The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianLesson Plan Unit

Jaclyn IppolitoEnglish MethodsProfessor Cella

5/12/08

“There is another world, but it is in this one.” – W.B. Yeats

Ippolito 1

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indianby Sherman Alexie

Individual Unit Plan

Grade/Course: 8th grade ELA classUnit Length: 5 WeeksEducational/Classroom Culture:

Small suburban school in Upstate New York Approximately 25 kids per class Mixed ability levels Single, 50 minute periods

Novel Summary:

Arnold Spirit Jr. is the geekiest Indian on the Spokane Reservation. He wears chunky, lopsided glasses. His head and body look like Sputnik on a toothpick. When he doesn’t stutter, he lisps. Arnold is a 14-year-old high school freshman. When he goes outside he gets teased and beaten, so he spends a lot of time in his room drawing cartoons. “I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods,” he says, “and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.”

To say that life is hard on the Spokane rez doesn’t begin to touch it. “My parents came from poor people who came from poor people who came from poor people,” Arnold explains, “all the way back to the very first poor people.” The kid was born with 10 too many teeth, so he gets them pulled — all in a single day, because the Indian Health Service pays for major dental work only once a year. When Arnold cracks open his geometry textbook, he finds his mother’s name written on the flyleaf. “My school and my tribe are so poor and sad that we have to study from the same dang books our parents studied from,” Arnold says. “That is absolutely the saddest thing in the world.”

Enraged, Arnold beans his geometry teacher with the book and gets suspended from school. The targeted teacher, Mr. P., visits Arnold at home and gives him a piece of advice: get out. Mr. P. has seen too many promising students — like Arnold’s sister, Mary Runs Away — fade year by year, beaten down by poverty and hopelessness. “The only thing you kids are being taught is how to give up,” Mr. P. says.

“The Absolutely True Diary” tracks Arnold’s year of getting out. He transfers to Reardan High, 22 miles away, a gleaming campus full of wealthy white kids, with a computer room and chemistry labs. He’s the only Indian — if you don’t count the school mascot. Early on, Arnold fears being beaten up by the jocks. “I was afraid those monsters were going to kill me,” he says. “And I don’t mean ‘kill’ as in ‘metaphor.’ I mean ‘kill’ as in ‘beat me to death.’” (The comedian in Alexie pops up as often as the poet.) Arnold’s toughness soon earns him their respect, though, as well as a spot on the varsity basketball team.

What he can’t win back is the love of his neighbors at home. On the rez he’s considered a traitor. His best friend punches him in the face. When Reardan plays Wellpinit High in basketball, the

Ippolito 2

Indians rain so much abuse on Arnold that a race riot nearly breaks out. Triumph and grief come in equal measure. Arnold figures out that he’s smarter than most of the white kids, and wins the heart of a white girl named Penelope. (“What was my secret?” he says. “If you want to get all biological, then you’d have to say that I was an exciting addition to the Reardan gene pool.”) Meanwhile, his father’s best friend is shot and killed, and his sister dies in a trailer fire. “I’m 14 years old, and I’ve been to 42 funerals,” Arnold says. “That’s really the biggest difference between Indians and white people.”

For 15 years now, Sherman Alexie has explored the struggle to survive between the grinding plates of the Indian and white worlds. He’s done it through various characters and genres, but “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” may be his best work yet. Working in the voice of a 14-year-old forces Alexie to strip everything down to action and emotion, so that reading becomes more like listening to your smart, funny best friend recount his day while waiting after school for a ride home. Which, by the way, Arnold doesn’t have. Unless his folks get lucky and come up with some gas money.

**Above summary was found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/books/review/Barcott3-t.html

Rationale:

At his reading at the Strand bookstore, Sherman Alexie said the one thing he would want students to take away from this novel is “escaping and confronting familial and tribal expectations.” Afterwards, I began thinking about how we are all limited to some extent by the myriad of expectations that are linked to our race, culture, gender, age, and socioeconomic status. This is also true of Junior who is characterized by his poverty and race. Ultimately, he must choose between accepting what others expect him to be, or to fight against these forces that are holding him back.

In this spirit, I have framed my unit around a central question: how do internal and external expectations manifest themselves in our lives? Under this umbrella, students will consider issues of race, class, culture, and gender, how they are tied to the construction and perception of identity, and how these factors impact life choices. Students will also discuss the expectations imposed by ones community and family, and how, oftentimes, these can be the hardest ties to break. My hope is that students will learn that they are not without power; choices can be made, they can resist. But along the way, they will also learn that there will be consequences for choosing to go against the grain.

This unit includes supplementary works of poetry and fiction, as well as opportunities for use of technology in the classroom. As outlined in more depth below, the objectives of this unit are designed to encourage critical thinking, strengthen analysis, and build communication and comprehension skills. Moreover, the central text and assessments were chosen with the intention of reaching multiple intelligences; even the format of the book lends itself well to differentiation due to the art throughout. Oftentimes, the art in the text highlights the main idea of that chapter, serving as a useful aid in reading comprehension for struggling learners and ELL’s.

