some
of these issues.
Another criticism I have in general is that I could have connected
more lessons about the Sun and Earth. Most of the stories dealt with
the Sun in some way. In Peboan and Seegwun I could have
explained why there are seasons. In Knots on a Counting Rope I
could have talked about how the rainbow was formed. The books I chose
seem to lend themselves to discussions about the Sun. I could have
expanded more on this.
Of my lessons, I had the opportunity to teach two. One of which I
included as an extra in my mini-unit (The Legend of the Indian
Paintbrush) because it was mostly my teacher's ideas. I adapted
it slightly and taught it to the class. My supervisor thought I
needed to relate it to the children's lives more. I agreed. I felt
that otherwise the lesson went well. I had never taught a big book
before, and although it could have been better, I felt it was a good
start. My supervisor and I agreed that I encouraged predictions well.
I did relate the book to the students somewhat (as my cooperating
teacher noticed) by asking the children if, when they got older, they
would go out into the hills to think about growing up, as the boy in
the story did.
Bibliography
dePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. G. P.
Putnam's Sons. New York. 1988.
Larry, Charles. Peboan and Seegwun. Farrar, Straus and
Giroux. New York. 1993.
Martin, Bill and John Archambault. Knots on a Counting
Rope. Henry Holt and Company. New York. 1987.
McDermott, Gerald. Raven. Harcourt Brace and Company. San
Diego. 1993.