Native Americans

By: Jamie L. Speaight

Linda Troller

ED 417

Legends, Folk Stories, and Tales

• This lesson is geared towards fifth graders. It requires a great deal of creativity and will work on expanding their writing skills.

Objectives

The students will be able to do the following:

• Select and read one or more Indian folktales or myths.

• Choose one folktale or legend and retell it to classmates.

• Complete the “Fact/Fiction Sheet” on the folktale chosen for retelling.

Objectives (cont.)

• Understand that Indian folktales and legends explain a fact of nature or sometimes provide the background for an historical event.

• Demonstrate understanding of legend by writing a legend of their own.

Materials Needed

• Copies of Native American Legends, Folk Tales, and Myths.

• Paper

• Pencils

• Creative Mind

Web Sites

• Turtle Tracks - A Native American Newsletter for Children. Www.turtle-tracks-for-kids.org

• Mic Mac Creation Story - Read this native myth and learn why the number seven is important to this tribe. Www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore21.html

Web Sites

• Native Americans and Children’s Literature - Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site. Listing of books, articles, displays, picture books, nonfiction, etc. www.carolhurst.com.

• Cherokee Newspaper - “The only independent cherokee newspaper. The original on-line independent cherokee newpaper.

Web Sites

• Native American Technology and Art - a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds and Feathers, Clay and Pottery, Leather and Clothes, Plants and Trees, etc.

Student Activities

• Writing of their own Indian tale.

• Fact/Fiction Sheet.• Retell a Folktale to

the class.• Read one or more

folktales.• Be Creative.

What is a Legend?

• Told to entertain an audience, explain something, or teach a lesson.

• Usually about places, people, animals about which the author know best.

What is a Legend?

• Good ways to learn about different cultures and belief systems.

• Usually describes something in nature.

• Describes some fact and fiction.

Topic Ideas

How would indigenous people describe:

• A thunderstorm?• A hurricane?• Night and Day?• Snow?• Mountains?• Fire?

Topic Ideas (cont)

• The sun?• Earthquakes?• A dream?• Disease?• A human

characteristic?• A plant

characteristic?

Format of the Indian Tale

• The tale must be a “story within a story”. For example: A grandfather is telling the story to his grandson to explain some of the topics given. You must include dialogue in your story.

Format of the Indian Tale

For example: The grandson asked the grandfather, “Grandfather, where did the porcupine get his quills?” The grandfather answered, “Grandson, it happened a long time ago.”

Format of the Indian Tale

• The tale must be at least 100 words or more long.

• You must use black ink or type your tale.

• You must have a rough draft, edited draft and a polished draft to hand in on assigned date.

Format of the Indian Tale

• You must also creatively illustrate the tale.

• You may hand in the finished product in the most creative way possible. Some examples from last year will be around the room.

Example of an Indian Tale

A man was in love with a woman who disliked him and wanted nothing to do with him. He tried every way to win her favor, but with no success. At last he grew discouraged and made himself sick thinking about it. Mole came along, and finding the man so low in his mind, asked what the

Example of an Indian Tale

the trouble was. The man told him the whole story, and when he had finished, the Mole said: “I can help. Not only will she like you, be she’ll come to you of her own free will.” That night burrowing underground to the place where the girl was in bed asleep, Mole took out her heart.

Example of an Indian Tale

He came back by the same way and gave the heart to the discouraged lover, who couldn’t see it even when it was in his hand. “There,” said Mole. “Swallow it, and she will be so drawn to you that she has to come.” The man swallowed the heart, and when the girl woke up she somehow

Example of an Indian Tale

Thought of him at once. She felt a strange desire to be with him, to go to him that minute. She couldn’t understand it, because she had always disliked him, now the feelings grew so strong she was compelled to find the man and tell him that she loved him and wanted to be his wife.

Example of an Indian Tale

And so they were married. All of those who knew them both were surprised and wondered how it had come about. When they found out it was the work of Mole, whom they had always thought too insignificant to notice, they were jealous and threatened to kill him.

Example of an Indian Tale

That’s why Mole hid under the ground and still doesn’t dare to come up.