Ippolito 3

Essential Questions:1. How do internal and external expectations manifest themselves in our lives?2. How can such societal expectations impact our identities? 3. Should a person’s responsibility to their family, tribe, or community take precedence over

their individual goals?4. How does literature help us to understand ourselves and the world around us?

Learning Goals/Objectives:In this unit students will:

Read and respond to The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as well as supplementary poetry by Native American authors. (Standards 1 and 2)

Draw parallels between themselves and the characters in the novel, developing an understanding and knowledge of the internal and external expectations in their lives. (Standards 1, 2, and 3)

Explore the roles others play in their lives and their own self-portrayal, developing an understanding of how societal and familial expectations shape their daily choices and their future roles in society. (Standard 2)

Discuss the idea of expectations in terms of race, class, gender, stereotyping, eating disorders, beauty etc. (Standards 1,2, 3, and 4)

Learn and/or review literary terms such as setting, plot, characterization, theme, and tone. (Standard 3)

Participate in a variety of activities and assessments, such as note taking, brainstorming, Socratic circles, visual representations, role playing, and journal writing. (Standards 1, 3, and 4)

Work collaboratively in groups as well as individually, developing communication skills and listening strategies. (Standard 4)

During in class reading, students will make predictions, inferences and draw conclusions. (Standard 1)

Create a final multigenre project that centers on the overarching class question for this unit: How do internal and external expectations shape and affect our lives? (Standards 1, 2, and 3)

Engage in free write “Do Now’s” in their writer’s notebook in order to have a collection of ideas as a starting point for their multigenre papers. (Standards 1, 2, and 3)

Work on their public speaking abilities by sharing part of their multigenre paper with the class. (Standard 4)

Relevant State Standards:This unit was created and aligned with New York State Learning Standards. Above, next to each learning goal and objective, is the corresponding number(s) of the state standard addressed. For easy reference, the following are the New York State Learning Standards:

Standard 1:   Language for Information and UnderstandingStudents will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced

Ippolito 4

texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 2:   Language for Literary Response and ExpressionStudents will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and EvaluationStudents will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard 4:   Language for Social InteractionStudents will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.

**Standards can be found at: http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/nysatl/engstand.html

Ippolito 5

Unit OutlineWeek 1

Day 1: Monday Day 2: Tuesday Day 3: Wednesday Day 4: Thursday Day 5: FridayTopic/Activity

Lesson: Introduce the Unit and Main Overarching Question: “How Do Internal and External Expectations Shape Our Lives?”

Brainstorm a list of expectations that influence their daily lives including familial, educational, racial, cultural, religious, economic, gender, community, relationships, beauty, etc.

Read “The Black-Eye-of-the-Month Club” aloud in class (p. 1-6)

HW: Read “Why Chicken Means So Much to Me” (p. 7 -14)

Lesson: “Who ___ Would Have Been if Somebody Had Paid Attention to Their Dreams.”

In “Why Chicken Means So Much to Me”, Junior draws a picture of who his parents could have been if someone had paid attention to their dreams. The class will discuss why Junior feels they had to give up on their dreams, citing textual evidence. Students will also be asked to define the term self-fulfilling prophecy, to think about how that might tie in with the text, and whether they see traces of this in their own lives and the world around them.

Lesson: “Who ___ Would Have Been if Somebody Had Paid Attention to Their Dreams” continued.

Students will be asked to create a drawing that represents who a person could have been if someone had paid attention to their dreams, an activity modeled after the illustration on page 12 of the book.

*Detailed lesson plan included.

HW: Read “Revenge Is My Middle Name” (p. 15-24)

Lesson: Reading and Writing to Deepen Our Thinking About Minor Characters

Students will independently read “Because Geometry Is Not a Country Somewhere Near France” (p. 25 -31).

Afterwards, ask students to open their writer’s notebooks and create a back story about one of the two minor characters we are introduced to in this chapter, Mary Runs Away or Mr. P.

Students will be given the opportunity to share out what they have written and discuss the differences in the stories that were created and why they chose that particular angle.

Lesson: Anti- Bullying

Read “Hope Against Hope” (p.32 – 43) in class.

In this chapter Mr. P, Junior’s teacher, acknowledges that they allow Junior to get beat up and picked on.

Discuss the incidents that have happened thus far in the novel (Junior being a member of the black-eye-of-the-month club, 30 year old triplets beating him up, etc.)and engage in an activity that confronts bullying that might be happening in the school.

Ippolito 6

Week 2

Day 6: Monday Day 7: Tuesday Day 8: Wednesday Day 9: Thursday Day 10: FridayTopic/Activity Lesson: Taking a Look

at Race: Is Hope White?

Read “Go Means Go” (p.44 -47) and“Rowdy Sings the Blues” (p.48-53).

In this chapter Junior’s parents tell him that white people have the most hope and Junior decides to leave the rez.This lesson will focus on why hope has a color for Junior’s family.

Junior also references Dickens’, A Tale of Two Cities when comparing his school with all-white Reardon. Students could also read aloud a selection of the novel to deepen understanding.

HW: Read “How to Fight Monsters” (p.54 – 66)

Lesson: Internalizing Prejudices

In “How to Fight Monsters” Junior’s father tells him that white people aren’t better than him but Junior doesn’t believe him: “But he was so wrong. And he knew he was wrong. He was the loser Indian father of a loser Indian son living in a world built for winners” (55).

This lesson would center upon how racism can be internalized. What expectations does Junior have for himself?

Lesson: Stereotypes and Native American Sports Mascots.

Students will question the use of Native American emblems in educational and sports arenas.

*Detailed lesson plan included.

HW: Read “Grandmother Gives Me Some Advice” (p. 67 – 73)

Lesson: How Does Culture Affect Our Expectations?

Junior expects the White boys at Reardon to think the same as the Indian boys on the rez, and is surprised when that doesn’t happen. This lesson will center on how our culture impacts what we expect of ourselves and of others, and build off the stereotyping discussion of the day before.

HW: Read “Tears of a Clown” (p. 74 -76) andHalloween (p. 77 – 81)

Lesson: Using a Marxist Lens

Junior and his family are extremely poor and oftentimes cannot even afford to eat. In “Halloween”, Junior joins Penelope in trick-or-treating for spare change instead of candy, to donate to the homeless. Junior says “I was a poor kid raising money for other poor people. It made me feel almost honorable.” (79)

Students will use a Marxist lens to consider how Junior’s socio-economic status impacts his life, and how he views himself and others.

HW: Read “Slouching Toward Thanksgiving” (p. 82 – 98)

Week 3

Ippolito 7

Day 11: Monday Day 12: Tuesday Day 13: Wednesday

Day 14: Thursday Day 15: Friday

Topic/Activity Lesson: Junior’s Art

In the preceding chapter, Junior says of his cartoons “I use them to understand the world.” (95) He then continues on to say “My cartoons weren’t just good for giggles; they were also good for poetry.” (95)This lesson would focus on Junior’s art: Why does Junior draw?; Is all of the art similar in style?; If not, why?; How does art help Junior?; How is art like literature?

Students would then write a poem to go alongside one of the pieces of art in the book.HW: Read “My Sister Sends Me an E-mail” (p. 99–100) and“Thanksgiving” (p.101 – 103)

Fieldtrip Day

Take students on a fieldtrip to the National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan to learn more about Native American life and culture, both past and present.

Lesson: Author Background

Webquest using Sherman Alexie’s website to gain background on the author. Students will discover that A.T.D.P.T.I. is a fictionalized autobiography.

Students can work in groups, or individually, investigating, analyzing, and synthesizing what they found and how this relates to the novel, and Alexie’s work in general.

*detailed lesson plan included.

HW: Read “Rowdy Gives Me Advice About Love” (p. 114 – 117)

Lesson: Taking a Look at Eating Disorders

Read “Hunger Pains” aloud. (p.104 – 113)

Does Penelope have an eating disorder? How does her expectations of herself and of beauty play a role in her behavior?

HW: Read “Dance, Dance, Dance” (p.118 – 129)

Lesson: Navigating Between Two Worlds

This chapter starts with Junior saying “I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other.” (118) Discuss Junior/Arnold’s dual identities and how he feels he is navigating between two different tribes.

HW: Read “Don’t Trust Your Computer” (p. 130 – 132) and “My Sister Sends Me a Letter” (p. 133 – 134), “And a Partridge in a Pear Tree” (p.150 – 151), and “Reindeer Games” (p.135 – 149).

Ippolito 8

Week 4

Day 16: Monday Day 17: Tuesday Day 18: Wednesday

Day 19: Thursday Day 20: Friday

Topic/Activity Lesson: Individual Versus Member of the Community (Continuing Friday’s discussion)

Junior’s friend Gordy says: “Well, life is a constant struggle between being an individual and being a member of the community.” (132) Students will consider this quote and read the poem “Endless Search” by Native American poet Alonzo Lopez to continue thinking about the individual versus collective identity.

HW: “Red Versus White” p. 152 – 158, “Wake” (p.159 – 167) and “Valentine Heart” (p.168 – 178)

Lesson: Coping With Death and Grieving

In the chapter read for homework, Junior learns of the death of Eugene, a close family friend just a few days after his Grandmother’s death. In less than a year, Junior has already experienced three deaths.

Discuss death, the grieving process, and Junior’s suicidal thoughts. How are we expected to grieve? Is this different in other cultures? Is there a right way or a wrong way? How does Junior cope?

HW: In Like a Lion p. 179 – 196 and “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball” (p. 197 – 198)

Lesson: The Costs of Going Against The Grain

Throughout the novel Junior has talked about how he is being shunned for betraying his tribe by going to Reardon but also not being accepted at Reardon either.

Create a body biography, a visual and written portrait that illustrates several elements of Junior’s life, including the forces working on the inside as well as the forces impact him on the outside.

HW: Read “Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses” (p.199 – 213) and “Remembering” (p.214 – 218)

Lesson: The Effects of Alcohol on the Individual and Society

In today’s reading Junior’s sister Mary dies in an alcohol related tragedy. This is the third death in the novel that has been related to alcohol. Using the poem “Spirit in Me”, by Native American poet Esther G. Belin, students will be broken off into groups and handed an envelope with the lines of the Belin poem cut into strips. Students will create a found poem, blending some of the lines from the Belin poem with lines from this chapter of A.T.D.P.T.I.

Lesson: Gender Roles

The preceding chapter ended with a graphic of Junior and Rowdy holding hands and jumping into the lake together. The caption underneath reads: “Boys can hold hands until they turn nine.”

How have gender roles and corresponding expectations presented themselves throughout the novel?

HW:Talking About Turtles (p.219 - 230)

Week 5

Ippolito 9

Day 21: Monday Day 22: Tuesday Day 23: Wednesday

Day 24: Thursday

Day 25: Friday

Topic/Activity

Lesson: Sketch to Stretch

Students will be given a graphic organizer (see attached) and asked to choose one of the chapters that does not already have art. Students will skim through that chapter and select a sentence or paragraph they feel is the most important and then “stretch” it with a visual representation. Possible art-free chapters are:“Tears of a Clown”, “Halloween”, “My Sister Sends Me an E-mail”, “Don’t Trust Your Computer”, “And a Partridge in a Pear Tree”, “Rowdy and I Have a Long and Serious Discussion About Basketball”, or “Talking About Turtles”.

Lesson: Creating Our Multigenre Project

Students will begin working on their multigenre projects on A.T.D.P.T.I. The next three classes will consist of mini lessons reviewing the genres and providing in-class time to work on the projects. Today’s mini lesson will be on personal narratives.

Paper requirementsPapers must contain:-Sketch to Stretch drawing-A body biography of Junior(Both already finished earlier in unit)-A personal narrative from Junior’s perspective (minimum two pages)

Students can then choose any four different genres that connect and build off each other, making the central theme or thesis of the paper stronger because of those selected genres.See the following website for a list of genres:http://www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us/cyberenglish9/ multi_genre/ multigenre.htm#Types%20of%20Genres

HW: Write the first draft of the personal narrative. Bring in three copies – one for teacher, two for peer editing work.

Lesson: Continuing With Our Multigenre Projects

Mini lesson on two genres.

Students will work in groups, peer editing their personal narratives.

Extra class time will be dedicated to independent work on projects.

HW: Revise essay using suggestions from classmates and finish at least one more genre.

Lesson: Continuing With Our Multigenre Projects

Mini lesson on two genres and continued independent work on projects.

HW: Continue working on multigenre project. Students should have two more genres completed.

Lesson: Finishing Up Our Multigenre Projects

Wrap up in class time dedicated to multigenre projects. Students should finish their projects over the weekend.

HW: Finish multigenre project and be prepared to present one genre to the class on Monday. If you choose to present a piece of art or collage, it must be accompanied by a thoughtful discussion of the art, what it represents and how it connects to your project as a whole.

Ippolito 10

Detailed Unit Plans:

LESSON PLAN #1 – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

DATE: 5/12/08 LEVEL: 8th grade English

TOPIC: “Who ____ Would Have Been if Somebody Had Paid Attention to Their Dreams”

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

How do internal and external expectations manifest themselves in our lives?

How can societal and familial expectations impact our identities?

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:

To question the impact expectations can have on ones’ life and how this influences self-esteem.

To develop an understanding of how societal expectations shape their future roles in society.

Students will see how lowered expectations and feelings of hopelessness can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

LESSON OUTLINE:

(Prior to the class meeting, students will have read the chapter “Why Chicken Means So Much to Me”)

Summary:This is an idea that came from a story Sherman Alexie told at his reading at the Strand bookstore. When the book first came out, Alexie said that he visited a classroom that consisted of a mostly poor, urban population. One of the students’ assignments had been to create a drawing of whom their parents could have been if someone had paid attention to their dreams, an activity modeled after the illustration on page 12 of the book. Recounting the story, Alexie was almost moved to the point of tears, and I, too, could imagine that such an assignment could be quite powerful. In this activity, students would be asked to complete a similar task.

Materials: A copy of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Writer’s notebook, pens/pencils Poster board, markers, crayons, colored pencils

Steps / Procedure:When students enter class, have the following “Do Now” on the board:

Do Now: Think about when you were a little boy or girl. In your writer’s notebook, write about what you wanted to be when you grew up. Is this still true today? If not, what is it now? Do the people closest to you encourage this dream? Are there any obstacles that might get in the way of realizing that dream? (5 mins)

Give students the opportunity to volunteer and share out what they have written with the class. (3 mins)

Have students open up their copy of the book to page 13 and read it aloud. Why does Junior make that drawing? Why does he feel that his parents weren’t able to realize their dreams? Guide students to the passage where Junior says “It’s an ugly circle and there’s nothing you can do about it.” (13) Why does Junior feel so hopeless? (5 mins)

Ask the class if they have ever heard of the term “self-fulfilling prophecy”. Brainstorm possible definitions, and then have students jot down the definition in their writer’s notebook. Ask students how someone could get into this mindset. What are the causes? Why might this play a role in the circle of hopelessness to which Junior is referring? (7 mins)

Self-fulfilling prophecy – a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to come true.

Review the drawing of who Junior’s parents could have been if somebody had paid attention to their dreams on page 12. Tell students that today’s activity is going to be modeled off that illustration and they, too, will be creating such a drawing. The teacher can let them know that it doesn’t have to be sad, or focusing on someone that they feel didn’t quite reach their potential, although it could be. Students will be given the freedom to choose whomever they would like, even someone famous. (5 mins)

Model an example for the class, perhaps the teacher has a brother or sister who has a passion for music but is working in accounting. Or the teacher could mention someone famous; perhaps the teacher envisions that George W. Bush really wanted to be a rancher, not the President. The possibilities for the assignment are endless but students must be able to answer the following questions: why did this individual give up on his or her dream? What obstacles prevented them from being realized? Students will also be asked to write a short back story to describe the illustration. This should be

Ippolito 12

no more than one page in length. The next day students will be given the choice of voting on whether they would like to present them to the class or engage in a gallery walk. (7 mins)

Provide the remainder of class time for students to work on the assignment in class. In the last few minutes, review the homework and ask students to think about if they see traces of this in their own lives and the world around them. What could they do, and what could Junior do, to stop this? (23 mins)

This lesson is planned for a 50 minute period.

Homework:

Finish your drawing and short story if not completed in class.

LESSON PLAN #2 – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

DATE: 5/13/08 LEVEL: 8th grade English

TOPIC: Stereotypes and Native American Sports Mascots

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

Does using Native American images and names in professional, collegiate, and high school sports teams reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes?

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:

By closely examining an array of media, including texts, cartoons, and a brief film clip, students will question the consequences of using Native American emblems in educational and sports arenas. The implicit goal of this lesson, and those that would directly follow, is for students to understand how sports mascots perpetuate racial stereotypes of Native Americans, as well as how writing, art, and film can be used as an effective means of resistance and activism.

Ippolito 13

LESSON OUTLINE:

(Prior to the class meeting, students will have read the chapter “How to Fight Monsters”)

Summary:Through the close reading of one page out of the chapter “How to Fight Monsters” as well as an additional article and video clip, students will be asked to consider whether mascots are perpetuating stereotypes. Does this have negative and far reaching consequences or are they harmless graphics that honor Native Americans? I envision this lesson as the first in a series of lessons that would lead up to a persuasive essay on this issue.

Materials:

A copy of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Writer’s notebook, pens/pencils “NCAA Takes Aim at Indian Mascots” handout Projector/Media capabilities to show video clip. Handouts for homework assignment including pre-reading organizer,

“Topic of Debate”, cartoons, and “Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype” handouts

Steps / Procedure:When students enter class, have the following “Do Now” on the board:

Do Now: Today we will be considering stereotypes in relation to the chapter you read for homework, “How to Fight Monsters”. In your writer’s notebook, write about any time you feel you have been stereotyped, or perhaps a time you have stereotyped others. Or, if you prefer, free-write on the image on the board (the image taped to the board will be the FSU Mascot; see attached handout). What does it mean to you? What does it stand for? How could it be used? Why? (5 mins)

Think – Pair – Share: Have student’s pair off and share what they have written. After reading what they have to their partner, encourage them to ask each other questions about what they wrote about or perhaps to help them define or expand upon their understanding of what the word stereotype means. (5 mins)

Have the class reconvene as a group and ask students to volunteer to share out what they discussed to the rest of the class, making sure that the students understand what stereotype means. (5 mins)

Ippolito 14

Ask students to take out their copy of The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian and turn to page 56, a few pages into the chapter “How to Fight Monsters.” Ask for a student to volunteer to read that page starting at “Then the white kids began arriving for school.” (3 mins)

Ask the class why Junior thinks Reardan is racist, highlighting the line, “So what was I doing in racist Reardan…” (56) to trigger discussion of his comment on the Indian mascot. Why is Junior offended? Should he be? (5 mins)

Tell students that they will be considering both sides of this debate in class today in preparation for writing a persuasive essay on this topic later in the week. Distribute the attached handout “NCAA Takes Aim At Indian Mascots.” Ask for a volunteer to read it aloud. After it has been read aloud, open the floor for discussion. Do sports mascots offend Native Americans and their culture? If so, in what ways? Can they think of any professional or high school sports teams that use Native American mascots? (see attached list) (10 mins)

Show the students a clip of “Savage Country: American Indian Sports Mascots Part One”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVDyldTV9OA&feature=related. Encourage them to take notes and think critically about what they are watching. (10 mins)

Wrap-up discussion (5 mins):

1. What did you learn in this video clip and/or the NCAA article?

2. If you are a Native American how does this issue make you feel? (If not, pretend you are.)

3. Tying it back to the novel, do you think Junior is having problems at Reardon because of the use of such mascots?

4. How do you think Alexie feels about the use of Native American mascots? Why?

5. With what you have read and seen thus far, does the use of mascots have negative consequences or are they harmless graphics that honor Native Americans?

The teacher will then hand out the homework assignment below which is a pre-writing exercise that will help students prepare for the first draft of their persuasive essay. They will receive a reader response organization chart along with additional sources on the

Ippolito 15

topic to help deepen their thinking on this issue. For extra credit, students can be encouraged to do research on the topic on their own as well. (2 mins)

This lesson is planned for a 50 minute period.

Topic of Debate:

Should Sports Teams Use Native American Names and Mascots?

Against the Use of Mascots…

Team mascots are racist

In response to previous letters about American Indians being mascots for sports teams, the writer of “Mascots don’t belittle Indians” (letter, Jan. 9) stated that the fans [don’t think lowly of American Indians because of] an American Indian mascot.

By definition, racism is discriminatory or abusive behavior toward members of another race. While the fans of these sports teams feel it is fine to have an Atlanta Brave or a Washington Redskin, it is abusive behavior toward members of American Indian tribes.

Ippolito

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

16

“The Washington (blank)s” — in the blank space insert any race, and you will come up with a team mascot that would not be tolerated in today’s society.

These team mascots need to be retired and we as Americans need to see that if we are to have freedom from oppression, then we need to start with our own homeland.

Dante HalleckKuwait

In Favor of Mascots…

Names prideful, not racist

In response to the letter “Team mascots are racist” (letter, Jan. 17): Team mascot names are not racist. The writer correctly gave the definition of racism, and no team mascot comes remotely close to meeting that definition.

Teams, whether they be high school, college or professional, choose mascot names that demonstrate strength and power. Cleveland Indians, Florida State Seminoles, Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins … none of these display discriminatory or abusive behavior toward members of another race, or more specifically, toward American Indian tribes. In fact, when humans actually flesh out the part of those mascots, they are done with what most would agree is dignity and pride.

Perhaps we should rename them, though, in order to appease the letter writer. I wonder how he would feel about Cleveland Daisies, Florida State Kittens, Atlanta Peaches or Washington Pussy Willows? Those names would certainly strike fear in their opponents’ hearts and minds, wouldn’t they?

Jim McDonaldCamp Virginia, Kuwait

Ippolito 17

**Above clips found at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=59841&archive=true

NCAA Takes Aim At Indian MascotsINDIANAPOLIS, August 5, 2005

(CBS/AP) Fed up with what it considers "hostile" and "abusive" American Indian nicknames, the NCAA announced Friday it would shut those words and images out of postseason tournaments, a move that left some school officials angry and threatening legal action.

Starting in February, any school with a nickname or logo considered racially or ethnically "hostile" or "abusive" by the NCAA would be prohibited from using them in postseason events. Mascots will not be allowed to perform at tournament games, and band members and cheerleaders will also be barred from using American Indians on their uniforms beginning in 2008.

Major college football teams are not subject to the ban because there is no official NCAA tournament.

Affected schools were quick to complain, and Florida State — home of the Seminoles — threatened legal action.

"That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally 'hostile and abusive' is both outrageous and insulting," Florida State president T.K. Wetherell said in a statement.

"I intend to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that this unacceptable decision is overturned, and that this university will forever be associated with the 'unconquered' spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida," he added.

The committee also recommended that schools follow the examples of Wisconsin and Iowa by refusing to schedule contests against schools that use American Indian nicknames.

While NCAA officials admit they still can't force schools to change nicknames or logos, they are making a statement they believe is long overdue. Eighteen mascots, including Florida State's Seminole and Illinois' Illini, were on the list of offenders.

Ippolito 18

Those schools will not be permitted to host future NCAA tournament games, and if events have already been awarded to those sites, the school must cover any logos or nicknames that appear.

"Certainly some things remain to be answered from today, and one of those things is the definition of what is 'hostile or abusive,'" said Tom Hardy, a spokesman at Illinois.

The NCAA did not give a clear answer on that.

President Myles Brand noted that some schools using the Warrior nickname will not face sanctions because they do not use Indian symbols. One school, North Carolina-Pembroke — which uses the nickname Braves — will also be exempted because Brand said the school has historically had a high percentage of students, more than 20 percent, who are American Indians.

"We believe hostile or abusive nicknames are troubling to us and it can't continue," committee chairman Walter Harrison said. "We're trying to send a message, very strongly, saying that these mascots are not appropriate for NCAA championships."

The decision, however, quickly evoked passions and complaints from both sides.

At Florida State, Wetherell said the NCAA was trying to embarrass the school for using its nickname, even though the Seminole Tribe of Florida has given the university permission to continue using it.

"Other Seminole tribes are not supportive," said Charlotte Westerhaus, the NCAA vice president for diversity and inclusion.

Supporters also were unhappy.

Vernon Bellecourt, president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media and a member of the Anishinabe-Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota, approved of the ban but had hoped the NCAA would take even stronger action.

"We're not so happy about the fact that they didn't make the decision to ban the use of Indian team names and mascots," he said.

Harrison, president at the University of Hartford, said the executive committee does not have the authority to do that, and schools can still appeal their inclusion on the list.

Ippolito 19

Brand and Harrison said they hoped school officials would pursue policy changes through the NCAA first, before going to court.

"I suspect that some of those would like to having a ruling on that," Brand said. "But unless there is a change before Feb. 1, they will have to abide by it."

Two years ago, the NCAA recommended schools determine for themselves whether Indian depictions were offensive.

CBS News Correspondent Tom Foty reports that the NCAA had investigated 33 schools nicknames and that about half have changed their names since then, leaving the 18 schools now subject to the new mascot and nickname restriction.

Among the schools to change nicknames in recent years were St. John's (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Marquette (from Warriors to Golden Eagles).

But that hasn't changed opinions on either side.

"They're not willing to give up this money," Bellecourt said, referring to merchandising revenue. "We would hope that it (the decision) was the handwriting on the wall that would urge them to drop these team names and mascots."

©MMV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/05/sportsline/printable762542.shtml

Sorry for not being a stereotypeChicago Sun-TimesApril 24, 2004By Rita Pyrillis

How many of you would know an American Indian if you saw one? My guess is not many. Certainly not the bank teller who called security when an Indian woman — a visiting scholar — tried to cash a check with a tribal identification card. When asked what the problem was, the teller replied: "It

Ippolito 20

must be a scam. Everyone knows real Indians are extinct."

And not the woman who cut in front of me at the grocery checkout a few months ago. When I confronted her, she gave me the once over and said: "Why don't you people just go back to your own country."

OK, lady, after you, I said, when I thought of it the next morning.

Even though I was born and raised in Chicago, strangers sometimes assume I'm a foreigner. For the record, I'm Native American, or Indian — take your pick. I prefer Lakota.

Sometimes strangers think I'm from another time. They wonder if I live in a teepee or make my own buckskin clothes or have ever hunted buffalo. They are surprised when I tell them that most Indians live in cities, in houses, and some of us shop at the Gap. I've never hunted a buffalo, although I almost hit a cow once while driving through South Dakota.

Sometimes, people simply don't believe I'm Indian. "You don't look Indian," a woman told me once. She seemed disappointed. I asked her what an Indian is supposed to look like. "You know. Long black hair, braids, feathers, beads."

Apparently, as Indians go, I'm a flop, an embarrassment to my racial stereotype. My hair is shoulder-length, and I don't feather it, unless you count my unfortunate Farrah Fawcett period in junior high.

When you say you're Indian, you better look the part or be prepared to defend yourself. Those are fighting words. When my husband tells people he's German, do they expect him to wear lederhosen and a Tyrolean hat? Of course not. But such are the risks when you dare to be Indian. You don't tug on Superman's cape, and you don't mess around with a man's stereotype.

Native American scholar Vine Deloria wrote that of all the problems facing Indian people, the most pressing one is our transparency. Never mind the staggering suicide rate among Native youth, or the fact that Indians are the victims of violent crimes at more than twice the rate of all U.S. residents — our very existence seems to be in question.

"Because people can see right through us, it becomes impossible to tell truth from fiction or fact from mythology," he wrote. "The American public feels most comfortable with the mythical Indians of stereotype-land who were always THERE."

Sure. Stereotypes don't have feelings, or children who deserve to grow up with images that reflect who they are — not perfect images, but realistic ones. While Little Black Sambo and the Frito Bandito have gone the way of

Ippolito 21

minstrel shows, Indians are still battling a red-faced, big-nosed Chief Wahoo and other stereotypes. No wonder people are confused about who Indians really are. When we're not hawking sticks of butter, or beer or chewing tobacco, we're scalping settlers. When we're not passed out drunk, we're living large off casinos. When we're not gyrating in Pocahoochie outfits at the Grammy Awards, we're leaping through the air at football games, represented by a white man in red face. One era's minstrel show is another's halftime entertainment. It's enough to make Tonto speak in multiple syllables.

And it's enough to make hard-working, decent Indian folks faced with more urgent problems take to the streets in protest. Personally, I'd rather take in my son's Little League game, but as long as other people insist on telling me when to be honored or offended, or how I should look or talk or dance, I will keep telling them otherwise. To do nothing would be less than honorable.

Rita Pyrillis is a free-lance journalist and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Ippolito 22

Reading Towards Your Persuasive Essay

Step 1: Read the article or cartoon Step 3: State whether you Agree / DisagreeStep 2: Identify the major concepts Step 4: Explain why you Agree / Disagree, providing specific reasons.Article/Cartoon Statement: What is this piece saying? Identify the

major concepts.Post-Reading Reaction

Agree/DisagreeExplain Your

Post-Reading Answer

“NCAA Takes Aim at Indian Mascots” article

“Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype”

“Topic of Debate” handout

“Racial sensitivity” and “Go Redskins” cartoons

“Pow-Wow” and “Really? You don’t look like an Indian” cartoons

Ippolito 24

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Qu ickTime™ an d a decompressor

are n eeded to see th is p icture.

QuickTi me™ and a decompressor

are needed to see thi s pi cture.

Ippolito 26

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

LESSON PLAN #3 – The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

DATE: 5/14/08 LEVEL: 8th grade English

TOPIC: Author Background - WebQuest

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

How might learning about Sherman Alexie’s life inform our reading of the text?

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS:

Students will learn that The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a fictionalized autobiography of Alexie’s childhood growing up on a Spokane Indian reservation and in Wellpinit, WA.

Students will read excerpts of other novels written by Alexie and be able to discern thematic connections in his writing.

Students will begin to think about how stereotypes of Native Americans are perpetuated in film.

LESSON OUTLINE:

Materials:

A copy of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Advance arrangements will be made for class to be held in a

computer lab to complete the webquest Webquest worksheet and website outline

Steps / Procedure:

Tell students that today’s class will be dedicated to completing a webquest to learn more about the author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Explain to students what a webquest is and distribute the list of links that students will be reading and analyzing.(5 mins)

Sites for Webquest:

1. “Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie http://www.fallsapart.com/superman.html

Alexie’s essay “Superman and Me” talks about his life on the reservation and how he learned to read through comics. Students could

tie this essay to the idea that Junior is a cartoonist, his emphasis on education as a way out, as well as his struggle with familial and tribal expectations.

2. “I Hated Tonto (Still Do)” by Sherman Alexie http://www.fallsapart.com/tonto.html

Alexie’s essay on how Native Americans are represented in film and how perpetuates stereotypes and racism. Alexie also demonstrates how such stereotypes can become internalized.

3. Sherman Alexie’s Biography http://www.fallsapart.com/biography.html

By reading this short piece on Alexie’s life, students will quickly see the connections between the novel and his life.

4. Excerpt from Alexie’s book, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven http://www.etsu.edu/writing/studentsamlit/alexie.htm#excerpt

5. Interview Transcript: Sherman Alexie: Up All Nighthttp://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_alexie.html

Distribute the webquest worksheet students will complete by the end of class. Review the outline, answer any questions and then let students work independently for the remainder of the class (5 mins)

This lesson is planned for a 50 minute period.

Ippolito 28

Webquest - Sherman Alexie

Website List three important facts you learned.

How does this site help you understand ATDPTI?

What questions do you have from reviewing this site?

Ippolito 29

Unit Assessment Outline:

In addition to informal assessments, such as talking to and observing my students while

working in groups or during class discussions, I have also included a rubric to distribute to

students at the beginning of the unit so that they will know in advance what is expected of them.

I feel that using such rubrics allows all students to succeed as long as they are completing the

work and putting in the effort.

For overall grading, I thought the idea of using a -, /, +, each with a designated point

value for their work throughout the unit and their multigenre projects, made the assessment clear

and easy for the students to follow, as well as aid in differentiation, being as clear as possible for

any struggling ELL’s in the class. This would be used in grading along with their completed self-

assessments. I would also encourage them throughout the unit to meet with me one on one to

review any questions they may have on the text, their work, if they weren’t satisfied with their

grade, or just had any general questions.

Finally, assessments should not be a way one street; our students should be given the

same opportunity to evaluate their teachers just as college students. By providing them with the

opportunity to assess my work, I hope to show my students that their opinions are valued and an

Ippolito 30

integral part of the classroom. I would encourage them to include anything that they would have

liked to have happen in the unit that didn’t, or just provide any feedback on the class overall. It is

important to provide continual opportunities where the students’ opinions can be heard, and so

I’ve included the option to remain anonymous to further encourage their candor without fearing

that speaking up will have negative consequences. Such feedback will help me gauge how I can

improve, and make it clear that I genuinely want their input in order to help foster a strong, open,

and effective classroom environment.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Self-AssessmentName:____________________________ Date:___________

Mark how well you thought you did on the continuum.

Next time I need, or would like, to:I significantly revised and reworked my final project.

I met reading homework deadlines consistently and completed the final assignment as outlined in the rubric.

I thoughtfully and constructively engaged in peer group activities and class discussion.

Ippolito 31

My work is neat, organized and free of grammatical and spelling errors.

On the back, write what you feel the teacher could have done better or any general comments you would like me to know. If you would like to remain anonymous, feel free to use a separate sheet of paper.

Signed Student_____________________________________

* Derived this template and modified using the following website: http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/poetry/self_assessment.html

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Final Project Assessment RubricMultigenre paper includes 7 genres: the body biography, sketch to stretch, personal narrative from Junior’s perspective (2 pages minimum) and four different genres of the student’s choice. (6 points)

- / +

Project centers around how you feel Junior’s experiences can be used to explore the overarching question of the unit: How do internal and external expectations shape our lives? Making inferences and the use of imagination is encouraged but textual connections should be apparent throughout your project, as well. (3 points)

- / +

Significantly revised and reworked the personal narrative with consideration of comments made by peer editing group and teacher comments. (6 points) - / +

Work is free of grammatical and spelling errors. (3 points) - / +

Met deadlines consistently. (3 points) - / +Thoughtfully engaged in class discussions and peer group work activities. (3 points) - / +Final project is well organized, has an engaging opening and closing, demonstrates a logical progression of ideas, and communicates with depth and density. (3 points) - / +

Thoughtfully and professionally presented one genre from the project to the class (3 points) - / +Overall Assessment:

Total points earned:  - = 1 / = 2 + = 3

Note that a higher designation of six points will be used for two categories: revisions spurred by peer group work, and the inclusion of seven distinct genres. Point designations are as follows for those categories: - = 2 / = 4 + = 6

Ippolito 32

Total possible points: 30Student Final Score:

Comments:

Ippolito 33